Hit BBC series The Traitors has returned this week and the show has risked Ofcom complaints already as a huge rule break aired during Thursday night’s show
Reality TV series The Traitors has risked Ofcom’s backlash just two episodes into the latest series.
The hit BBC murder mystery returned on New Year’s Day for its third series as a whole new set of contestants hope to take home the huge prize money. Claudia Winkleman made her comeback as host of the hit programme and made Linda, Minah and Armani her Traitors.
The other 19 contestants were labelled the Faithful and on Wednesday night, the Traitors had to pick one to be murdered. They settled on communication scientist Yin, who became the first contestant to be murdered and kicked out of the competition. During Thursday night’s show, more drama unfolded as the Traitors decided to get rid of Keith.
The Traitors latest move sent the Faithfuls into a frenzy as they tried to work out who could be behind the moves. Faithfuls Livi, Francesca and Leanne sat down for a chat as they spoke about what had happened so far. During their chat, Livi broke a huge Ofcom rule as she swore before the 9pm watershed. She told her co-stars: “Obviously I am excited for the mission, but again I am s***ting myself for the table.”
Francesca told her: “Just do not think about it for a bit, just enjoy the day.” The watershed begins at 9pm and material unsuitable for children should not, in general, be shown before 9pm or after 5.30am. According to Ofcom, unsuitable material can include everything from sexual content to violence, graphic or distressing imagery and swearing.
Livi swore while talking to Francesca and Leanne (
Image:
BBC)
For example, the most offensive language must not be broadcast before the watershed on TV or, on radio, when children are particularly likely to be listening. Frequent use of offensive language must be avoided before the watershed, and must always be justified by its context.
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A report from Ofcom in 2021, viewers found the word “s**t” a moderate offense where “context should be considered based on what an audience would reasonably expect.” The moderate rating means there is “greater potential for offence than mild words and a higher level of context should be considered.”
Contestant Yin, who became the first person eliminated from the series, warned the Traitors were too “chaotic” and lacked the ability, currently, to work together. Yin said it could be game over for them after too many errors and that it would take one ultimate betrayal to get them back on track, and to avoid being exposed.
She told the Mirror: “They are too chaotic as a three, you can tell already they are not going to work together. They’ve got the wrong combination of people. As individuals they are all phenomenal but as a trio they don’t congeal. Armani and Minah seem close, but Linda is not very strong and she’s hiding a bit. Jake cottoned onto her, so she could be a bit more proactive about it because he was right about her. In their commentary about each other they are already criticising each other which is a bad sign, a first impression gone sour.
“There should be more respect and admiration, they should be excited to work together but Minah thinks Armani is on another team. She’s already clocked that they do not have a team, and Linda says Armani is doing too much. I can’t see them lasting for very long, that’s the honest truth.”
On her sad exit from the show so soon, Yin confessed she was ‘disappointed’. She told us: “I didn’t get a breakfast, or a roundtable or a proper mission with everyone involved. These are all critical ingredients in this whole experience that I missed out on so it feels disappointing.”
The Mirror has contacted the BBC for comment.
