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Donna Kelce makes her reality TV debut tonight. Here’s what you need to know about Season 4 of ‘The Traitors.’

Local natives Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski are also part of the cast as the Peacock series returns for a fourth season.

Donna Kelce will make her reality TV debut Thursday night on Peacock's "The Traitors."
Donna Kelce will make her reality TV debut Thursday night on Peacock's "The Traitors."Read moreMark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The fourth season of The Traitors officially premieres Thursday night on Peacock, and it will feature a few Philly-adjacent stars, including Donna Kelce.

Whether you’re a reality TV aficionado or just hearing about the show for the first time, here’s everything you need to know about the show before you tune in …

What is ‘The Traitors?’

If you’ve never seen The Traitors, it’s basically a big-budget version of the party game “Mafia.” It’s also similar to The Mole, which, like The Traitors, is a spinoff of a Dutch-language show. It’s wildly popular globally, with over two dozen countries having their own version, and nearly a dozen more international spinoffs on the way.

In the American version, host Alan Cumming whisks the cast away to his castle in Scotland, and selects a handful of players to serve as “Traitors,” who then have to “kill” — or eliminate — the other contestants, known as “Faithfuls.” At the end of every episode, there’s a roundtable, where contestants interrogate and confront one another to pick one player to banish, with the goal of eliminating all of the traitors. In the middle, contestants compete in challenges to grow the cash prize pot, which can get up to $250,000. The Faithfuls win if they can eliminate all the Traitors and make it to the end, but if any Traitors make it to the finale, they keep the prize money for themselves.

Past contestants include former Bachelor stars like Gabby Windey and Peter Weber, iconic Survivor contestants like Boston Rob and Parvati Shallow, and members of the Real Housewives franchise like Phaedra Parks and Dolores Catania. Zac Efron’s brother, Dylan, won Season 3 of The Traitors despite no past reality TV experience, so Donna wouldn’t be the first nepo-Traitors winner. There’s also usually a random old British guy.

Who is in the Season 4 cast?

For Philadelphians, Kelce might be the biggest name, but Olympic figure skaters with local ties (Johnny Weir, Coatesville, and Tara Lipinski, Sewell, N.J.) will also factor into this season, ahead of the Winter Olympics in February.

“That was so much fun, just being able to do that, especially at my age, it was just a blast,” Kelce told the Kansas City Star. “The [Scottish] Highlands are absolutely gorgeous. The people were so kind. And it just was kind of like a dream to be able to do something like that and to interact with individuals on such a high level.

“And it was a little bit daunting when it comes to some of the missions, but it was fun. It really was. It was a good time.”

Here’s the full cast list:

  1. Donna Kelce

  2. Johnny Weir

  3. Tara Lipinski

  4. Lisa Rinna, Real Housewives

  5. Dorinda Medley, Real Housewives (and Traitors Season 3)

  6. Rob Cesternino, Survivor

  7. Natalie Anderson, Survivor

  8. Tiffany Mitchell, Big Brother

  9. Ian Terry, Big Brother

  10. Yam Yam Arocho, Survivor

  11. Monet X Change, RuPaul’s Drag Race

  12. Colton Underwood, The Bachelor

  13. Mark Ballas, Dancing with the Stars

  14. Porsha Williams, Real Housewives

  15. Candiace Bassett, Real Housewives

  16. Maura Higgins, Love Island

  17. Eric Nam, singer

  18. Ron Funches, comedian

  19. Rob Rausch, Love Island

  20. Kristen Kish, Top Chef

  21. Stephen Colletti, actor

  22. Michael Rapaport, actor

  23. Caroline Stanbury, Real Housewives

Can Donna Kelce win ‘The Traitors?’

“Missions” plural? Could Mama Kelce be sticking around for a while?

Shortly after she was revealed to be a part of the cast, the three Kelce boys — Jason, Travis, and their father, Ed — discussed the matriarch’s chances on the show … but only after the brothers explained to dad what the show was all about. However, once they explained the game, Ed’s response was to snore.

“I haven’t got a [expletive] clue,” he said when asked about Donna’s chances. “I don’t know, I’m not a reality TV show type of person.”

Before their mother joined The Traitors cast, the Kelce brothers revealed they were fans of the show, but neither thought they would do well, especially if picked to be a traitor.

How can I watch ‘The Traitors?’

The first three episodes of the show will premiere on Peacock Thursday at 9 p.m. ET (although last season, they usually ended up dropping early, at around 8:30 p.m.). New episodes will premiere each subsequent Thursday at 9 p.m. ET. There will be 12 episodes total, including the reunion show, which is hosted by Andy Cohen.

Here’s a look at the full schedule:

  1. Jan. 8: Episodes 1-3

  2. Jan. 15: Episodes 4-5

  3. Jan. 22: Episode 6

  4. Jan. 29: Episode 7

  5. Feb. 5: Episode 8

  6. Feb. 12: Episode 9

  7. Feb. 19: Episode 10

  8. Feb. 26: Episode 11 (the finale) & Reunion

If you can’t wait, a pair of clips showing the contestants’ arrival at Cumming’s castle were recently unveiled.