The Celebrity Traitors links to screen tourism

I am and have always been...

The Celebrity Traitors was among the most talked about, and the most watched shows on UK TV this year.

Throughout its nine episodes, the series has captivated audiences with its compelling mix of deceit, detection and celebrity contestants.

The debut episode is now the biggest unscripted title on Broadcaster on-demand streaming services ever. While the finale broke records, (averaging 11.1 million with a peak of 12 million), making it one of the biggest overnight audience this year.

Meanwhile, during the duration of the current celebrity series, search terms including "Traitors castle", "Where is the Traitors castle?" and "Where is Traitors filmed?" are all up between 17% and 33% above 2025's previous high, the largest levels since the peak of Traitors series two in early 2024

While the castle is not open to the public, its breathtaking surroundings and that of the Highlands have featured heavily in the first UK celebrity version of the show, which began airing on 8 October.

Contestants include Jonathan Ross, Alan Carr, Celia Imrie, Paloma Faith and Sir Stephen Fry. The latter describing Scotland in the opening episode as "a very beautiful country, and the Highlands in particular".

This global hit continues to position Scotland as a must-visit destination for screen tourism, and we’re building on this momentum through dedicated activity across channels.

A group of people sitting around a fire pit in front of a castle

The Celebrity Traitors 2025. Credit Studio Lambert.

Promoting Scotland as a screen tourism destination

The Traitors has been an important part of our screen tourism story, featuring prominently in PR campaigns and international communications. This autumn, we’ve amplified that focus with fresh content designed to inspire audiences and showcase Scotland’s cinematic appeal.

On 22 October, we rolled out dedicated content across Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, highlighting The Traitors alongside other productions filmed in Scotland. Interactive features such as Instagram Stories quizzes and YouTube polls have given fans a fun way to engage while discovering the stunning locations behind the series.

Our website now includes curated content encouraging visitors to explore “Traitors-style adventures,” linking to castle stays and Highland experiences. This approach is informed by SEO insights tracking search interest around filming locations.

PR and media engagement

Coverage of The Traitors has appeared in national outlets including The Guardian and Good Housekeeping, showcasing both the filming locations and Scottish castle experiences inspired by the show. We continue to monitor online interest and feed these insights into our PR and content strategy.

Reactive media support remains a priority, clarifying that Ardross Castle is privately owned while promoting alternative heritage experiences. The show also features in international communications bundles for the US and Canada, aligned with upcoming broadcast dates.

Email marketing

Ahead of the grand finale, our Email Marketing team delivered a themed email to around 289,000 subscribers across UK and Scotland markets.

The content highlights Scotland’s unique appeal as the backdrop to the series – from castle stays and whisky distilleries to dramatic landscapes – with a playful nod to Scottish "Braw" lingo.

Looking ahead

All our activity ensures Scotland remains front of mind for screen tourism audiences, building on the interest generated by The Traitors and reinforcing our wider film and TV in Scotland messaging.

We recently shared our expertise about The Traitors and screen tourism in general as part of a special BBC report which highlighted the impact of the series on the Scottish economy.

With a new series of the show due to air early next year and another celebrity version confirmed for 2026, we're now looking at how else we can continue this work and make sure Scotland continues to be a top screen tourism destination.