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The Explainer
The Explainer
28 Aug 2025
What is The Traitors' secret formula for turning a TV show into a global hit?
00:00

The hugely successful reality competition series The Traitors is about to land in Ireland, following much loved versions in the UK, US, Australia and beyond. It’s the latest in a long line of television programmes to go from concept to global franchise - think Big Brother, Love Island, MasterChef. This trend seems to be taking up more and more airtime on our screens.


But how does a show actually make that leap? What’s the business behind international formats? And what does the rise of these "global-but-local" shows tell us about how we watch TV today? We’re joined by Sunday Times columnist and arts journalist Aoife Barry.