⚠️ SPOILER ALERT:
This post contains spoilers for The Traitors episode aired on BBC One on Friday 16th January 2026, including who was murdered, who was banished and the big end-of-episode twist. If you’re not caught up, save this and come back after iPlayer. This post covers Season 4 – Episode 9.
Quick Traitors TV info (so you don’t miss it)
- When it’s on: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday (weekly)
- Time: usually 8pm on BBC One / iPlayer (this week’s return is Wed 21st January at 8pm)
- Final week note: Friday 23rd January is listed as a longer slot (final at 8:30pm)
(I’ll keep updating if BBC shifts times – because they love doing that when we’ve finally got a routine.)
Catch up links:
- 👉 Wednesday recap: The Traitors recap 14 January 2026
- 👉 Thursday recap: The Traitors recap 15 January 2026
What happened on The Traitors on Friday 16 January 2026?
If you’re here because you missed Friday’s episode and want the quick version: it was peak Traitors – one brutal murder at breakfast, a classic “everyone’s accusing the wrong person” round table and then Claudia swanning in with a twist that basically screamed “sleep well, you won’t.”
It’s also one of those episodes that reminds you why this show is such a good family watch: everyone on the sofa shouting theories, someone guarding the snacks like a dragon and at least one person going, “NOOOO not them!” every ten minutes.
Who was murdered on The Traitors in Friday’s episode?
Jessie was revealed as the murder victim at breakfast.
And honestly… it was a proper gut-punch because Jessie had been zeroing in on Stephen right before she was taken out, which immediately sent everyone into full conspiracy mode.
What was the challenge and how much money did they win?
The mission was a creepy one: the group climbed into big closed boxes and had to answer contestant related questions, trying to match who’s name the Traitors would pick. For each match, money was added to the prize pot.
They ended up earning £3,250 from the task.
Who was banished at the round table?
Ellie was banished – and she was a Faithful.
The maddest part? Rachel and Stephen managed to keep the heat off themselves again! Makikng it feel like the Faithfuls were just… voting in all directions and grasping at straws.
Ellie also dropped a late reveal about her relationship with Ross (third contestant to be banished) as she left, which definitely added an extra “WAIT, WHAT?!” layer to the fallout.
Why was there no murder after the round table?
Yep — no murder that night. Claudia announced the change and instead the group had a dinner party (which sounds calm… but this is The Traitors, so obviously it wasn’t).
What was the Ceremonial Dagger twist?
Enter: the Ceremonial Dagger (Claudia really lives for the theatre of it all). The dagger gives one player a double vote at the next round table… and the real kicker is that the Traitors choose who gets it.
So it’s basically a power-up that can either:
- help the Faithfuls (if it lands with someone sharp), or
- help the Traitors quietly steer a banishment without getting their hands too dirty.
Either way, it’s chaos. Delicious chaos.
The dinner party was unexpectedly emotional (and it changed the vibe)
This bit genuinely shifted the tone.
At the post-round-table dinner, a few of the players opened up about their real lives and why they want the money – and Jade shared a personal family tragedy that she says is why she’s more guarded (and honestly, it explains a lot about why she’s been so unfairly misunderstood in the group).
It was one of those moments where you remember: behind the cloaks and plotting, these are real people running on stress, sleep deprivation and paranoia.
Admittedly, the food always looks AMAZING though – the contestants seem to be well fed and I love the sweetie jars in the kitchen.
My take
Rachel is staying cool, calm and quietly confident, which is exactly why she’s dangerous. Stephen, meanwhile, is still giving “flustered but surviving,” and somehow his seriously good fashion choices keep him looking like he’s meant to be there… even when his face is doing that red, panicky thing.
Also: the Faithfuls are still treating the round table like a guessing game with vibes-only evidence, which is equal parts hilarious and painful to watch.
The Traitors final week FAQs (schedule + what happens in the final)
When is The Traitors back on TV this week?
The last week of episodes airs:
- Episode 10: Wednesday 21 January at 8pm
- Episode 11: Thursday 22 January at 8pm
- Episode 12 (Final): Friday 23 January at 8:30pm
What time is The Traitors final on (and how long is it)?
The final starts 8:30pm and runs for 75 minutes, finishing at 9:45pm.
How many episodes are left before the final?
After the Friday 16 January episode, there are three episodes left (Wed 21, Thu 22, and the final on Fri 23).
What happens in The Traitors final? (How the winner is decided)
Without spoiling who gets there, the final usually goes like this:
- There’s a final round table (last chance to banish someone).
- Then the remaining players go into the endgame (often at a firepit), where they must choose to end the game (green smoke) or banish again (red smoke).
- The game only ends when everyone votes to end (as in, the group agrees they believe no Traitors remain).
- If the game ends and a Traitor is still in, the Traitor(s) take the prize pot. If all Traitors are gone, the remaining Faithful split it.
Is Uncloaked on after the final?
Yep — the final is followed by the final episode of The Traitors: Uncloaked.
Comments open 👀
Have you watched the 16 January episode yet? What are your thoughts — and who do you think should get the dagger?
(If you’re mentioning big moments, pop SPOILER at the top of your comment so nobody gets mugged off.)
🕵️ Want to get fully caught up before the final? Browse our UK TV Recaps & Spoilers hub for all the latest Traitors recaps and updates.
