Claudia Winkleman's show thrown into chaos over unexpected 'nightmare'

As fans eagerly wait for the celebrity version of The Traitors to air on the BBC, the latest civilian version of the series has just wrapped filming. However, the show was reportedly plagued by an unexpected nightmare. It has been said that insects left the crew struggling at Ardross Castle in Scotland and that extra measures have been put in place.

The hit game show, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, sees 22 contestants compete for a cash prize worth £120,000. After getting to know one another on the first day, three contestants are selected as Traitors living amongst the group of Faithfuls. It is up to the Traitors to kill off a faithful each day without causing suspicion within the group.

According to The Sun, they reported: "There are always challenges filming outdoors, but this time it was worse than ever. The crew had to wear nets over their heads to stop themselves from being bitten.

"And ticks were a nightmare - some became experts in getting them out of people's bodies fully." The source also added that, despite the contestants usually being the ones to feel the pressure, apparently the crew "went through hell".

Express Online reached out to the BBC, but they declined to comment.

The show is set within the grounds of Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, a 2,000-acre private estate surrounded by hunting lodges, grouse moors, and pine forests.

The 19th-century castle is located just north of Inverness, approximately 10 miles away from the rest of civilisation, with the nearest town being Alness.

Ardross is so magnificent that it requires a workforce of 400 people. The present owners, The McTaggarts, bought the castle back in 1983 and turned it into a wedding and events venue, which makes it a challenge to visit as a member of the public.

The property isn't just home to the BBC reality show, it also hosts the US version, fronted by actor and presenter Alan Cummings for both the original and the US celebrity edition.

In season one of the UK version, Aaron Evans, Hannah Byczkowski, and Meryl Williams won the series. The three Faithful players managed to catch the remaining Traitor, Wilfred Webster, in the gripping final.

In a new twist, season two saw Harry Clark steal the entire prize money after deceiving his fellow contestants. He even declared, "I'm the best traitor in the world" while sipping champagne with Claudia.

This year, for series three, Leanne Quigley and Jake Brown both walked away winning the series and shared a prize pot of £94,600.