BBC & NBCU order Dutch adventure format ‘The Traitors’ from Studio Lambert

The Traitors

The UK’s BBC and NBCUniversal (NBCU) in the US have followed their recent unscripted format pact by announcing a double commission of Dutch psychological adventure format The Traitors.

The UK show has been ordered by Kate Phillips, director of BBC Entertainment, for BBC One and BBC iPlayer, while Jenny Groom, EVP of entertainment unscripted content at NBCU Television & Streaming has ordered the US version for streamer Peacock.

Both series will be produced in the Scottish Highlands by Studio Lambert Scotland, the recently launched new division for the All3Media-owned producer. Filming for both series will commence in 2022.

Into the castle

The original format was created by Marc Pos and developed by All3’s IDTV & RTL Creative Unit and produced by IDTV. It launched in March on RTL4 and a second season was ordered after two episodes.

The format has also been picked up by VTM in Belgium, with Studio Lambert picking up remake rights from the sales arm of parent All3Media, which sells globally.

Kate Phillips

The show follows contestants as they move into a majestic castle and work as a team to complete a series of dramatic and challenging missions to earn money for the prize pot. Three of the contestants are secretly traitors, however, who will attempt to deceive and manipulate their way to the prize by eliminating ‘loyal’ contestants.

Phillips said: “The Traitors is a high stakes entertainment series full of false promises and paranoia. Set against the stunning Scottish landscape, I can’t wait for these very different Highland Games to begin where the biggest rule of all is trust no one.”

Groom added: “Studio Lambert has had amazing success with immersive formats and we are excited to partner with them on this. We know that US audiences will absolutely love the twists and turns of the show.”

The commissions come two weeks after the BBC and NBCU revealed their unscripted partnership, designed to find and fund new unscripted programming ideas. These commissions, however, are not part of that initative.