May Day for The Traitors NZ S3

The epic third season of the thrilling psychological reality competition The Traitors New Zealand will premiere Sunday, 31 May, with new episodes airing Sundays and Mondays, exclusively on Sky New Zealand’s Three and ThreeNow.

This season marks an exciting new chapter for the franchise with the introduction of a brand-new host; acclaimed New Zealand actor, writer and director Madeleine Sami.

One of Aotearoa’s most celebrated screen talents, Sami’s extensive credits include Deadloch, Our Flag Means Death, Taika Waititi’s What We Do in the Shadows, Jane Campion’s Top of the Lake, and the hit films Sione’s Wedding and The Breaker Upperers. 

A fresh cast of everyday Kiwis steps into the ultimate game of deception, working together as “Faithfuls” to build the prize pot while secretly selected “Traitors” scheme to eliminate them.

Returning to Castle Claremont in South Canterbury, the haunting South Island setting once again delivers the perfect backdrop for the New Zealand version of the global phenomenon.

With an eclectic mix of contestants and high stakes at play, Season Three of The Traitors New Zealand promises unforgettable moments, shocking betrayals, and no shortage of drama.

New host Madeleine Sami jumped at the opportunity to join the series as a long-time fan.

“I’ve watched many of the international and local seasons of The Traitors and find myself hooked every single time. It’s such an honour to be part of this new season,” she says.

“I love that it’s a game of strategy and deception. People go in wanting to win and then betray each other in pursuit of that win. It starts as a fun game, and once everyone gets emotionally invested, that’s when things really escalate.”

As a seasoned fan of The Traitors, both here and abroad, could Sami see herself playing the game?

“I’m a moderately successful (and occasionally award-winning) actress, and I wouldn’t want to use my skills for evil,” she says. “That said, who wouldn’t want to be a Traitor? I’m pleased I don’t have to choose — this season is super intense.”

Season 3 Contestants:

• Aaron (42), An Operations Director at DOC and accomplished international Ironman triathlete. Aaron is a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to sport.

• Aroha (32), HR consultant and wedding celebrant. Quick-witted, quietly competitive, and confident in her ability to read people.

• Bradley (27), Former primary school teacher turned Youth Pastor. Once a “naughty kid,” Bradley found direction through faith.

• Chloe (31), Business owner and solo mum. Chloe left her media career to build an e-commerce business for mums, inspired by her young son.

• Dave (48), Former broadcaster and sports commentator. A reality TV superfan who believes his previous reality show experience gives him an edge.

• Debbie (64), Dr. Debbie is a senior lecturer with over 20 years’ experience in tertiary education, most recently leading Te Rito Maioha’s Master of Education programme.

• Hannah (31), Writer, witch and revolutionary feminist. Lives in a house bus on her partner’s whenua, unschools her three sons, and questions everything — including capitalism.

• Harrison (36), Traitors superfan managing multiple offices across Europe from Sweden. Adaptable, strategic, and confident reading people.

• James (49), Professional subtitler specialising in broadcast closed captions. Former game designer focused on strategic tabletop wargaming.

• Kate (20), Multi-disciplinary creative: actress, model, writer and artist. Graduate of The Actors Program 2024.

• Keanu (29), DJ and professional dancer who has performed at Coachella and Glastonbury. Former Royal Family Dance Crew member and 2015 World Hip-Hop silver medallist.

• Maruia (43), Mother, grandmother and proud Tokoroa local. Secondary school teacher turned filmmaker and television director.

• Ryan (24), Studio audio engineer with a Bachelor of Musical Arts. Background in composition and music production.

• Samantha (30), Primary school teacher with viral classroom content. Known for her candid, thoughtful approach to teaching and tackling big topics with young learners.

• Violette (22), Yale alumna and high-performance athlete. Represented New Zealand in water polo and athletics and earned Yale’s Outstanding Newcomer at their Track and Field Banquet for the 2022 season

• Elliott (33), Financial analyst and stand-up comedian. Raw Comedy Quest finalist and creator of musical mystery show SKWERT: The Reunion.

• Jannaia (27), Samoan personal trainer and elite powerlifter. Became a national champion at 19, setting multiple national and world records.

• Jill (50) – Full-time receptionist and proud mum of two. Describes herself as the master of niceness and plays the “dumb and innocent” archetype well.

• Maria (36), Teacher and performer. Theatre kid at heart who loves improv, comedy and anything but boredom.

• Michael (44), Auckland-based bakery manager with an extensive HR background, both locally and abroad. Loves his wife, craft beer, golf and indoor cricket

• Rachael (55), Author of four novels for adults and children. Award-winning reviewer who took home Best Reviewer at the 2023 Media Awards.

The Traitors New Zealand is produced by South Pacific Pictures for Sky New Zealand’s Three and ThreeNow. Season Three is made with the support of NZ On Air and Screen Canterbury.  The series will launch on Sunday 31 May at 7.30pm on Three and ThreeNow.

The Traitors was created and developed by IDTV and POSVIDEO, in cooperation with RTL Creative Unit. Since it premiered in the Netherlands on RTL4 in 2021, the format has enjoyed great international acclaim, with over 30 territories commissioning local format versions. All3Media International is responsible for the international distribution of the format.

Beyond the screen,The Traitors thriving international licensing program features award-winning games, bestselling books and apparel lines. Earlier this year, an immersive playable experience The Traitors Live Experience launched in London’s Covent Garden and is looking to rollout internationally.