Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive show news, updates, and more!
Who Won Peacock's 'The Traitors' Season 1 & How They Did It
After 10 episodes, the dramatic finale of Peacock's "The Traitors" resulted in tears and betrayal.
The competition in Peacock's "The Traitors" Season 1 was fierce from the start. Upon arriving at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands and being introduced to a game of deceit and "murder," the 20 contestants had to be on their A-game. However, after 10 episodes — all of which premiered on Jan. 12 — only one player was left standing triumphant for host Alan Cumming to present the grand prize.
Who Won 'The Traitors' Season 1?
So, who won "The Traitors" Season 1? Was it one of the 17 "Faithful" who worked together to uncover the three "Traitors" in their midst as they banished a new player every night in hopes of weeding out the dangerous competition?
Nope.
The winner of "The Traitors" Season 1 is none other than Cirie Fields — a Traitor.
(Admit it: As much as we want good things to happen to good people, there's something really satisfying about this outcome.)
Best known for her three (three!) appearances on "Survivor," longtime reality series fans probably aren't too surprised by this outcome. If there's anyone who's able to "Outwit, Outplay, Outlast" the competition, it's Cirie. In fact, it was perhaps even less of a surprise that Cirie was chosen as a Traitor in the first place. Just last year, viewers watched her compete on USA Network's "Snake in the Grass," in which managed to weed out the titular Snake. With "The Traitors" win now under her belt, as well, future competitors and teammates best be wary of Cirie Fields the next time she enters the field.
How Did They Do It?
Strategy is the name of the game in a competition like "The Traitors." If you're chosen as one of the Traitors (either from the get-go or after being recruited later in the game like Arie Luyendyk Jr.), you've got to play smart and, most importantly, know when to keep your mouth shut.
(Looking at you, Christian.)
After one of the three OG Traitors Cody Calafiore was banished by the larger group, remaining Traitors Cirie and Christian de la Torre recruited Arie, only for Christian to all but out himself as a Traitor by attempting a not-so-great mind game with the remaining Faithful: He told them he was the one who the Traitors had attempted to recruit. Immediately, the three remaining Faithful — Kate Chastain, Quentin R. Jiles, and Andie Vanacore — were suspicious, and Christian got himself banished at the top of Episode 10.
The moment Christian was voted off, Cirie notes her dual emotions over the choice: excitement as she keeps up her Faithful ruse, and a "knot in my stomach" over thinking she might be next.
That wasn't the case, though. With five competitors, 24 hours, and no murders remaining, Cirie kept her head down and powered through. She contemplated "leading with emotions or leading with strategy," and wondered if she could trust Arie, as he'd only been a Traitor for a short time, whereas she'd been in the trenches since the beginning. As she said in the final episode, her strategy throughout was "out of sight, out of mind" up through the final mission: A speedboat-racing treasure hunt across Loch Glass that involved underwater deep-dives, jumping out of a helicopter, and a race against the clock.
Despite all odds, the five remaining competitors managed to work together one last time to secure the full $250,000 grand prize, and at the final roundtable meeting, Cirie managed to keep it all under wraps as the players voted to banish Kate, who'd (incorrectly) been at the top of many players' lists as a potential Traitor for several episodes.
But that wasn't the end!
In the final twist, the four remaining competitors were forced to decide whether to vote one more time or trust that everyone present was Faithful. This is where Cirie forced everyone's hand to make them vote out one final person, and she had her sights set on her fellow Traitor to keep the prize money for herself rather than split the money with someone who hadn't "worked nearly as hard" for the win.
Understanding that Cirie had outplayed him, Arie removed himself from the competition of his own volition and revealed that he'd been recruited later than expected, resulting in Quentin and Andie believing they'd rid themselves of every Traitor. That opened the way for Cirie to take it all.
The final reveal that Cirie was, in fact, a Traitor, understandably came as a shock; Andie referred to them as a "family," while Quentin said he wouldn't "want to win with anyone else" at his side. But Cirie went home with the $250,000 grand prize all to herself.
You can watch the dramatic finale of "The Traitors" Season 1 for yourself on Peacock.
