‘The Traitors’ Producer Wants Former Prime Minister Liz Truss For BBC Celebrity Series

Jake Kanter and Nada Aboul Kheir
·2-min read

EXCLUSIVE: An unlikely dream contestant has emerged for The Traitors: Liz Truss.

Stephen Lambert, executive producer of the hit BBC reality series, said the former UK prime minister would be a perfect candidate for the show.

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A celebrity version is all but confirmed for 2025 and Deadline asked Lambert and Tim Harcourt, Studio Lambert’s chief creative officer, about potential casting.

Speaking on the BAFTA TV Awards red carpet, Lambert said: “Liz Truss, I think she’d be great. It’s very important on that show to be able to tell the truth, also to not tell the truth, and she would be challenged possibly.”

Whether Studio Lambert will make a formal approach to Truss remains to be seen, but the company has got form when it comes to hooking British politicians for The Traitors. John Bercow, the former Commons speaker, appeared on the Peacock version of the show in the U.S.

Truss had an ignominious 49-day spell as UK prime minister in 2022 and has recently been on a media blitz promoting her book Ten Years to Save the West, including appearing at the Conservative Political Action Conference.

Harcourt’s pick was Barack Obama, but the former U.S. president seems a more unlikely candidate for The Traitors. “We always dream of doing a celebrity version of all of our shows,” he added.

Deadline revealed last month that a deal for a celebrity edition of The Traitors is close, with a plan to film next year and premiere on the BBC in 2025.

Lambert and Harcourt confirmed that Season 3 of the BBC civilian show is currently shooting in Scotland. “We’ve had some amazing twists,” Lambert said. “It’s quite hard making Season 3 because the expectations get bigger and bigger. Fortunately, I think it’s going well.”

Season 2 delivered blockbuster ratings to the BBC, with the final episode watched by 8M people as Harry Clark was crowned winner.

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