In a packed lecture hall at the University of East Anglia, the man behind the show spoke plainly about what comes next: the traitors season 5 will be shaped by the same mix of gothic atmosphere, bold casting and subtle format changes that have made the programme a ratings phenomenon.
The Traitors Season 5 and the promise to keep it fresh
Stephen Lambert, chief executive of Studio Lambert, used his return to UEA — where he graduated in 1981 and recently delivered the Lasdun Lecture — to frame the show’s future as a careful balance between repetition and surprise. “We’ll do everything we can to keep it fresh and to make each season better than the last – the format has amazing staying power, ” he said, describing the production choices behind the programme’s popularity.
Lambert pointed to the production’s deliberate choices: the programme was given “this great gothic setting in Ardross Castle in Scotland, ” and the casting mix has ranged from civilian contestants to high-profile celebrities. He noted that Studio Lambert obtained rights to make the British and US versions after the format originated in the Netherlands, and that his company, which he set up in 2008, has shepherded the show since it began in 2022.
Why the format endures: numbers, setting and the human game
Lambert framed the format as a social game with the tension of poker: “I mean, people are given licence to lie. ” That human gamble has translated into audience numbers. He highlighted that “nearly 10 million people watched Rachel Duffy triumph in the fourth series in January, ” and that “more than 15 million viewers (including catch-up viewing) saw comedian Alan Carr crowned the winner of the Celebrity Traitors in November. ” Those figures, he argued, reflect both the magnetic pull of the setting and the choices of participants.
On stage he pointed to broader examples of long-running formats to explain longevity. “Look how long The Apprentice has been going [and] Big Brother is still going in in America… they’ve been going for 25 years, ” he said, adding that a format must be “both repeating, which gives you familiarity, but at the same time it has to offer freshness both in terms of the cast and in subtle changes or twists that you have within the format. ” It is that balance that Studio Lambert intends to preserve as it prepares for the next installment.
Participants, presenters and the next season’s human stakes
Claudia Winkleman remains central to the show’s identity; she has presented four series and one celebrity edition, a continuity Lambert described as a stroke of luck: “We were lucky enough to persuade Claudia [Winkleman] for the British version and she’s just brilliant. ” He also praised the people who have taken part: “I think our cast is very good – whether it’s the civilian version or, of course, the celebrities. The people that took part in the celebrity version were an extraordinary collection of people. “
Those human stories — the quiet alliances, the dramatic betrayals, the unlikely winners — are the lever the producers plan to use. Lambert referenced memorable moments such as the pact that served Rachel and another contestant in the fourth series, and Alan Carr’s transformation across the celebrity edition, as examples of how casting and editing shape the narrative momentum that keeps viewers returning.
As discussions about the next season unfold behind the scenes, practical moves are already signposted: maintain the castle’s atmosphere, keep the presenter in place, and tinker with subtle twists rather than overturn what has worked. Studio Lambert’s posture is conservative on change but ambitious on sustaining audience engagement.
Back in the UEA lecture theatre, the story came full circle. The man who graduated in 1981 left the room with a simple claim and an implicit challenge: to keep a popular format alive by respecting its social core while finding tiny levers of freshness. For viewers and contestants alike, the question now is whether the traitors season 5 will deliver the same dark charms and human surprises that made the show a cultural fixture — and whether those surprises will be enough to keep audiences watching for years to come.
