The Traitors has become a standout competition show over its three seasons so far, with viewers tuning in with a Peacock subscription for all the lies, betrayals, twists, and turns. Season 4 will arrive on the streamer after the 2025 TV schedule has ended with a celebrity cast list including Donna Kelce, but fans of the celebs competing against each other now have the opportunity of trying their own hands at the game. A season starring civilians rather than stars is coming to NBC, and applications are already open.
The Civilian Version Of The Traitors
Fear not, fans – host Alan Cumming will fill that role for the NBC season just like he has for three seasons and counting on Peacock. It’s not shocking that the network would want to give the show a shot in primetime, as the internet is buzzing on a weekly basis when new episodes are released on Peacock. Plus, NBC’s biggest reality show, America’s Got Talent, airs over the summer each year. There could be a market for another competition show during other months of the television season. Just look at shows like Big Brother and The Amazing Race over on CBS!
I wouldn’t be shocked to see The Traitors airing at a different time of year than the summer, unless Destination X is cancelled to open up the post-AGT time slot. (Fun fact, though: former The Traitors contestant Peter Weber was also a Destination X contestant who I found myself consistently rooting against.) NBCUniversal exec Sharon Vuong said this about the Alan Cumming-hosted show coming to NBC without any celebrities (via TVLine):
We’re excited to bring along The Traitors’ highly addictive fan base as we discover the next generation of legendary gamers and schemers. With our resident host and gameplay master of ceremonies, Alan Cumming, on board to introduce complete strangers to new epic missions and twisted gameplay, this new version for NBC offers a unique opportunity for the cast and audience to meet each other for the first time and we know it will be incredible to watch.
So, what does it take to compete in a season of The Traitors? Fans of the streaming seasons could surely go into a civilian season with their own strategies in mind, but applicants have to make the cut first, and I’m pretty intrigued by the list of requirements.
Eligibility Requirements For The Traitors On NBC
Applications for The Traitors are already open (and you can apply here if interested), and the top description fits with what the celebrity version has delivered across three seasons. According to the application, they are “looking for smart, strategic everyday people to compete in the ultimate game of trust & treachery,” followed by “Are you a FAITHFUL or are you a TRAITOR?” With a prize of $250,000 and plenty of franchise fans already, I have no doubt that plenty of people will apply.
But the eligibility requirements get a little more interesting later in the application. With the application window open between now and March 20, 2026, any potential competitors will have to be a U.S. citizen who can travel to the U.K. for filming in the Scottish Highlands. Production is expected to occur for four weeks between May – June 2026, which indicates that the show could be ready to premiere in the fall of the 2026-2027 TV season rather than paired with America’s Got Talent in the summer.
Applicants will be considered as long as “You are not currently, nor do you currently intend to be, a candidate for public office”. Among other criteria is the requirement for participants to submit to a “background check and physical and psychological examinations by medical professionals,” and “submission of medical information to the Producer, and the certification of the medical professionals that you meet all physical and psychological requirements.”
On a more fun note, the application also asks applicants whether they would choose to be a Traitor or a Faithful if given the choice, although it’s much too soon to say if the selected competitors will get their wish! In the meantime, the first three seasons of The Traitors’ celebrity version are available streaming on Peacock. Not a lot is known about the kinds of competitors the new crop of stars will be in Season 4 in 2026, which may be partly due to Donna Kelce keeping secrets from her famous sons!