• Meet the 22 reality newcomers competing in The Traitors: New Blood
• The season puts a twist on The Traitors, as it swaps celebrity contestants for “ordinary Americans”
• The all-civilian season premieres on NBC and Peacock on Thursday, Sept. 17

Fans of The Traitors are in for a treat with the New Blood season.

PEOPLE can exclusively share the trailer for The Traitors: New Blood, introducing the 22 “ordinary Americans” competing in the game of deception for a chance to win $250,000. The series, hosted by Alan Cumming, will premiere on NBC and Peacock on Thursday, Sept. 17.

“For the first time, I am opening up my castle doors to ordinary Americans,” Cumming, 60, says in the trailer. “Because when nobody knows who you are, you can get away with anything.”

When the contestants walk through the doors of Cumming’s Scottish castle, they are thrust into the game where deception and betrayal thrive. For some, this is their “chance to be bad,” as dog groomer Arisa Thomas said. But for those like nurse Abbey Benjamin, the ‘biggest strategy is to go in as myself and gain as much trust as possible,’ she says.

Whatever approach these contestants take, “make no mistake, we’re all here for one reason, and that’s to win $250,000,” funeral director Joe Vanella says.

“Set at a castle deep in the Scottish Highlands, this nail-biting psychological adventure sees contestants work together on a series of exhilarating missions to build a prize fund worth up to $250,000,” a synopsis reads.

“Hidden among the Faithful are the Traitors, who murder the Faithful one by one under the cover of darkness as the Faithful race to uncover them from the game. At the end of the game, if the remaining Faithful banish every Traitor, they share the prize fund; if even one Traitor survives to the end, the Traitors take it all.”

The Traitors: New Blood is the U.S. debut of the civilian version of the Emmy-winning reality competition series. This season will include 22 newcomers to reality TV ranging in age from 23 to 65.

Making up the all-civilian cast are Abbey Benjamin (nurse), Abby Lee (astrophysicist), Arisa Thomas (dog groomer), Ben McDonnell (barrel racer), Clyde Moser (teacher), Jay Vinnedge (physician), Joe Vanella (funeral director), Katie Fites (marketing manager), Kim Daily (lawyer), Kriste Lewis (realtor), Logan Smith (realtor), Madeline Kostopulos (office manager), Mark Zgoda (personal trainer), Michael Foote (attorney), Morgan Cook (content creator), Niyyah Bilal Hayes (therapist), Shane Beatty (iron worker), Sherry Kuehl (writer), Tomica Adams (pilot), Victor Vollbrechthausen (business executive), Wyatt Gillespie (designer) and Xavier Scruggs (MLB analyst).

Speaking exclusively with PEOPLE in August 2025, Cumming revealed how the civilian edition will raise the stakes. “What I’m really looking forward to is the fact that there will be more at stake for people,” he explained, noting that the prize money “will make more of a difference” for everyday people.

The show’s iconic host went on to say that he believes the all-civilian cast makes the new season “fascinating,” as “there will be more of a slow burn getting to know people.”

Speaking exclusively with PEOPLE in August 2025, Cumming revealed how the civilian edition will raise the stakes. “What I’m really looking forward to is the fact that there will be more at stake for people,” he explained, noting that the prize money “will make more of a difference” for everyday people.

The show’s iconic host went on to say that he believes the all-civilian cast makes the new season “fascinating,” as “there will be more of a slow burn getting to know people.”

The Traitors: New Blood has a two-episode premiere on Thursday, Sept. 17, on NBC at 8 p.m. ET/PT, with two new back-to-back episodes on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

New episodes air Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and stream the next day on Peacock.

https://people.com/alan-cumming-traitors-castle-first-time-cast-new-blood-trailer-exclusive-12075870