The hotly anticipated fourth season of The Traitors has officially arrived on BBC One – and while it’s only been one episode, there have already been some unexpected twists and turns, including the revelation that Netty and Ross know each other.
Upon their arrival at the iconic Scottish castle, where they were received by host Claudia Winkleman, Netty spotted a familiar face and immediately declared their connection – whether or not this was a good move in a game as strategic as The Traitors remains to be seen.
But what exactly is the link between the pair and did they know each other were going on the show? Here’s what we know…
How do Netty and Ross know each other?
In the first episode, Netty and Ross explained that they have known each other for years, having met through a friend.
According to executive producer Mike Cotton, who is also the Creative Director at production company Studio Lambert, the connection between Netty and Ross was a genuine coincidence, which was first discovered as part of lengthy background checks on the cast when producers noticed that the pair followed each other on social media.
“It was not intentional at all, and we actually cast them as individuals,” Mike revealed at a press launch held at Electric Cinema in Notting Hill, London, in December.
© BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge/Matt Burlem“We do really lengthy background checks on anyone that takes part, and I think as part of that, we discovered that they followed each other on social media,” explained Mike. “We knew that there was a tenuous link, but we didn’t know whether they were going to recognise each other or how they would react.”
Rather than “excluding” them from the line-up due to their connection, Mike said the producers thought it “was really interesting to see what it added to the game.”
© BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge/Matt BurlemShould Netty have declared her connection to Ross?
Netty and Ross aren’t the first two players to know one another. In season one, we had Alex and Tom, whose secret relationship was dramatically revealed in the breakfast room by Tom in the hopes of taking the heat off Alex, who had come under suspicion of being a Traitor. Meanwhile, season two saw mother and son duo, Ross and Diane, keep their connection under wraps with plans to “divide and conquer” as Faithfuls.
© Studio LambertWhile declaring your connection to other plays early on can build trust with your fellow contestants, like sisters Maia and Armani did in season three, hiding the link can be a huge secret weapon for later on in the game. But if your connection is uncovered by the other contestants earlier than planned, this could break the trust and risk potential banishment.
The Traitors continues on BBC One and iPlayer on Friday 2 January.
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