The Traitors star Hugo Lodge is a ‘large time’ barrister who has represented murderers and drug-smugglers and written a e book on monetary sanctions
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The Traitors star Hugo Lodge is a ‘big time’ barrister who has represented murderers and drug-smugglers and has even written a book about financial sanctions.
The lawyer, 51, is one of 22 new contestants on the BBC murder mystery show and was selected by host Claudia Winkleman to be one of four Traitors in the first episode of the new series on Thursday.
While he revealed he was a barrister in his introductory scenes, he was modest about how successful he is, as it has now been uncovered that he is a high-flying legal expert.
The Sun reports that he works in the tax haven of the Cayman Islands and has even written a book about financial sanctions.
He has worked all over the world including in Dubai which is famous for its strict legal and prison system.
According to his company’s website, Hugo ‘splits his time between the Caribbean, London and Dubai where he appears in the DIFC courts.’
The Traitors star Hugo Lodge is a ‘big time’ barrister who has represented murderers and drug-smugglers and has even written a book about financial sanctions
The lawyer, 51, is one of 22 new contestants on the BBC murder mystery show and was selected by host Claudia Winkleman to be one of four Traitors in the first episode
He released his book named Sanctions Handbook in June 2025. He had two previous books on similar topics.
Sanctions Handbook ‘offers valuable insight with clear practical steps, providing guidance on how to proceed when faced with targeted financial sanctions.’
His company website states: ‘Hugo’s practice focuses primarily on targeted financial sanctions advice, anti-money laundering, and other forms of financial regulation and criminal allegations.
‘Hugo advises on and appears in cases involving regulatory allegations against businesses and their directors, senior managers and officers. He is instructed on behalf of UK law enforcement and regulators, as well as those individuals and entities subject to regulation.
‘Hugo is instructed to defend as sole or leading counsel in cases involving allegations of serious and complex crime. He has a linked practice in the field of professional discipline, where he appears on behalf of regulators.
‘Hugo was Called in 1998 by Gray’s Inn. He works in England and Wales, as well as common law jurisdictions in the Caribbean.
‘Hugo is committed to working pro bono for just causes and is a long-standing supporter of human rights charity, Amnesty International.’
The new series of The Traitors left BBC viewers on tenterhooks after Claudia dropped the bombshell there will be a fourth secret Traitor in their midst.
While he revealed he was a barrister in his introductory scenes, he was modest about how successful he is, as it has now been uncovered that he is a high-flying legal expert
The Sun reports that he works in the tax haven of the Cayman Islands and has written a book about financial sanctions
Kicking off on Thursday night, 22 contestants headed to Ardross Castle in the Scottish highlands to compete for the chance to win a £100,000 jackpot.
The game played out as usual with Claudia, 53, gathering the players around the round table and selecting Head Of Communications Rachel, 42, Cyber Security Consultant Stephen, 32, and barrister Hugo.
But in a new twist, the host selected a fourth Traitor – whose identity was kept a secret from the trio and viewers.
Claudia told the Traitors in the tower: ‘I have a small confession. You are not the only Traitors in this castle. At the round table I picked one other Traitor. The secret Traitor. You still have power, but not quite as much.
‘That secret traitor will work alone. Each night they will provide you with the murder shortlist, you can only murder from that shortlist.
‘They are a Traitor so they won’t put themselves on it, of course they won’t put you on it. They know exactly who you are.’
Reeling from the news, Rachel said: ‘That’s a bombshell. I don’t know how it will play out tomorrow. I will have eyes like a hawk and will hopefully suss out the secret Traitor.
Fans wrote on X: ‘obsessed with the secret traitor twist. love that we get to play the game as viewers’;
‘Keeping one secret even to us is a genius move. Now we getting to play along too! Interesting to see how it plays out’;
‘I wonder who the fourth secret traitor is!!! This is a riveting twist!’;
‘So Claudia picked a secret Traitor. Oooh this’ll be good.’
After being selected, Stephen said: ‘I’m so excited for this game of cat and mouse. My game plan is keep doing what I’ve been doing all today. Making friends with the people I think are the most faithful.
According to his company’s website, Hugo ‘splits his time between the Caribbean, London and Dubai where he appears in the DIFC courts’
‘We’re going to find those Traitors together, that’s our plan. That’s our job. Let the games begin.’
Meanwhile Hugo said he believes he has a great poker face: ‘I think so, I mean I’m a barrister and I have to stand up in front of a jury and be a kind of big cuddly teddy bear, so you have to believe what you’re saying because people can pick up if you’re all fidgety. So yes, I hope so, because it’s important for my job.’
Of the secret Traitor twist, he said: ‘The whole point of being a Traitor is having perfect information. And now there is somebody above us in the chain’.
The Traitors continues on January 2 at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
