A game show from two decades ago has resurfaced online, prompting similarities to the current smash-hit The Traitors.
Last month, the second season of the BBC reality series premiered, with Traitor Harry coming triumphant and winning £95,150.
Although the series is based on the Dutch series De Verraders, which is based on the party game Mafia, a clip from an old BBC series has left viewers perplexed.
Aside from the obvious similarities in the title, the 2004 series offers nearly identical gameplay to the current programme.
This Thursday, the Back the BBC Twitter account shared a YouTube video of the show’s host, Tony Livesey.
Contestants sat in a circle and attempted to identify the dishonest ‘traitors’ in order to win a cash reward.
‘Extraordinary find here. BBC actually first aired a version of #TheTraitors in 2004. And it’s brilliant,’ the account captioned the post.
A synopsis from the show from the time explained how it all worked: ’The first of a nightly psychological elimination game show in which nine contestants must work out which of them has turned traitor in order to win £5,000. All claim to be telling the truth, but two are lying. Can they be spotted?’
However, the series only aired five episodes.
Pete Liggins, a past participant, told X that the programme was being considered to replace The Weakest Link in the late afternoon schedule.
But, he added, ‘I guess cost too much/was too complicated a production in comparison.’
Traitor, which can be viewed in full on YouTube, did not have any outdoor activities like the current season, and the competitors were swapped each episode rather than remaining the same throughout the series.
Audiences were also given the option of remaining unaware of the traitors’ identities, and were instructed to turn away from the television if they did not want to find out.
Since its premiere in 2021, De Verraders has been recreated in 23 countries, including Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Other nations that have adopted the format include Denmark, Greece, and Poland.
The Traitors UK, US and Australia are streaming on BBC iPlayer.
