REVEALED: How Celebrity Traitors, shot at Ardross Castle, could impact visitors, buyers and investors in the Highlands
The TV spotlight shining on Ross-shire and the wider Highlands through a top rating celebrity show could translate into greater interest in the area from visitors, buyers and investors.
That’s the view mooted by a property cash buyer company which says interest in the BBC reality TV hit Celebrity Traitors could further promote the visitor appeal of the Highlands — and even impact accommodation prices.
Last week we reported how searches for ‘Where is the Traitors castle?’ had spiked 24,000 per cent in the first week of the latest series, in which hand-picked traitors attempt to elude discovery and ‘murder’ the faithful to win a prize pot.
Now, property experts reveal that while average house prices in the Scottish Highlands are 25 per cent lower than in England, the show could have a potential impact on the area’s popularlity.
The Traitors series has been filmed at Ardross Castle since 2022 when the hugely successful series was launched in the UK.
The launch episode has become the show’s most watched opening episode with almost 9 million viewers — not including all those catching up on-demand.
Using the latest UK House Price Index data, Property Buyers Today has analysed house prices where Celebrity Traitors is filmed, compared them to the rest of the UK, and commented on the potential reasons for this, as well as the show’s potential impact on the area’s popularity.
Despite being considerably cheaper than England, Highland property prices have risen by 6.1 per cent over the past year, compared with just a 1.1 per cent increase in England and a fall of 3.3 per cent in London.
Saif Derzi, founder of Property Buyers Today, said: “The Scottish Highlands have become a familiar backdrop on screen, and despite its blend of historical architecture and picturesque landscapes, the latest property data shows that living in this remote part of the country can still come at a considerably lower price than the English average.
“Average property prices in the Highlands cost around £72,000 less than the average home in England (£221,136 vs £293,479). However, the latest figures also show that prices in the Highlands have risen considerably faster than in England over the past year, which could be due to demand for rural properties.
“The living costs in most Scottish cities are around 10 per cent cheaper than those in popular UK cities. In fact, living in Scotland is supposedly 30 per cent cheaper than setting up shop in London! This saving is mainly due to the low housing costs.
“The popularity of The Traitors show has also impacted the popularity of the area. In September 2026, BBC Scotland’s director of content said that the first three series of The Traitors generated around £22 million for the Highland economy.
“Last year, we calculated that the filming location for the series, Ardross Castle, near Inverness, and its 100-acre surrounding estate could fetch £17m. This valuation not only reflects the scale and character of the property, but also the growing profile of the Highlands as a destination through shows such as The Traitors.
“With the series continuing to attract millions of viewers, its impact on the local economy could also translate into greater interest in the area from prospective visitors, buyers and investors.”
Highland Council declared a “housing challenge” more than two years ago with issues across a number of sectors. It’s own housing stock is reportedly 4000 lower than it was in 1998 and the long-term rental sector supply has witnessed a marked slump, due in part to more stringent regulatory demands.
As part of the unsettled housing picture, the short-term let sector characterised by Airbnb looks set to increase tougher controls amidst contentious concerns about its impact.
Plans for two very large short-term let control areas are to be passed to the Scottish Government to seek its approval.
This is all against the backdrop of a predicted rise in housing demand as a result of the approved Cromarty Firth and Inverness freeport area which again takes in a very large swathe of the Highlands.
Something to welcome, predictable hype or a source of concern? You can share your thoughts by leaving a comment, emailing hector.mackenzie@hnmedia.co.uk or writing to our letters page.
