Entertainment news Ireland has a clear winner this week: The Traitors Ireland ended its latest run on a high, delivering stronger finale numbers for RTÉ and securing an official return for a third season. The reality hit not only grew its live audience year on year, but also continued to build momentum on RTÉ Player, underlining just how firmly the format has gripped viewers.
The finale saw Faithfuls Anna Murphy and Diego Rodrigues Caixeta walk away victorious, claiming the €45,850 prize after successfully identifying and eliminating final Traitor Pauric O’Meara in a tense closing showdown. It was the kind of dramatic finish that has helped make the series one of the standout stories in Irish entertainment news and a major talking point in TV news Ireland.
The Traitors Ireland ratings give RTÉ plenty to celebrate
According to RTÉ, the finale averaged 782,000 viewers across RTÉ One and RTÉ One+1 under Live + VOSDAL measurement, delivering a commanding 65% audience share. The companion programme, The Traitors Ireland Uncloaked, also posted a strong result, averaging 459,000 viewers and a 56.1% share.
Those figures mark a notable jump on last year’s finale, which drew 732,000 viewers and a 57% share. In simple terms, the 2026 closer added roughly 50,000 extra viewers, proof that the series is not fading after its first success but expanding its reach.
- 2026 finale audience: 782,000
- 2025 finale audience: 732,000
- Year-on-year growth: 50,000 viewers
- 2026 audience share: 65%
- RTÉ Player streams for the full series: more than 3.5 million
For anyone tracking Irish TV news and viewing trends, that mix of strong linear ratings and on-demand growth is especially significant.
Season 3 confirmed after breakout success
The biggest headline beyond the ratings is that The Traitors Ireland is officially coming back. RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst confirmed at the grand finale screening in Barberstown Castle that the broadcaster has already committed to a third season.
In comments shared on the night, Bakhurst described the programme as “an enormous success” for RTÉ and pointed to both audience figures and Player performance as evidence of its impact. His message to future contestants was simple and effective: get the cloaks ready and start applying.
That early renewal is a strong vote of confidence and positions the series as one of the broadcaster’s most valuable reality properties. In the wider entertainment industry Ireland conversation, it also shows how event television can still thrive when it creates weekly suspense, social chatter and replay value.
Why the show continues to resonate
The format’s appeal is easy to understand. It blends strategy, mistrust and personality in a way that keeps viewers guessing until the final minutes. Add in a distinctly local cast dynamic and a strong aftershow, and RTÉ has found a formula that works across live viewing and streaming platforms Ireland.
From a pop culture Ireland perspective, The Traitors Ireland has become more than just another reality contest. It now sits among the most discussed pieces of trending entertainment Ireland, helped by finale-night drama, player speculation and strong word of mouth.
For RTÉ, the takeaway is straightforward: audiences are showing up, streams are climbing, and the appetite for more deception-filled drama is clearly there. In entertainment news Ireland, that makes the future of The Traitors Ireland one of the easiest calls of the season.
Bottom line: with a bigger finale audience, millions of streams and season three already confirmed, The Traitors Ireland has gone from breakout hit to must-watch fixture in entertainment news Ireland.
