'I'm a BBC Traitors superfan - but I have one major problem with the new series'
There's no greater reality TV spectacle out there today than The Traitors, and if Shakespeare were alive today, he'd be its number one fan.
The previous BBC series bore all the hallmarks of a Shakespearean tragedy, culminating in a finale that is widely considered to be one of the most memorable moments in reality TV history.
The pivotal moment saw Harry, the show's Traitor, reach the final with just one obstacle between him and the prize pot: his close friend, Mollie. As Mollie prepared to banish Harry after suddenly having second thoughts about him, the nation was on tenterhooks.
However, she was persuaded by him that he wasn't a Traitor at the eleventh hour, erasing his name from her blackboard and replacing it with another contestant's. This meant Harry swooped in and claimed the entire prize pot for himself, leaving Mollie empty-handed due to her misplaced trust.
A third series has now started with viewers braced for all of the twists, turns and treachery that make the show such an engaging watch. Meanwhile show host Claudia Winkleman is a draw all on her own, acting like a pantomime villain while sporting a gorgeous wardrobe that has me trawling Vinted for lookalike red leather gloves and turtlenecks every single year.
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But all the pomp and ceremony can't distract me from a glaring issue with this year's series. In a brutal twist that kicked off episode one, we witnessed the 25-strong group forced to eliminate three people, with the decision put to them on who would go.
With time ticking, the three that ended up being ousted were among the personalities that shone the most in the minutes prior, meaning viewers were utterly robbed of some of the most entertaining cast members. Market trader and landscaper Jack, 24; outreach manager Fozia, 50; and the mysterious ex-British diplomat Alexander, 38, were all out of the door before the train had made it anywhere close to Ardross Castle.
Given the nature of The Traitors, there's always a chance we could see them make an unexpected comeback - and I sincerely hope that's the case or the producers have made a colossal blunder here. In past seasons, we've witnessed shock evictions occur in the opening moments, but to expel three in one fell swoop was as gutting as it was dramatic.
Meanwhile the first murder of the series was of Yin, aged 34, a communications doctor whose analytical mind made her a hugely fascinating character in the game, but also an early target for the Traitors. One of her stand-out moments was her panicked declaration that she hadn't gathered enough "social capital" with her castmates to save herself from a murder.
While it's inevitable that numbers will decrease as the show progresses, it raises questions about the point of casting vibrant and compelling characters if they're just going to be dispatched before the game has barely begun. Perhaps that's part of the fun?
The Traitors continues tonight at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer
