The Traitors season 3 spoilers follow.
The Traitors has smashed its own ratings record with season 3's premiere episode.
The hit BBC reality show returned last night (January 1), delivering twists aplenty as we met the new players entering the game.
It has now been revealed that the episode drew in over 5 million viewers, peaking at 5.4 million and coming close to its best-ever performance with last year's season finale.
Related: Best streaming services
Notably, it has also beaten season 2's premiere last year, which was 2 million less than last night's episode.
What to Read Next
The season 3 opener kicked off by appearing to eliminate three players, adding money to the prize pot, while it was also revealed that finalists will no longer reveal their identities when they leave.
In Digital Spy's review of the new season, we said: "We're now on our third season of The Traitors on the BBC, and we're pleased to report – if the first episode of the returning show is anything to go by – it's just as good as ever.
Related: The Traitors: Uncloaked star would "absolutely crumble" in celebrity version
"We have spoken before about the importance of keeping things fresh when it comes to reality television.
"When you find a winning new format – and the award-winning BBC show has certainly proven to be that – it could be all too tempting to want to keep things the same for fear of messing with the magic."
In other news, it was recently confirmed that Derry Girls' Siobhán McSweeney will be hosting the Irish version of The Traitors, which is due to premiere this year.
The Traitors series 1-2 are streaming on BBC iPlayer. Two more series and a celebrity spin-off have already been confirmed.
Interested in talking about The Traitors? Visit our dedicated sub-forum
Read more The Traitors news on our dedicated homepage
Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International. Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.
