I wish I could say more but I would be fired

Traitors host Claudia on secrets of season 2 and how Scotland is the real star of the show

- RICK FULTON

CLAUDIA Winkleman reckons the Highland home of her TV series The Traitors is "the most beautiful place on Earth".

The detective reality show is based at the 19th century Ardross Castle in Sutherland, near Inverness and 10 miles from the nearest village of AIness.

But the Strictly Come Dancing presenter, who will host the second series next month, has also fallen in love with the locals.

The London-born star admitted: "I love Scotland so much. Where we film might just be the most beautiful place on Earth, the landscape is breathtaking.

"AIso the people you meet are so welcoming and kind and hopefully happy we're back.

"I got off the train and the lovely man who worked at the station just casually said to me, 'I hope you've got your cloak." Based on a Dutch show, the first series of The Traitors was one of the biggest hits of 2022. Watched more than 34 million times on BBC iPlayer, it also helped Claudia win her first presenting Bafta and an RTS Award. The series itself won a Bafta and an RTS Award.

Some of the players are designated as Traitors, who have to eliminate the others known as Faithfuls and try to win a fund of up to £120,000.

The first series saw the Faithfuls Aaron Evans, Hannah Byczkowski and Edinburgh's Meryl Williams - sharing what was left of the prize money of £101,050.

Next month Claudia will greet 22 strangers at Ardross Castle to play the ultimate game of detection, backstabbing and trust, in the hope of winning the prize money.

Claudia admitted she's "terrified" the second series won't be as well liked as the first. She and the crew didn't realise how popular the show would be.

She said: "We absolutely didn't. We had no idea and when it did, we couldn't believe it.