The BBC aired a version of The Traitors 20 years ago with Tony Livesey as the host – but axed it after one series because no one tuned in
The BBC broadcast a version of the hit TV show The Traitors 20 years ago, but canceled it after just one series because no one was watching it.
Although the Claudia Winkleman-led hit is widely believed to have originated from the Dutch series ‘De Verraders’, a version of the show aired on British television in 2004.
The early ’00s show was called Traitor and featured a group of nine people trying to find out which one of them betrayed the others.
Led by Tony Livesey, each contestant took turns voting out the suspected traitor to prevent him from winning the £5,000 cash prize.
However, instead of the show being set in an atmospheric Scottish castle, the contestants sat around a table in a TV studio.
Those in the 2004 show also wore similar name badges and held up cards as they tried to determine the game’s villain.
The BBC broadcast a version of the hit TV show The Traitors twenty years ago, but canceled it after just one series because no one was watching it
Host Tony Livesey told The Sun that the show’s concept was too unusual 20 years ago
Led by Tony Livesey, each contestant took turns voting out the suspected traitor to prevent him from winning the £5,000 cash prize.
The early ’00s show was called Traitor and featured a group of nine people trying to find out which of them betrayed the others.
The series peaked at an average of 5.5 million – making it the most watched program ever – as Harry Clark emerged victorious
But the 2004 show – which even featured Luther star Ruth Wilson as a contestant when she was 22 (pictured on the show) – did not enjoy the same popularity and was not revived.
The Traitors, believed to be the inspiration for today’s hit show, first aired in 2021.
Spin-off shows popped up in many countries, including Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
But the 2004 show – which even featured Luther star Ruth Wilson as a contestant – did not enjoy the same popularity and was not revived after its debut series.
IMDb describes it as: ‘A psychological elimination game show in which nine contestants must figure out which of them has become a traitor to win £5,000. They all claim to be telling the truth, but two are lying.”
Although the series seemed to have been forgotten over the years, eagle-eyed fans spotted the similarities.
An episode of Traitor was uploaded to YouTube channel LostTV under the title ‘The BBC’s Forget First-try at The Traitors’, where it received over 40,000 views.
Host Tony Livesey explained The sun that the concept of the show was too unusual twenty years ago.
He told the newspaper: ‘The concept was so new at the time, and I think that was its downfall. Plus, it replaced The Simpsons.
‘But it’s the same show and I’ve always said, ‘I’m the original host of The Traitors’.’
The show took place at 6pm on BBC Two, which was previously filled by The Simpsons.
The modern rendition has skyrocketed in popularity and dominates the evening’s programming as more and more viewers tune in each week.
Before the finale, the hit show attracted a staggering number of viewers: 6.5 million.
The visualized podcast The Traitors Uncloaked, which subsequently aired on BBC Two at 10pm, also attracted more fans than ever before, with an average of 913,530 viewers.
By comparison, Love Island All Stars averaged just 715,700 viewers, with a share of just 4.77 percent.
Although it didn’t attract as many viewers, the program itself featured a dramatic exit when Jake Cornish quit the show after just two days.
The finale of The Traitors made history when it became the most watched episode ever in Britain
Pictured are the five contestants who made it to the final: Evie, Harry, Andrew, Shaz and Mollie
The low ratings will be a blow to ITV, who were no doubt hoping to continue the success of the launch night show, which has attracted the most viewers since summer 2022.
1.9 million viewers watched the debut episode on ITV1 and ITV2, with the show gaining a share of 16-34 year olds watching TV at the time.
If ITVX figures are included, the episode had a combined peak audience of 2.1 million and an average of 1.7 million across all devices.
By comparison, The Traitors season two launch show peaked at 3.1 million viewers, excluding those watching on iPlayer.
The finale became the most watched episode ever, with 6.9 million viewers.
The series peaked at an average of 5.5 million and a 33.5 percent share – making it the most watched program of the past week – as Harry Clark emerged victorious.
Harry took home the cash prize of £95,150 after outsmarting his fellow players in the nail-biting final.
The 23-year-old British army corporal battled off competition from 20 other contestants all competing to win up to £100,000 at the famous castle as part of the intense psychological game.