NBC has confirmed the full cast for The Traitors: New Blood, the franchise’s first season built entirely around civilians. The 22 contestants are competing for a prize NBC describes as “up to $250,000,” under returning host Alan Cumming, filming at Ardross Castle in Scotland.
The season premiered September 17, 2026, on NBC and Peacock. Two episodes have aired, 20 of the original 22 contestants remain, and the next episodes air September 24, 2026.
Ages are reported by Deadline; hometowns and professions come primarily from NBC, supplemented by Deadline, TheWrap and Entertainment Weekly. This page updates after each episode as new roles and eliminations are confirmed.
Spoiler warning: This article includes Episode 1–2 developments, including Traitor identities, Accomplice status and eliminations.
The Traitors: New Blood Cast Status
| Name | Age | Hometown | Occupation | Role (Ep. 2) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey Benjamin | 37 | Mangham, LA | Nurse | Not confirmed | Active |
| Abby Lee | 29 | Saint Paul, MN | Astrophysicist | Not confirmed | Active |
| Arisa Thomas | 36 | Los Angeles, CA | Dog groomer | Not confirmed | Active |
| Ben McDonnell | 34 | Granbury, TX | Barrel racer | Not confirmed | Active |
| Clyde Moser | 32 | Charleston, SC | Teacher (theater) | Not confirmed | Active |
| Jay Vinnedge | 36 | Oklahoma City, OK | Physician | Not confirmed | Active |
| Joe Vanella | 44 | Wantagh, NY | Funeral director | Traitor | Active |
| Katie Fites | 23 | Jacksonville, FL | Marketing manager | Accomplice | Active |
| Kim Daily | 37 | Houston, TX | Lawyer | Faithful | Murdered, Ep. 1 |
| Kriste Lewis | 52 | Hattiesburg, MS | Realtor | Not confirmed | Active |
| Logan Smith | 26 | Gatlinburg, TN | Realtor | Not confirmed | Active |
| Madeline Kostopulos | 26 | San Diego, CA | Construction manager | Faithful | Banished, Ep. 2 |
| Mark Zgoda | 26 | Phillipsburg, NJ | Personal trainer* | Not confirmed | Active |
| Michael Foote | 38 | New York, NY | Lawyer | Not confirmed | Active |
| Morgan Cook | 30 | Midland, MI | Content creator | Not confirmed | Active |
| Niyyah Hayes | 29 | Indianapolis, IN | Therapist | Not confirmed | Active |
| Shane Beatty | 32 | Staten Island, NY | Ironworker | Not confirmed | Active |
| Sherry Kuehl | 65 | Leawood, KS | Writer | Not confirmed | Active |
| Tomica Adams | 54 | Boston, MA | Pilot | Traitor | Active |
| Victor Vollbrechthausen | 26 | New York, NY | Business executive | Not confirmed | Active |
| Wyatt Gillespie | 26 | Ligonier, PA | Designer | Not confirmed | Active |
| Xavier Scruggs | 38 | Wesley Chapel, FL | MLB analyst | Accomplice | Active |
*Mark Zgoda is officially listed as a personal trainer, though his own EW interview describes him as a business consultant at a Big Four firm, see his full entry below.
Full Cast List
Logan Smith’s official spelling is confirmed with no known name conflict, per NBC, EW and Deadline. His planned URL still needs a routine sitemap collision check before it goes live, since “Logan Smith” is a common name.
Abbey Benjamin
Abbey Benjamin is 37, according to Deadline, and comes from Mangham, Louisiana, according to TheWrap and Deadline. She works as a nurse. In her Entertainment Weekly interview, Abbey describes herself as a “medical mom” to a daughter with disabilities, and says she applied to New Blood partly to do something for herself after years of putting her children first. She plans to bring the calm decision making she has developed navigating doctors and medical teams into the game. Her self-declared superlative, per TheWrap, is “Most Likely to Be Smiling 24/7.” She remains active after Episode 2, with her role not publicly confirmed.
Abby Lee
Abby Lee is 29, per Deadline, and hails from Saint Paul, Minnesota, according to TheWrap and Deadline. She works as an astrophysicist, a background Entertainment Weekly says involves interpreting limited information to understand complex systems. Abby says she intends to use research and analytical skills to identify the Traitors systematically. Her self-declared superlative, per TheWrap and EW, is “Most Likely to Actually Read One of the Books in the Castle Library.” Abby also won one of the three Shields awarded in the opening mission and remains active after Episode 2, with her role not publicly confirmed.
Arisa Thomas
Arisa Thomas is 36, per Deadline, and comes from Los Angeles, California, confirmed by NBC. She works as a dog groomer. In her EW interview, Arisa says people see her as the “friendly, cute, bubbly one,” but wants to show that “the good girls can be naughty as well,” describing her preferred Traitors persona as a “bad naughty chihuahua.” Her self-declared superlative, per TheWrap, is “Most Likely to Overpack.” She remains active after Episode 2, with her role not publicly confirmed.
Ben McDonnell
Ben McDonnell is 34, per Deadline, and comes from Granbury, Texas, confirmed by NBC. He is a barrel racer. Ben tells EW that his “Gemini split personality” will help him become everyone’s friend while working against them, and that he leans on humor in tense situations. His self-declared superlative, per TheWrap, is “The Social Butterfly.” He remains active after Episode 2, with his role not publicly confirmed.
Clyde Moser
Clyde Moser is 32, per Deadline, and comes from Charleston, South Carolina, confirmed by NBC. He works as a teacher, specifically a theater teacher, according to EW. Clyde says theater has exposed him to many different kinds of people, and teaching has given him experience resolving conflict. A longtime viewer of the franchise, he says he has not yet seen a contestant quite like himself on the show. His self-declared superlative, per TheWrap, is “Most Likely to Make a Dramatic Entrance.” He remains active after Episode 2, with his role not publicly confirmed.
Jay Vinnedge
Jay Vinnedge is 36, per Deadline, and hails from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, confirmed by NBC. He works as a physician, and his background also includes military service and work as a combat medic, according to EW. Jay says he grew up in what was originally a single-parent household, joined the military at 19, and worked through the COVID-19 pandemic in rural Oklahoma. He describes himself as someone who deliberately seeks out difficult experiences, and calls himself a “huge Big Brother live feeder.” He remains active after Episode 2, with his role not publicly confirmed.
Joe Vanella
Joe Vanella is 44, per Deadline, and comes from Wantagh, New York, confirmed by NBC. He works as a funeral director. Joe tells EW that his profession requires navigating emotionally charged conversations, an advantage he expects to carry into the castle’s tense environment. He adds, only half joking, that on Long Island “we sniff out BS like nobody else.” His self-declared superlative, per TheWrap, is “Most Likely to be the Loudest Person in the Room.” Joe was confirmed as an original Traitor by Alan Cumming in Episode 1. Alongside fellow Traitor Tomica Adams, he selected Katie Fites and Xavier Scruggs as Accomplices and participated in the decision that led to Kim Daily’s murder. He remains an active Traitor after Episode 2.
Katie Fites
Katie Fites is 23, per Deadline, making her one of the youngest in the cast, and comes from Jacksonville, Florida, confirmed by NBC. She works in marketing, described by TheWrap as a marketing manager and social media coordinator. Katie tells EW she is an unusually strong people person for her age, someone who can build a connection with a stranger quickly, and that she is already comfortable being interviewed since she works in entertainment. Katie was selected by Joe Vanella and Tomica Adams as an Accomplice and participated with Xavier Scruggs in the secret task that resulted in Kim Daily’s murder. Katie is an Accomplice competing for the third Traitor position at the start of Episode 3; her final status remains unresolved at the end of Episode 2. She remains active.
Kim Daily
Kim Daily is 37, per Deadline, and comes from Houston, Texas, confirmed by NBC. She works as a lawyer. Kim tells EW that people sometimes find her intimidating simply because of how she carries herself and dresses, and that she would welcome being cast as a Traitor for exactly that reason. Her self-declared superlative, per EW, is “Most Likely to Break Out in Song or Dance.” Kim was murdered in Episode 1 and confirmed as a Faithful after her elimination. She had initially presented herself to the group as a nurturing basketball coach rather than disclosing that she was a lawyer. Status: Eliminated, Faithful, Episode 1.
Kriste Lewis
Kriste Lewis is 52, per Deadline, and comes from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, confirmed by NBC. She works as a realtor. Kriste tells EW she believes in the law of attraction and plans to enter the game with deliberately positive energy. At the Episode 2 Round Table, Kriste said she heard Madeline Kostopulos say, “I shouldn’t have picked Kim,” and interpreted the comment as evidence that Madeline was a Traitor. Madeline and Victor Vollbrechthausen disputed that interpretation, with Madeline maintaining she had said “wouldn’t,” not “shouldn’t.” Kriste’s accusation helped redirect suspicion toward Madeline, who was ultimately banished. Kriste remains active after Episode 2, with her role not publicly confirmed.
Logan Smith
Logan Smith is 26, per Deadline, and comes from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, confirmed by NBC. He works as a realtor. Logan tells EW he plans to play the “simple, honest, Southern guy” while privately treating the other contestants like “checker pieces.” His self-declared superlative, per TheWrap, is “Most Likely to Sell You Something.” Logan remains active after Episode 2, with his role not publicly confirmed.
Madeline Kostopulos
Madeline Kostopulos is 26, per Deadline, and comes from San Diego, California, confirmed by NBC. She works as a construction manager. Madeline tells EW she keeps a journal, and jokes that if she becomes a Traitor, she could write in it as though she were a Faithful to help convince herself of the role. Her self-declared superlative, per TheWrap, is “Most Likely to Make Too Many Jokes.” Madeline won one of the three Shields in the opening mission but became a target at the Episode 2 Round Table after Kriste Lewis’s accusation. She was banished in Episode 2 and revealed herself as a Faithful. Status: Eliminated, Faithful, Episode 2.
Mark Zgoda
Mark Zgoda is 26, per Deadline, and comes from Phillipsburg, New Jersey, confirmed by NBC. He is officially listed as a personal trainer, though in his EW interview he also describes himself as a business consultant at a Big Four firm. Mark compares his approach to the game to business consulting: walking into vague situations, isolating the variables that matter, and explaining complex problems clearly. He says he was competitive enough as a child that he treated recess “like it was the Super Bowl.” His self-declared superlative, per TheWrap, is “Most Likely to Forget They Are on a TV Show.” He remains active after Episode 2, with his role not publicly confirmed.
Michael Foote
Michael Foote is 38, per Deadline, and comes from New York, New York, confirmed by NBC. He works as a lawyer, specifically a trial attorney and criminal defense lawyer, according to EW. Michael says he is in court nearly every day, arguing before judges and juries, and jokes that he is the only person in the castle who knows “exactly how to get away with murder,” having represented clients accused of it. He says he prefers working within a close duo rather than a large alliance. His self-declared superlative, per TheWrap, is “Most Likely to Stand on Business.” During the Episode 2 Shield discussion, Michael questioned Victor, Madeline and Abby’s decisions to pursue protection. He remains active after Episode 2, with his role not publicly confirmed.
Morgan Cook
Morgan Cook is 30, and comes from Midland, Michigan, confirmed by NBC. She works as a content creator. Morgan describes herself to EW as perceptive and “the right amount of paranoid,” and says her plan is to stay relatively quiet early on, observe closely, and share information selectively rather than becoming the loudest voice in the room. During the Episode 2 Round Table, Morgan questioned whether Victor was overcompensating or simply acting as a selfish Faithful. Her self-declared superlative, per TheWrap, is “Most Likely to Get Lost in the Castle.” She remains active after Episode 2, with her role not publicly confirmed.
Niyyah Hayes
Niyyah Hayes is 29, per Deadline, and comes from Indianapolis, Indiana, confirmed by NBC. She works as a therapist and is a clinical-psychology Psy.D. student at the University of Indianapolis. Niyyah says her clinical training has taught her to build rapport quickly and gather information without revealing much about herself, and jokes that therapists mostly repeat things back until a client reaches their own “epiphany.” She describes her intended game style as a social “chameleon.” Her self-declared superlative, per TheWrap, is “Most Likely to Say What Everyone’s Thinking.” Her role in the game remains unconfirmed through Episode 2. She remains active.
Shane Beatty
Shane Beatty is 32, per Deadline, and comes from Staten Island, New York, confirmed by NBC. He works as an ironworker. Shane tells EW that people often call him a “gentle giant,” and that he wants to “kill them with kindness,” betting that his size creates a misleadingly tough first impression. His self-declared superlative, per TheWrap, is “Tallest in the Castle.” He remains active after Episode 2, with his role not publicly confirmed.
Sherry Kuehl
Sherry Kuehl is 65, per Deadline, the oldest contestant in the cast based on that reporting, and comes from Leawood, Kansas, confirmed by NBC. She works as a writer. Sherry says her decades of life experience have sharpened her ability to read people and recognize duplicity, and that she plans to build a mental “mood board” of the people she meets, observing quietly before making any big moves. Her self-declared superlative, per TheWrap, is “Most Likely to Make You a Character in My Next Book.” Sherry remains active after Episode 2, with her role not publicly confirmed. She remains the oldest contestant based on the listed ages.
Tomica Adams
Tomica Adams is 54, per Deadline, and comes from Boston, Massachusetts, confirmed by NBC. She works as a pilot. Tomica tells EW that flying has made her comfortable managing people, opinions and emotions under pressure, and jokes that as a “September baby,” she wants control and plans to lean into something of a “mama role” in the house. Her self-declared superlative, per TheWrap, is “Most Likely to Cry When Laughing.” Tomica was confirmed as an original Traitor by Alan Cumming in Episode 1. Alongside fellow Traitor Joe Vanella, she selected Katie and Xavier as Accomplices and participated in choosing Kim Daily as the first murder target. She remains an active Traitor after Episode 2.
Victor Vollbrechthausen
Victor Vollbrechthausen is 26, per Deadline, and lives in New York, New York, though he is originally from Westfield, New Jersey, according to TheWrap. He works in business development as a business executive. Victor graduated from Tufts University in 2022, where he was a competitive swimmer and earned Division III All America recognition as part of a freestyle relay, per TheWrap and TraitorsNewBlood.digital, a fan-maintained site. He describes himself to EW as the cast’s “biggest flirt,” says he has been “gaslighting” himself into believing he will be chosen as a Traitor, and plans to build a dependable alliance of four or five people rather than lean on deception alone. His role and status will be confirmed once the season premieres. Still in the competition.
Wyatt Gillespie
Victor Vollbrechthausen is 26, per Deadline, and lives in New York, New York, though he is originally from Westfield, New Jersey, according to TheWrap. He works in business development as a business executive. Victor graduated from Tufts University in 2022, where he was a competitive swimmer and earned Division III All America recognition as part of a freestyle relay, per TheWrap and TraitorsNewBlood.digital, a fan-maintained site. He describes himself to EW as the cast’s “biggest flirt,” says he has been “gaslighting” himself into believing he will be chosen as a Traitor, and plans to build a dependable alliance of four or five people rather than lean on deception alone. Victor won one of the three Shields in the opening mission and became a subject of suspicion during Episode 2, when Michael Foote questioned the Shield decisions. Victor denied Kriste Lewis’s interpretation of Madeline’s comment and backed Madeline’s account of what she’d said. He remains active after Episode 2, with his role not publicly confirmed.
Xavier Scruggs
Xavier Scruggs is 38, per Deadline, and comes from Wesley Chapel, Florida, confirmed by NBC. He is a former Major League Baseball first baseman for the Cardinals and Marlins, and now works as an MLB analyst, according to TheWrap and Deadline. Xavier says his baseball career trained him to recognize tendencies, body language and patterns, and that he wants to be cast as a Traitor specifically to step outside the teamwork-and-loyalty mindset his pro athletic career instilled in him. Xavier was selected as an Accomplice alongside Katie Fites and participated in the secret task that resulted in Kim Daily’s murder. He will compete against Katie for the third Traitor position at the beginning of Episode 3. He remains active after Episode 2.
Who Are the Traitors?
| Contestant | Occupation | Role | When Confirmed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Vanella | Funeral director | Original Traitor | Episode 1 |
| Tomica Adams | Pilot | Original Traitor | Episode 1 |
| Katie Fites | Marketing manager | Accomplice, third-Traitor outcome pending | Episode 1 |
| Xavier Scruggs | MLB analyst | Accomplice, third-Traitor outcome pending | Episode 1 |
Joe Vanella and Tomica Adams were named the season’s original Traitors in Episode 1. They then secretly selected Katie Fites and Xavier Scruggs as Accomplices, tasking the pair with helping carry out the season’s first murder. Katie and Xavier are competing against each other to become the season’s third Traitor, an outcome that remains unresolved at the end of Episode 2. This section will be updated once that result airs. For a full breakdown of how the Traitor, Faithful and Accomplice roles work, see The Traitors Explained.
Who Are the Faithfuls?
Two contestants have been definitively confirmed as Faithfuls, both after their elimination: Kim Daily, revealed as a Faithful following her Episode 1 murder, and Madeline Kostopulos, revealed as a Faithful following her Episode 2 banishment.
The roles of most remaining active contestants have not been publicly confirmed through Episode 2. This section will be updated as additional roles are revealed on screen.
Who Has Been Eliminated?
Two contestants have been eliminated through Episode 2: Kim Daily was murdered in Episode 1, while Madeline Kostopulos was banished in Episode 2.
| Episode | Contestant | Method | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 1 | Kim Daily | Murdered | Faithful | Selected as the first murder target through the Accomplice task |
| Episode 2 | Madeline Kostopulos | Banished | Faithful | Banished after suspicion at the Round Table |
No eliminations have occurred yet. The season premieres September 17, 2026, with a second double episode airing September 24. This section will be updated after each episode. For a full episode by episode breakdown, see The Traitors: New Blood Episodes.
Complete Elimination Order
Two contestants have been eliminated through Episode 2: Kim Daily was murdered in Episode 1, while Madeline Kostopulos was banished in Episode 2.
| Episode | Contestant | Method | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 1 | Kim Daily | Murdered | Faithful | Selected as the first murder target through the Accomplice task |
| Episode 2 | Madeline Kostopulos | Banished | Faithful | Banished after suspicion at the Round Table |
This table will be updated after each new episode. For a full episode-by-episode breakdown, see The Traitors: New Blood Episodes.
So on the page, both old headings and their placeholder/pre-season text disappear, and this one “Elimination Order” section takes their place.
FAQs
How many contestants are on The Traitors: New Blood?
22 contestants began the season. 20 remain active after Episode 2, following Kim Daily’s murder and Madeline Kostopulos’s banishment.
Are any of the cast members returning reality TV personalities?
No. NBC has confirmed the cast is made up entirely of civilians, a change from prior U.S. seasons, which mixed reality stars and celebrities with civilians.
Who is the oldest contestant on The Traitors: New Blood?
Per Deadline’s reported age list, Sherry Kuehl, listed at 65, appears to be the oldest contestant.
Who is the youngest contestant?
Per the same list, Katie Fites, listed at 23, is the youngest contestant.
How were the contestants selected?
NBCUniversal has said the cast was chosen from a large applicant pool. The exact number reported has changed over time; see the next question for details.
What is the applicant pool discrepancy about?
NBCUniversal and Peacock currently state the cast was selected from more than 80,000 applicants. An earlier TVLine report from June, sourced to the network, cited 60,000. The gap most likely reflects two different points in the casting timeline rather than a contradiction, and 80,000+ is the current official figure.
Is the $250,000 prize guaranteed?
No. NBC describes the prize as “up to $250,000,” language that suggests a scalable or conditional prize fund built through missions rather than a flat guaranteed payout. The first mission added $50,000 to the pot, but that is not the final total. NBC has not published a full mission-by-mission prize schedule.
How does this cast differ from previous seasons?
The biggest change is who is competing. Previous U.S. seasons of The Traitors mixed reality TV personalities and celebrities with civilians. New Blood’s cast of 22 is made up entirely of everyday Americans, a shift both NBC and Peacock have confirmed.
Where is The Traitors: New Blood filmed?
The Traitors: New Blood is filmed at Ardross Castle in Scotland, the same location used for the previous U.S. seasons of the franchise.
When did The Traitors: New Blood premiere?
The Traitors: New Blood premiered on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC, with the episodes streaming on Peacock.
Who hosts The Traitors: New Blood?
Alan Cumming returns as host and executive producer.
Who are the Traitors on The Traitors: New Blood?
Joe Vanella and Tomica Adams were selected as the season’s original Traitors in Episode 1. They secretly named Katie Fites and Xavier Scruggs as Accomplices, and the two are now competing against each other for the season’s third Traitor position, an outcome not yet revealed through Episode 2.
Who are the Faithfuls on The Traitors: New Blood?
Only two contestants have been definitively confirmed as Faithfuls so far, both after elimination: Kim Daily and Madeline Kostopulos. The roles of most remaining active contestants have not been publicly confirmed.
Who has been eliminated from The Traitors: New Blood?
Two contestants have been eliminated through Episode 2. Kim Daily was murdered in Episode 1, and Madeline Kostopulos was banished in Episode 2.
Who was murdered first on The Traitors: New Blood?
Kim Daily was murdered in Episode 1. NBC’s official post-episode coverage identifies her as a Faithful.
Who was the first contestant banished?
Madeline Kostopulos was the first contestant banished, in Episode 2. She revealed herself as a Faithful.
Is Katie Fites a Traitor?
Katie Fites was selected as an Accomplice by Joe Vanella and Tomica Adams. At the end of Episode 2, her final status as the third Traitor had not yet been determined on screen.
Is Xavier Scruggs a Traitor?
Xavier Scruggs was selected as an Accomplice and is competing for the third Traitor position. His final status had not yet been determined through Episode 2.
What is the Accomplice twist?
Joe Vanella and Tomica Adams secretly selected Katie Fites and Xavier Scruggs to carry out a covert task and compete against each other for the season’s third Traitor position.
Why was Madeline Kostopulos banished?
Kriste Lewis interpreted a comment Madeline made about Kim Daily’s murder as an admission of involvement. Madeline denied it and was backed by Victor Vollbrechthausen, but the group voted her out at the first Round Table, after which she was revealed as a Faithful.
