The Traitors returns this evening - and after three epic episodes, we’ll finally find out who the secret Traitor is. The fourth season kicked off on New Year’s Day, and it’s already been packed with juicy revelations, from Ross and Netty’s pre-existing friendship to Judy and Roxy being mother and daughter.
Now, fans think there could be another connection. Many are convinced that Ellie and Ross already knew each other before the show, and there are plenty of clues pointing in that direction.
Here’s everything you need to know.
A photo from July 2024
Yes, you read that right. A now-deleted photo, reportedly showing Ellie and Ross out with friends in July 2024, has resurfaced - sparking fan speculation that the duo not only know each other, but may have even dated.
The image is quite grainy, though, leaving some unsure whether it’s actually Ross or just someone who looks like him…
Massive gap between Ross's posts
One fan pointed out a huge gap between two of Ross’s Instagram posts, suggesting he may have archived pictures because Ellie could be in them.
"Also note there's a weird 5 year gap between 2 posts on Ross insta page, because Ellie is featured in most of them meaning he had to private or delete them," the viewer wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Ross posted a photo in August 2020 of himself on holiday in Dubai. The next post after that isn’t until his birthday celebration in January 2025. While most people archive old photos or take a social media break, the gap has raised a few eyebrows and fans are calling it a little suspicious.
Holiday pics
In November and December last year, Ellie and Ross both posted holiday snaps from locations that looked strikingly similar.
In one photo on Ellie’s grid, she can be seen emerging from a pool surrounded by a terracotta-coloured wall and palm trees. Over on Ross’s Instagram, he’s flexing beside a palm tree - and, crucially, a terracotta bin. Coincidence or clue?
Fans were quick to spot the parallels, flocking to both comment sections to ask whether the pair were on holiday together.
If the photos were posted shortly after the holiday, it would have been after filming wrapped - meaning it’s possible they met on The Traitors and then travelled together afterwards. Still, the similarities have raised eyebrows, particularly given how carefully contestants are expected to avoid hinting at off-screen connections once the show airs.
Ross wanted to keep his connection with Netty a secret
Ross slipped up by telling the others that he had planned to pretend he didn’t recognise Netty - suggesting he was already thinking carefully about how to hide any pre-existing connections. So, if he does know Ellie, it's very unlikely he'd share this information...
Apparently they follow each other on LinkedIn
According to one user on X, Ross and Ellie follow each other on LinkedIn.
They wrote: "There are theories flying around the internet about Ross and Ellie from #TheTraitors secretly being a couple after they posted very similar holiday photos and apparently follow each other on LinkedIn what do you think."
I don’t know about you, but most of us have loads of people on LinkedIn we don’t actually know personally. That said, Ellie and Ross work in pretty different fields - Ellie is a psychologist, while Ross is a sales executive and personal trainer - which makes the connection feel a little more than random. Combined with the holiday snaps and other clues, it’s easy to see why people think they might have known each other beforehand.
The Traitors airs on BBC One at 8pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
