Cast snitches are worried about Swifties because of Donna Kelce, says host
The traitors The season 4 cast not only had to deal with backstabbing fellow contestants, but also earned the ire of Taylor Swift‘s fan base too!
The Peacock reality competition returns on Thursday, January 8, with Swift’s future mother-in-law, Donna Kelcewho leads the new class of participants.
Promotion of the new season on Wednesday, January 7, episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!host Alan Cumming admitted that Donna’s closeness to the pop superstar made some other stars concerned about their efforts to vote her out.
“The participants, the players, talk about it a lot,” says Cumming, 60, said. “[They were like] ‘I’m a little worried about the Swifties. What they will do if we…”
According to Cumming, the looming threat of Swifties coming after the celebrity contestants was “quite fun.”
“It’s another layer of threat,” Cumming teased.
Donna – Swift’s fiancé’s mother Travis Kelceand brother Jason Kelce – is one of the 23 participants taking part The traitors season 4.
The cast also includes Real Housewives stars Candiace Dillard Bassett (Real Housewives of Potomac), Caroline Stanbury (Real Housewives of Dubai), Dorinda Medley (Real Housewives of New York City), Lisa Rinna (Real Housewives of Beverly Hills) And Porsche Williams (Real Housewives of Atlanta).
Former bachelor Colton Underwood, Laguna Beach star Stephen Colletti and drag queen Monet X Change are all also part of the cast.
“Donna, she’s hilarious,” Cumming said of the Kelce matriarch. “She’s such a sweet lady. I really liked her.”
He added, “There’s a really cute moment in the first episode when I was kind of interviewing them. I said, ‘How are you feeling, Donna?’ and she said, ‘A bit strange.’ It’s so cute.”
Stanbury, 49, previously teased the cast dynamic with Donna in an exclusive interview with We weekly at BravoCon 2025.
“I have to say the one thing was that everyone was so afraid to go against her,” Stanbury said of Donna, citing Swift’s passionate fans.
“But no, she was sweet. So sweet,” said the Ladies of London alum added.
Donna’s sons previously commented on their mother’s latest career move.
“We’ve seen the bad side of Donna. You haven’t,” Travis, 36, joked at the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France in June. “There’s no bad side. She’s the sweetest.”
Candiace Dillard-Bassett calls out her Traitors costar Donna Kelce. “Mama D! Mama Donna is the sweetest,” Dillard-Bassett, 38, told Us Weekly exclusively at the 2025 Page Six Virtual Reali-Tea “VRT Awards” at City Winery in New York City on Wednesday, September 17. “She is the mother of America, and she was the castle mother to everyone […]
“I’m really looking forward to seeing how she does,” Jason, 38, added. “Cautiously pessimistic.”
In July, the former Philadelphia Eagles center said Entertainment tonight that he was curious how things would go with Donna The traitors because his mother is ‘so sweet and friendly’.
“I feel like on that show you have to be manipulative and cunning, and you have to be murderous,” Jason said. “So I don’t know, we’ll see. I’m curious to see how she did it.”
Jason’s wife, Kylie Kelcealso commented on her mother-in-law’s appearance on the show during a June episode of her podcast “Not Gonna Lie.”
“I looked Traitors? Not a whole season. Am I excited to watch Donna? One thousand percent. I’m going to cheer her on until the end of time,” Kylie, 33, said.
She continued, “I’m not going to lie, but her innocence and honesty works against her. Or for her? Ooh, if she’s a believer, maybe it works for her. We’re all on the edge of our seats. I’m excited. Come on, Donna! Win it!”
The traitors season 4 premieres with the first three episodes on Peacock Thursday, January 8. The first three seasons of The traitors can now be steamed on Peacock.
