Peacock’s deception masterpiece The Traitors US wastes no time delivering twists! Season 4 unveiled a devilish “Secret Traitor” mechanic that flipped the game—and sent shockwaves through the castle. America’s favorite football mom, Donna Kelce, was the primary focus in the first three episodes, which dropped on Peacock on January 8, 2026.

Never Miss Your Chance to Audition!

Join our WhatsApp Channel for exclusive casting calls and audition alerts!

Join Now

The 73-year-old matriarch to NFL stars Jason and Travis Kelce (and future mother-in-law to Taylor Swift) entered as a total wildcard, charming everyone with her sweet, starstruck vibe. Pre-season, she teased having “killer instincts” under that wholesome exterior—but no one expected her to live it out so literally!

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Peacock (@peacock)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Peacock (@peacock)

In a groundbreaking twist, host Alan Cumming secretly recruited Donna as the Secret Traitor right in front of the cast on Night 1—operating solo and unknown even to the main Traitors (Lisa Rinna, Candiace Dillard Bassett, and Rob Rausch).

Her role? Submit anonymous shortlists forcing the turret trio to pick murders from her options only. Donna’s picks led directly to the season’s first victims: Big Brother champ Ian Terry (murdered in Episode 2) and Survivor podcaster Rob Cesternino (murdered in Episode 3).

Notably, her first shortlist included Dancing with the Stars alum Mark Ballas, putting the three-time Mirrorball winner in early danger alongside Ian, Rob Rausch, Eric Nam, and others—but the Traitors ultimately spared him in some cases.

But Mama Kelce’s covert reign was short-lived. Players quickly clocked her quiet demeanor as suspicious—despite her defense of just “fangirling” over the celeb-packed cast and feeling intimidated to speak up. Colton Underwood and others targeted her low-key energy, while even Traitors whispered about her innocence being too perfect. Dorinda Medley admitted hesitation due to the “Swiftie thing” scaring her off!

Episode 3’s chaotic morning roundtable sealed her fate: A near-unanimous banishment vote (with only Michael Rapaport holding out in some accounts).

As she exited, Donna dropped the bombshell: “You got yourself a Traitor!” She called herself the “sacrificial lamb” and said she had a blast meeting everyone. Flashbacks revealed her red-cloaked mischief, wax-sealing shortlists with glee. The Faithfuls (and her fellow Traitors!) gasped—they’d accidentally axed the hidden fourth villain first, ending the Secret twist prematurely.

Donna’s performance? Iconic but brief.
Her “lovable mom by day, devious killer by night” strategy influenced two murders without early detection, proving those mom instincts pack a punch.

Yet her reserved style (no big alliances, minimal chit-chat) made her an easy target in a house full of loud personalities. In her final confessional, she teared up: “Playing a Traitor was tough, but I gave it my best shot. This has been a dream come true… These are happy tears that I get to do this at this point in my life.”

Fans are calling it bittersweet: A triumphant reveal, but we wanted more Mama mayhem!

Adding family context: In a January 13, 2026, People exclusive, daughter-in-law Kylie Kelce revealed Donna “did not tell us much at all” about her experience, keeping details secret to preserve the show’s suspense.

Kylie fully supports it: “You’ve got to keep the mystery alive… I love cheering her on and am 100% on board,” even though she’d have loved some insider scoops. (Kylie was speaking from Aspen while prepping for her NBC content creator role at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, including a snowboarding lesson from Olympian Jamie Anderson.)

With Porsha Williams banished as a Faithful in Episode 1’s roundtable and gamers dropping fast, Season 4 is pure “carnage” already. The remaining Traitors are flying under the radar—for now. New episodes drop Thursdays on Peacock.

Did the Faithfuls score a huge W by taking out the Secret Traitor early, or hand the villains an edge by removing her influence? Spill your theories! 🏰💔🔥