Fans of the hit BBC reality show The Traitors are calling for a significant production change after a secret connection between two contestants was confirmed on air, having already been widely exposed online.
The Big Reveal That Wasn't
During the fourth episode, which aired on Thursday, January 7, 2026, psychologist Ellie made a confessional revelation to the cameras. She disclosed that recently banished contestant Ross was, in fact, her boyfriend. Ellie stated her intention to avenge his elimination by working harder to catch a Traitor.
This moment, however, failed to land with the impact producers likely intended. Eagle-eyed fans had already uncovered the pair's relationship days earlier through social media detective work. A photograph from a work trip in June 2024 had circulated online, and their professional connection on LinkedIn, complete with supportive comments from Ross on Ellie's posts, had been shared on forums like Reddit.
Fan Backlash and Calls for Action
The online sleuthing led to a wave of disappointment among the show's dedicated audience. Many took to social media platform X to express their frustration that the carefully crafted dramatic reveal had been spoiled.
One fan, Charlotte, tweeted her sympathy for the producers, noting this was the second family reveal to be ruined. She suggested it would be far better if such discoveries happened within the game for all contestants simultaneously.
Another viewer, Ruby, directly called for the show to adopt a tactic used by programmes like Big Brother, urging: "They need to private their social media... this would’ve gagged if I didn’t see it on Instagram days ago." Others described the secret as "the worst kept" and labelled the televised confirmation "the most anti-climatic thing ever."
Other Episode Highlights
The episode contained several other major developments beyond the Ross and Ellie revelation. The identity of a secret Traitor was finally exposed, with Fiona removing her iconic red cloak. The roundtable also saw the banishment of Ross, who was revealed to be a Faithful to his fellow players.
This connection followed another earlier in the series, as Ross was already known to be linked to nursery teacher Netty, the first Faithful to be murdered.
The Traitors continues on BBC One at 8pm on Thursday nights.
