The Traitors Faces Bias Debate After Two Black Women Exit First in UK Series 4

The latest UK series of The Traitors barely had time to settle before controversy arrived. Within the opening episodes, two Black women left the game first. Netty exited after the Traitors selected her for murder. Judy followed at the first roundtable, banished by an overwhelming vote despite being a Faithful. The speed of those exits set off a familiar reaction among viewers, one that has followed British reality television for years.

The First Eliminations and the Immediate Backlash

Netty’s removal came on the opening night, framed as a strategic choice by the Traitors. She appeared confident, vocal, and connected to Ross, another Black contestant, which made her a useful pawn for sowing doubt. Her murder shifted suspicion quickly and placed Ross under early scrutiny.

The following episode escalated the reaction. Judy faced intense focus at the roundtable after other players claimed her tone and energy had changed. Sixteen contestants voted to banish her. When she revealed she was a Faithful, social media erupted. Viewers and commentators described the reasoning as thin and familiar, built on instinct rather than evidence. Critics argued that vague language about trust and gut feeling often lands hardest on Black women, especially in the opening stages when players know little about one another.

BBC reality show The Traitors has become embroiled in an unconscious bias row, after two black women were the first to be eliminated. It's not the first time reality shows – or the voting public – have chosen to eliminate ethnic minority contestants first.

TV presenter… pic.twitter.com/TPYTjhgp31

— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) January 7, 2026

Commentators, including Narinder Kaur and Scarlette Douglas echoed that frustration on television and online. Coverage from British Vogue, Digital Spy, and others framed the moment as predictable rather than shocking. Many linked it to earlier series of the show and to other UK formats where Black women leave early, long before gameplay can settle into something more concrete.

Gameplay Defenses and the Debate that Followed

Others pushed back just as strongly. Defenders of the show insisted the decisions reflected strategy, not prejudice. They argued that Netty’s murder served a clear tactical aim and that Judy’s banishment followed visible shifts in her behaviour under pressure. Several pointed out that players of colour also voted against Judy, while other Black contestants remained in the game.

That divide hardened as the week went on. Some viewers accused critics of forcing race into a situation driven by paranoia and herd voting. Others countered that unconscious bias does not require intent and often shows itself most clearly when people rely on instinct. The argument moved beyond the two eliminations and toward the structure of the game itself, one that rewards suspicion before relationships form.

As the series continues, the focus has shifted from individual blame to a broader question about what these shows reflect. Claudia Winkleman continues to front a programme built on mistrust, while audiences argue over what that mistrust reveals. Whether viewers see coincidence or pattern, the early exits of Netty and Judy ensured that The Traitors once again became a mirror for the culture watching it.