Claudia’s clones
Meet Traitors hosts playing mind games all around the world
AS presenter of The Traitors, with its motley crew of crafty contestants, Claudia Winkleman has earned herself cult status.
Overseeing devilish twists and turns, the Strictly host holds court on the hit BBC show at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands.
Ms Winkleman, 51, has also captivated viewers with her ‘haute country’ look and famed fringe – but there are other global incarnations hosting versions of The Traitors – or ‘De Verraders’ as the original Dutch series is known.
The show, in which ‘Faithfuls’ have to banish ‘Traitors’, launched in Holland in 2021 and now more than 20 franchises net millions for All3Media, which owns the rights. But who are the Claudia clones?
AUSTRALIA: Rodger Corser, 50
A POPULAR actor Down Under, Corser has taken on one of his first presenting roles with The Traitors. He insists his acting past qualifies him for hiding truths. He is married to Australian actress Renae Berry.
AMERICA: Alan Cumming, 58
THE US version is also filmed at Ardross – where the host is Scottish actor Cumming, well known for roles in Bond film Goldeneye and the X-Men movies. His husband Grant Shaffer is an artist.
PORTUGAL: Daniela Ruah, 40
GLAMOROUS Ms Ruah is best known for her role as special agent Kensi Blye in US police drama NCIS: Los Angeles. Viewers may also recognise her as the host of the 2018 eurovision Song Contest when it was held in Lisbon – her last presenting job before The Traitors, or Os Traidores as it is known in Portugal. The mother-of-two is married to stunt double David Olsen.
GERMANY: Sonja Zietlow, 55
A FORMER pilot for German airline Lufthansa, Ms Zietlow is now one of Germany’s most soughtafter presenters and presents Ich bin ein Star – Holt mich hier raus, the country’s version of I’m A Celebrity. She also hosts Germany’s The Weakest Link.
GREECE: Konstantinos Markoulakis, 53
HANDSOME Markoulakis is adored by Greek viewers for anchoring Oi Prodotes. He has appeared in numerous television shows and movies in his homeland over a career spanning three decades. When he is not in front of a camera he is a political activist and was once a candidate for Greek liberal party, Drassi.
CANADA: Karine Vanasse, 40
A FRENCH-CANADIAN actress, Ms Vanasse is a household name in Canada, where she is famed for her fashion choices. She is also recognised abroad for roles in American television series Pan Am and Revenge and hosts an alternative French language version in Canada called Les Traitres. The mother of one also has a sideline as an Instagram influencer.
HOLLAND: Frank Evenbij, 45
A LARGER-THAN-LIFE Dutch star, evenbij had an illustrious career based mostly in Amsterdam before he was hired to host De Verraders in 2022. As well as presenting various quiz shows, he is also a football fanatic and streams a podcast about his beloved football team, Willem II.