The Traitors NZ is the New Zealand edition of the global franchise The Traitors. It is the fourth English edition of the show to launch and 13th edition globally, with its first episode airing on August 4, 2023.
History[]
The existence of a New Zealander version of The Traitors was first revealed on November 3, 2022, with Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ's Head of Networks Glen Kyne describing the concept as 'a whole lot of mayhem, chaos and fun'.[1] On March 12, 2023, the New Zealand Herald revealed some gossip about the upcoming series, such as it featuring an even split between celebrities and civilians, possibly filming at the Chateau Tongariro, and three potential names for the host: Teuila Blakely, Shavaughn Ruakere and Joel Tobeck.[2] However, when a teaser trailer for the series was first released on April 22, 2023, the host was instead revealed to be controversial TV personality Paul Henry returning to hosting.[3]
On December 1, 2023, The Traitors NZ was renewed for a second season scheduled to film in 2024, with Paul Henry returning as host. This time, the show would be cast with civilian applicants.[4]
On September 30, 2024, both seasons of The Traitors NZ were removed from Three's streaming service ThreeNow. Though the reason for this was not explicitly stated, it was likely due to the financial crisis the New Zealand TV industry was experiencing, which led to all domestic reality TV programming being terminated.[5] Currently, the only ways to legally view Season 2 are through South Pacific Pictures's YouTube channel for domestic Kiwi audiences, the Canadian streaming platform Crave and the British streaming platform BBC iPlayer. However, on August 4, 2025, it was revealed that a third season had been commissioned against previous expectations.[6]
Seasons[]
| Season | Episodes | Premiere | Finale | Prize | Contestants | Traitors | Winner(s) | Runner(s)-Up | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original | Recruited | ||||||||
| Season 1 | 10 | August 4, 2023 | September 4, 2023 | NZ$59,100 | 19 |    |
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| Season 2 | 12 | July 1, 2024 | August 5, 2024 | NZ$73,000 | 22 |    |
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| Season 3 | 10 | To be announced | |||||||
Awards[]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | New York Festivals TV & Film Awards | Host | Paul Henry | Bronze |
| Asian Academy Creative Awards | Best Adaptation of an Existing Format (Non Scripted) | The Traitors NZ/Season 1 | Won | |
| New Zealand Screen Awards | Television Personality of the Year | Paul Henry | Finalist | |
| Asian Television Awards | Best Adaptation of an Existing Format | The Traitors NZ | Nominated | |
| 2025 | New York Festivals TV & Film Awards | Reality TV Drama | The Traitors NZ/Season 2 | Bronze |
| Asian Television Awards | Best Adaptation of an Existing Format | The Traitors NZ/Season 2 | Won | |
| New Zealand Screen Awards | Best Reality Series | The Traitors NZ/Season 2 | Nominated |
References[]
| The Traitors NZ | |
|---|---|
| Seasons | Season 1 • Season 2 • Season 3 |
| Hosts | Paul Henry |
| Filming locations | Woodhouse Mountain Lodge • Castle Claremont |
| The Traitors (franchise) | |
|---|---|
| Europe | Belgium (Flanders) • Belgium (Wallonia) • Bulgaria • Czech Republic • Denmark • Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Ireland • Italy • Netherlands • Norway • Poland • Portugal • Romania • Russia • Slovakia • Spain • Sweden • Ukraine • UK |
| Oceania | Australia • New Zealand |
| North America | Canada • Canada (Quebec) • US |
| Asia | India • Israel • South Korea • Turkey |