Will Rob Brydon’s Upcoming Travel Game Show Be The New Traitors?

The Traitors is in full swing, but if you’re already fearing the end of the series, it’s time to turn your attention to pastures new. Here’s everything we know so far about a brand new reality competition series coming to the BBC very soon, Destination X.

Destination X: Everything We Know So Far

What Will Happen?

Destination X will combine adventure travel and immersive gameplay to create a competition series akin to a real life boardgame, according to the BBC. The premise is thus: 10 contestants embark on a road trip, but they have no idea where they are. In order to win, they must figure this out. Travelling on a blacked-out bus, they will be offered clever clues to help discern the location – but only the savviest contestants will tell the red herrings from the truth. At the end of each episode, the contestants will guess where they are; the person with a guess furthest away from the actual location will be eliminated from the game. The first player to reach Destination X will be crowned the winner – and awarded a cash prize.

An immersive guessing game, there are obvious immediate parallels with The Traitors. One facet we are excited for is that Destination X will also be kept a secret from the audience – so we can play along at home as the game unfolds.

Rob Brydon Will Host The Series

The host will deliver clues to the contestants from afar, posted throughout the series at the titular Destination X – and Rob Brydon has been revealed as the man the contestants will be working their way towards.

‘How could I turn down the opportunity to become the mastermind of Destination X, the thrilling new travel adventure series coming to the BBC next year?’ the Gavin & Stacey star said on the news. ‘It’s a show that turns the whole of Europe into a board game – manipulating the players and the audience at home along the way. I can’t wait to be the puppet master orchestrating every twist and turn as our contestants are taken on a journey where everything is not as it seems. It’s going to be a wild ride!’

‘We are so delighted to have Rob Brydon as the host and puppet master of this incredible series,’ adds Dan Adamson of production company Twofour. ‘Playful, smart and mischievous, we know Rob will strike the perfect tone and be the very best guide for our cast and audience alike, as they embark on a journey like no other.’

Step aside Claudia Winkleman – a new chaotic and conniving host is in town.

What Is It Based On?

Destination X is based on a Belgian series, which boasted a whopping 42 percent chunk of TV viewership figures when it first launched in 2023. The English adaptation follows the huge success of The Traitors, which itself is based on a Dutch competition series, De Verraders.

‘It’s amazing to see how Destination X has literally taken off since its launch!’ shares Gepke Nederlof, MD of global distribution company, Be-Entertainment. ‘It’s a true adventure both in and outside of the Destination X bus.’

The British version was announced concurrently with a US version, which we imagine will also be made available on BBC iPlayer like The Traitors US.

Destination X Release Date

Applications to star in the series closed in September 2024, but no news just yet on when Destination X will air. Rumour has it, the series will air before the end of 2025. Stay tuned for more.