Traitors franchise boosted Scotland’s economy by £21.8m, says BBC

The Traitors franchise has boosted Scotland’s economy by £21.8 million, according to a report by the BBC.

The BBC show, filmed in Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, near Inverness, is presented by Claudia Winkleman and began in 2022.

It has since expanded to include a US spinoff and a further UK edition, The Celebrity Traitors, which has featured household names such as Charlotte Church, Jonathan Ross and Stephen Fry.

The non-celebrity competition pits 22 contestants against each other as they try to win £120,000, but includes backstabbing and mind games.

The show will return in 2026 and is made by Studio Lambert Scotland, with a second series of Celebrity Traitors planned for BBC One after breaking audience records.

Episode one of the Celebrity Traitors was the biggest single episode on television so far this year, with 14.8 million views over 28 days, and was praised as “the highlight of the year” by Kalpna Patel-Knight, the BBC’s head of entertainment.

The extent to which the hit show contributes to Scotland has come under scrutiny, amid claims that most of the production team were based in London despite being classed as a Scottish production.

In February, Scottish Culture Secretary Angus Robertson met with both the BBC and Ofcom to discuss the issue.

An economic impact report by the BBC found that the Traitors franchise has generated an estimated £21.8 million boost in Gross Value Added (GVA) to Scotland’s economy since filming began three years ago.

The report, which includes contributions from Visit Scotland and Screen Scotland, highlighted its role in promoting the entertainment industry in Scotland as well as entertainment-related tourism.

It said that for every £1 of GVA directly generated by the production, a total of £6.84 was added to the Scottish economy, and that for every production job, about 14.8 jobs had been created in other industries.

The report by Hayley Valentine, director of BBC Scotland, said: “It is fantastic that this major TV event is filmed in Scotland, and that alongside the BBC’s series, the US version is also made in our nation.

“Recent independent research commissioned by Screen Scotland has shown that the economic contribution of the screen industry in Scotland goes far beyond the confines of the actual production window itself.

“There is the immediate impact of those working on a title in the local area across many months, there is the supply chain spend in a region with a wide range of businesses, large and small, in the screen sector and beyond, and the wider – and significant – impact on screen tourism, being boosted across Scotland by multiple shows.

“The Traitors is – as this report highlights – making a substantial contribution to that economic story, especially in the Highlands, and one which should be welcomed.”

It added: “Since filming began in 2022, The Traitors – including its US and UK Celebrity editions – has delivered an impressive estimated £21.8 million boost in Gross Value Added to Scotland’s economy, highlighting its significant economic and cultural contribution.

“For every job working directly on the production based in Scotland, a further 14.8 jobs were created across the wider Scottish economy as a result of the production’s spending with local suppliers.

“The Traitors has also strengthened the existing screen tourism sector in Scotland.”

It said that production of The Traitors has supported more than 750 jobs in Scotland since filming began in 2022, although the actual number of roles created is likely higher due to the seasonal nature of filming.

Kalpna Patel-Knight, head of entertainment at the BBC, said: “Studio Lambert have done an outstanding job as The Celebrity Traitors has well and truly captivated the nation, becoming a bona fide highlight of the year bringing record numbers of people together to enjoy every twist and turn.

“In 2026, the doors of the castle will be opened again to welcome celebrity players to the game to see who can charm, who can scheme and ultimately who can survive in series two, which promises to be just as unmissable as the first.

“Plus, with Uncloaked returning and today’s news of the positive contribution The Traitors brand has made to Scotland’s economy, there is plenty to celebrate.”