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'The Traitors': 'Bachelor' & 'Real Housewives' Cast Give Us The Inside Scoop On Series' Scottish Castle

In a psychological game, the perfect backdrop is a gloomy castle draped in fog. Brandi Glanville and Arie Luyendyk Jr. spill the tea on what 'The Traitors' Scottish castle is really like.

By Shameika Rhymes

It’s almost time to enter the doors of a Scottish Highlands castle that serves as the backdrop to the upcoming Peacock competition series “The Traitors.” The series includes several reality television stars that are already used to playing the game of shadiness, but can they handle being deceived in this murder mystery? Hosted by beloved Tony Award-winning actor Alan Cumming, the show begins streaming on Peacock on Jan. 12.

In the remote castle, 10 reality all-stars join 10 new faces and are pitted against one another in a series of challenges to figure out who are "The Faithful" and who are "The Traitors." In an interview with USA Insider's Stephanie Gomulka, “Bachelor Nation” alum Arie Luyendyk Jr. shared the rules of play in the game of deceit. “20 castmates enter the castle. Three are selected as ‘The Traitors’ so it’s ‘The Faithful’s’ job to try to uncover ‘The Traitors.’ If there's any ‘Traitors’ left at the end of the game, they keep the entire prize amount of $250,000. So, it is ‘The Faithful’s’ job to figure out who was lying and deceiving them," he explained.

Former “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Brandi Glanville added, “It was really like you would think 17 against three, it’d be easy, but it’s not. It takes its toll; you just couldn’t trust anyone.” 

The gloomy castle where all of the lies, treachery, and deception take place is actually a beautiful site to see in the Scottish Highlands when you take away the "murder" and mayhem Peacock is offering up. According to The Press and Journal, it’s the Ardross Castle, located on the banks of the River Alness just north of Inverness. The 19th-century castle features elaborate gardens and more than 100 acres of parkland. 

Glanville and Luyendyk also shared with USA Insider what the Scottish castle was really like. “The castle was amazing obviously. It was so visually beautiful; you're in the middle of these like green fields and everything. Being in this beautiful remote area where you see sheep and peacocks screaming at us constantly, it was just stunning visually,” Glanville said.

“I think that you know coming from [the U.S.] and then just going to Scotland in general and just having that picturesque background was really incredible. It really made it a fun experience because you really felt immersed in the game by staying in the castle,” Luyendyk said.

However, Glanville added that being cooped up inside a gorgeous castle has its limits. “I was excited to do the challenges to get out of the castle. Like even if you're in a castle you want to get out," she said.

We’ll find out soon enough who will get to stay in the castle and who will be sent packing when all 10 episodes of “The Traitors” premiere.

Catch "The Traitors" streaming on Peacock on Jan. 12.

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