Delighted volunteers at a heritage railway are jumping for joy after their evocative steam locos featured prominently in the smash-hit BBC show The Traitors yet again.
The third series of the BBC1 phenomenon, which is filmed in Ardross Castle in Easter Ross and numerous other Highland locations, got under way on New Year’s Day.
And the Strathspey Steam Railway was once again front and centre for the dramatic backstabbing between the contestants.
Speaking via their social channels this week, the team at Strathspey Steam Railway said: “Boat of Garten railway station… once again feature[s] prominently in episode one of this immensely popular programme, known for its captivating blend of suspense, strategy, and drama.
“For the third consecutive year, the railway is proud to provide the steam locomotives and heritage carriages that, along with the beautiful scenic landscape, transport viewers to a bygone era, significantly enhancing the visual allure of the show.
“Visitors can experience this historic charm first-hand by visiting the railway in 2025, coinciding with the celebration of 200 years of railways in Britain.”
Meanwhile, the drama on screen continues to ramp up, with Armani becoming the first of series three’s traitors to be banished from the show on Friday night.
The contestants in series three of The Traitors and (centre) show host Claudie Winkleman. Picture: BBC / Studio Lambert.
Her banishment came after her own sister Maia, who is also a contestant, sparked suspicions over her.
Maia told other contestants she was “60 per cent” certain her sibling was one of the traitors, although she wound up voting for another suspect, Freddie.
After her sister was confirmed as being one of the traitors and exited from the show, a tearful Maia (25) said: “Even though she’s a traitor, that’s still my sister. She is everything to me, so it felt so weird for me to betray her.”
Leaving the castle, Armani said: “I have had the best time. I would not have chosen to be any different because it’s genuinely just who I am, genuinely so grateful for the time. You guys are all amazing, I love you all, I am a traitor.”
Her announcement prompted cheers from the rest of the group.
The iconic game show, which has swiftly become a TV staple every New Year, has been a major boost for the Highlands’ tourist economy, with fans of the show from around the world flocking to the region to see it for themselves.
Although Ardross Castle, which is located in the hills above Alness, is private and not open to the public, the show’s regular forays into the surrounding Highland countryside have been very popular with visitors.
The show, which is presented by Claudia Winkleman, sees participants try to identify the ‘faithfuls’ and ‘traitors’ in their midst. The traitors scheme to ‘murder’ the faithfuls and remove them from the show, while the faithfuls desperately try to weed out the traitors in their midst.
If a traitor survives until the of the series, they win the £120,000 prize, but if the surviving faithfuls can successfully identify them all before the climax, they claim the cash instead.
The Traitors’ third series will continue with its fourth episode on BBC1 – and via streaming on iPlayer – at 9pm on Wednesday.