At a Glance
- Candiace Dillard Bassett, Rob Cesternino, Stephen Colletti, Tara Lipinski and Monét X Change reveal season 4 twist: a secret Traitor hidden even from fellow Traitors
- Premiere shock saw Candiace, Lisa Rinna and Rob Rausch tapped as Traitors in front of the entire cast
- $250,000 prize on the line as Faithfuls and Traitors navigate new rules starting Jan. 8 on Peacock
- Why it matters: Viewers get first look at how the twist changes alliances, murders and the entire game dynamic
Five reality veterans walked into Ardross Castle and walked out bonded by what they call “trauma.” Candiace Dillard Bassett (The Real Housewives of Potomac), Rob Cesternino (Survivor), Stephen Colletti (Laguna Beach), Tara Lipinski (Olympic figure skater) and Monét X Change (RuPaul’s Drag Race) sat down with News Of Losangeles to unpack the biggest twist yet in The Traitors season 4, streaming now on Peacock.
Secret Traitor Twist Changes Everything
Host Alan Cumming broke tradition before the first mission. Instead of selecting Traitors privately, he revealed each contestant’s status-Faithful or Traitor-one by one in front of the full cast. Candiace, Lisa Rinna and Rob Rausch (Love Island) received the dreaded tap on the shoulder.
“It was like a five-alarm fire went off,” Candiace says. “I lost it internally. I knew from the jump I wanted to be a Traitor, so inside I was like, ‘Yes! We’re doing this.’ But then it got really hard because you have to murder people who you love.”
Monét, assigned Faithful, watched the circle walk nervously. “I was, like, ‘Is Alan trying to close a ring?’ Every time he goes around, you’re like, ‘He’s going to choose me.’ Then, he doesn’t. I would have sold my firstborn to be a Traitor.”
The bigger bombshell: a secret Traitor exists, unknown to both viewers and the revealed Traitors until episode 3. This player feeds Candiace, Lisa and Rob R. a short list of Faithfuls to target for elimination.
Physical Missions Push Limits
Contestants hit the ground rowing across a freezing Scottish loch. Tara, despite Olympic-level fitness, admits, “I was sore by day three.” Stephen recalls, “I felt like we were rowing for hours. I had so much snot coming out of my nose.”
Monét labels the missions “hardcore,” and Candiace needed fresh clothes after night one: “All of my places are moist. I promise you my ministry is not outside.”
Surprising Friendships Form
Candiace bonded with Lisa Rinna, both accustomed to reality-TV villain labels. “People hate her like they hate me,” Candiace notes. “She has the same villain moniker as me… but Lisa is literally a flower child. She was always sitting on the floor, stretching.”
Monét adds, “Every time I looked at Lisa, she was in the corner on the floor in child’s pose and doing her lips.”
Competing alongside Donna Kelce–Taylor Swift’s future mother-in-law-proved equally memorable. “We talked about how she liked to bake cookies,” Candiace says. Rob calls Donna “incredibly smart,” while Stephen notes the cast feared Swiftie backlash if they voted her out early.
Packing, Glam and Missing Home
Suitcases overflowed: Stephen brought two golf bags, Candiace five luggage pieces, Monét four. Glam sessions started before dawn; Monét’s full beat took 2.5 hours. Candiace multitasked, “contouring Tara while having an egg in one hand.”
Breakfast became a salmon battle-only two pieces for 20 people. “If you were last at breakfast, you got no salmon,” Candiace laughs.
Leaving families hurt. Candiace’s son Jett was eight months old; Tara’s daughter Georgie was 18 months. Production allowed check-ins, helping parents cope. Tara, rebuilding after the January 2025 Pacific Palisades fire, calls the show “a little bit of an escape… psychological torture in the castle, but a break.”
Why They’re the ‘Best’ Cast
Each star hopes the season reframes public perception:
- Stephen: wants viewers to see the real him, not his edited 18-year-old Laguna Beach persona
- Candiace: aims to show Black women are “not monoliths” and she’s “not a bitch,” even while playing villain
- Rob: wants fans to know “the body is tea” beyond his podcast analytics
- Monét: proves Drag Race competitors are “gamers and formidable opponents,” plus showcases “the fashion”
- Tara: believes viewers will witness her most vulnerable side despite Olympic toughness
“Maybe I’m biased,” Tara concludes, “but we have the best Traitors cast ever.”
Key Takeaways
- The secret Traitor twist raises stakes for every alliance
- Physical missions rival Survivor in intensity
- Off-screen friendships defy reality-TV stereotypes
- Family sacrifices underscore cast commitment
- Cast unanimously claims season 4 tops previous installments
