Who does the best job and deserves to enter the turret?

The Traitors season 4 cast members make their pitches to be selected Traitors (exclusive)

Who does the best job and deserves to enter the turret?

By Dalton Ross

Dalton Ross is a writer and editor with over 25 years experience covering TV and the entertainment industry. *Survivor* is kind of his thing.

EW's editorial guidelines

January 2, 2026 10:15 a.m. ET

Lisa Rinna, Rob Cesternino, and Tiffany Mitchell of 'The Traitors' season 4. Credit:

Sam McElwee/Peacock

*The Traitors *season 4 cast has been selected! But we have yet to learn who among the cast will be selected by host Alan Cumming as actual Traitors when the show debuts Jan. 8 at 9 p.m. ET on Peacock. To that end, ** asked each of the new players before the game began to make their pitch as to why they should be selected Traitors — as opposed to Faithful.

Who from the 23 contestants below would you like to receive that blindfolded tap on the shoulder from Cumming, thereby designating them as a turret-dweller? Read their pitches below and decide for yourself!

Candiace Dillard Bassett

Candice Dillard Bassett on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

Why do I want to be a Traitor? Well, you know. Being a Faithful is cute, it’s fun, it’s righteous. But being a Traitor is about treachery and dishonesty and being a bitch. And if I can be a bitch with a smile, why would I deny myself the honor?

Caroline Stanbury

Caroline Stanbury on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

I mean, I think I should be selected as a Traitor because I am able to make difficult decisions, and I think a lot of people can’t make those decisions. They’re very run by their emotions. I think I am able to make decisions based on the immediate issues that we have and look at the long term goal rather than get so emotionally involved in saving your friends or your people or the people you like, because ultimately, it’s a game, and we have to get to the end. It’s purely business.

Colton Underwood

Colton Underwood on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

I feel like I would make a great Traitor, and I should be a Traitor, because I feel like a lot of the Bachelors and Bachelorettes have played as Faithfuls, and if there was any Bachelor to come in here and play as a Traitor, it should be me. I feel like I can play the game in a really strong way, and I would love the challenge.

Donna Kelce on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

One of the reasons that I think I would be a good Traitor is because my whole life I’ve been this kind mother, motivating, with good principles and values, and that’s just the way I am, so maybe I would fly under the radar. But then again, I would love to be this sinister, lying shrew that would prey on people. That would just be so much fun, I would love that, so we’ll see which one I turn out to be.

Dorinda Medley

Dorinda Medley on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

You know I would really like to be a Traitor this season. I’m just afraid it would be too obvious. It’s going to be very odd for people to see me come back, and I hope there’s no assumption that I’m going to be a Traitor. I would love to be a Traitor because it means I can’t get hurt, but if I’m a Faithful, then it might be less obvious to the people coming in. So I’ve got to think about that before I talk to Alan, but I would love to be a Traitor.

How about, “Hey Alan – Dorinda Medley, I’m back, believe it or not. And I think this time I need to be a Traitor. I cannot be murdered the first go, I have to make it to one roundtable at least. So I think I can be a Traitor because I know how to make people believe I’m such a faithful because in life, I’m such a faithful that no one will expect that Dorinda Medley, the kindest, most generous person who’s always helping others, that wants to be a team player, could possibly wear the cloak and be a Traitor.”

Eric Nam on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

I think I should be selected as a Traitor because my bet is most of these people have no idea who I am, and that can work in my incredible favor where I can be very under the radar, at least in the beginning, get a good read on everybody, and then play their strengths and weaknesses to the best of my ability. I also don’t think that I look physically threatening in any way, and I think there’s something called instinct that people have and hopefully that would play into my favor as well. Also, I think I would have fun. And, who knows, maybe those are some solid reasons.

Ian Terry on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

Why should I be selected as a Traitor? Because I have the perfect cover. People don’t see me as a gamer, but I am one of the top 250 backgammon players in the world, so I definitely have a strategic mindset, so people underestimate me. They don’t think I have it in me to do it. It’s the perfect cover.

Johnny Weir on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

This is my pitch to be a Traitor. I smell good and I’ve got a heart of gold, and I love a soft fabric, so pick me as a Traitor!

Kristen Kish

Kristen Kish on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

But what if I don’t want to be selected as a Traitor? I would like to be selected as a Traitor somewhere in the middle. In terms of preparation and being ready for a job, I need to get my feet wet. I need to see who I’m dealing with, I need to see my surroundings, I need to see what this whole game looks like, and then I think I could take on the Traitor role and start to lie because I figured out how to lie.

Lisa Rinna on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

Well, I just think I would be a great Traitor because I’m Lisa f---ing Rinna.

Mark Ballas on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

I shouldn’t. Look, I think being picked as a Traitor is very, like, big fish out of water for me. Like, I’m not a good liar, I don’t feel like I’m a deceptive person, I wear my heart on my sleeve, I try to have great communications with my friends and family, I don’t like people to be hurt, or I’m very sensitive to people’s feelings. But I’m also aware that this is a game, so obviously I would love to play this game as a Faithful and hopefully that will happen. So if I’m recruited, I will have to put my Traitors panties on and get with it.

Maura Higgins

Maura Higgins on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

I want to be a Traitor because I love true crime and I want to dive into that serial killer girl. I just think I would have way more fun. I don’t know, I just want to be up to mischief and I want to murder people. It sounds mean, but I do. And I’m wearing a cape, look — I look like a good Traitor!

Michael Rapaport

Michael Rapaport on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

I should be a Traitor because I lead with a smile, I come off dumb, but I know exactly what the f--- is going on.

Monét X Change

Monét X Change on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

Why should I be selected as a Traitor? Because I am going to go into that turret and I’m gonna foster community and family amongst the Traitors, I think that’s what we’re missing in the Traitors. Sometimes they just get too cutthroat. I’m like “Ladies!” And by “ladies” I mean the gentleman too, ladies, all of us here in the turret we can make it to the end together if we play together. But, of course, when we get to that final, they all going home because I am going to be the sole Traitor.

Natalie Anderson

Natalie Anderson on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

I want to be a Traitor because not only do I feel like I would be really, really good at being a Traitor, but there’s something about being on the hunt and going after people that just drives me. I think that being a Traitor just because you want to be a Traitor doesn’t mean you’re going to be a good Traitor, but I feel like I have it in me to be out for blood from day one, and work with people to really follow through and win it. The Faithfuls have won twice in a row, and I think it’s time the Traitors take back that win, and I think I’m the person who can do that.

Porsha Williams

Porsha Williams on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

Oh, I want to be a Traitor, but I’m also scared to be a Traitor. But I think I would be good because I don’t think people would truly suspect me. I think people have me stereotyped one way and so they don’t think I could play the other side of lying and hiding something from them. They’d think, “Oh, she’s an open book, she’s been on reality TV for 10 years, she’s an open book we know all the tell-tale signs.” When, in reality, I think I’d be pretty good at hiding it.

Rob Cesternino

Rob Cesternino on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

I would be a great Traitor because I’ve got the perfect cover story of coming in and wanting to play the most faithful game anyone has ever seen, and what a twist it would be if behind that I was actually a Traitor.

Rob Rausch on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

I want to be a Traitor because it just seems more fun. I’m clever when I need to be, I can get myself out of a sticky conversation. I always win Monopoly. Always.

Ron Funches on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

Oh, I want to be a Traitor because no one suspects the butterfly. I’m a beautiful sweet butterfly of a human being just pretty and elegant. But also, I could attack you somehow. I don’t know how butterflies attack, but I imagine I could affect your allergies or do something, so that’s why you should pick me.

Stephen Colletti

Stephen Colletti on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

I want to be a Faithful. I do not want to spend the entire game deceiving everyone, lying to everyone, I’m not a good liar, so I think I’m best served as a Faithful. I want to be a Faithful, I’m here to be a Faithful, and the Faithfuls will win this game.

Tara Lipinski

Tara Lipinski on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

Don’t pick me to be a Traitor. I really want to be a Faithful. I feel like my background as an athlete, being part of a team, part of Team USA, representing your country — I feel like I have the tools in my toolbox to succeed in that area, and I also just feel like it goes against everything that I am to be a Traitor and start lying to people. We want the Faithfuls to win, so I want to be on the winning team.

Tiffany Mitchell

Tiffany Mitchell on 'The Traitors' season 4.

Sam McElwee/Peacock

I should be selected as a Traitor because no one is rooting for Tiffany Monique Mitchell to come here to be Faithful, I’ve been faithful already. I am here to be a Traitor because in my real life, I dibble and dabble in blood, I run a phlebotomy business, but here, I want to be covered in it. I want it all over my hands, I came to murder, to kill, to seek, and to destroy. And besides, who else from *Big Brother* would you have in here murdering people, being a Traitor? You wouldn’t be disappointing me, you would be disappointing your fan base.

Yamil “Yam Yam” Arocho

Yamil “Yam Yam” Arocho on 'The Traitors' season 4 .

Sam McElwee/Peacock

Alan, listen, you need to pick me as a Traitor because everything about me is meant to be a Traitor. Everything is like the little, perfect, strategic, energetic, loveable little package for it to be released like Pandora’s box in this castle. If you make me a Traitor, I’ll give you everything you wish for.

***Want to be kept up with all things Survivor? Dig deep and sign up for 's free Survivor Weekly newsletter to have all the latest news, interviews, and commentary sent right to your inbox. ***

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Reality”