UK TV ratings: ‘The Traitors’ finale steals series high for BBC show that stunned nation in run-up to Christmas

The traitors was a revelation (SPOILERS BELOW) and the reviews weren’t bad either.

The finale of last night’s BBC entertainment hit 3.2 million, a word-of-mouth record that has steadily increased in viewership in recent weeks. For some, the caper presented by Claudia Winkleman was really all they had to talk about.

According to data from Barb, made available by overnights.tv, a share of more than 20% of UK television viewers tuned in for a dramatic finale worthy of the bone-crushingly intense 12-part run that exposed traitor Kieran and then dramatically hinted at his fellow traitor Wilf’s position with the immortal phrase “a parting gift”. keyword chaos. The remaining believers went home with more than £30,000 (US$36,000) each.

Viewership is up 50% on the previous episode and audiences have steadily grown over time, an impressive feat considering live viewing has increased, while new viewers are realizing the show’s wow factor and catching up to iPlayer. Many seemed to catch up last night.

The show was hailed on almost every front for going from a sleeper hit to a blockbuster within a very short span of time, and one point that was consistently made was its smart planning that could set standards.

the traitors, which was produced by Marc Pos based on an original Dutch idea glasses case Airing three times a week at 21:00 GMT on BBC One (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday for the last week), indie Studio Lambert allowed viewers to quench their addiction without falling too far behind. One has the feeling that next year you can plan more in this direction.

The premise is simple: 22 participants enter a castle – 19 are loyal and three are attributed to traitors. These traitors must escape the watchful eye of their co-religionists as they “kill” one each night, and avoid being “banned” during intense debates as the candidates decide who to evict from the castle. During the day, they compete in challenges to add money to a prize fund that will eventually be divided among the remaining faithful – like last night – or end up with a traitor.

No one from the BBC or Studio Lambert could have foreseen the drama that followed. The producers even refer to the beginning of an episode as “Red Breakfast” in a callback. game of thrones As contestants stayed in the game longer, their paranoia grew – and eventually everyone was blamed.

The cast is also praised, with the producers credited with choosing a diverse, “normal” group of contestants that audiences can relate to. Special love goes to 72-year-old Andrea, who almost made it to the end, an area of ​​diversity perhaps less discussed in the wider diversity debate – older people living alone. During her farewell speech, there was not a dry eye left in the house.

Since its launch in the Netherlands on RTL4, created and produced by All3Medias supports indie IDTV, The traitors gained 11 new orders in less than a year – demonstrating its immediate global appeal.

All eyes are now on NBC’s US version of Peacock, which launches next month, where celebrities will compete for the award and whether the BBC will decide to order a second season, although it is difficult to imagine, it is doubtful . We hear more international sales are also coming in as distributor All3Media International acquires far and wide.

In a cold, dark December full of strikes and bad weather, The traitors shone like a beacon — a reminder that word-of-mouth hits still exist in the age of cutting-edge content and streaming. The BBC will be simply delighted.