The Traitors becomes primary school 'craze' - with cloaks and a Claudia wig

It's one of the most popular shows on TV with each episode watched by millions, and now The Traitors has become the latest primary school "craze".

Children at Llangan Primary School in the Vale of Glamorgan are ditching playground "tag" to root out "traitors" around roundtables, with one pupil even wearing a dark wig to portray the show's host Claudia Winkleman.

Headteacher James Griffiths said the game had "brought different groups of children" together and was helping with their problem solving and communication skills.

Nine-year-old Jack, who took on the role of Winkleman, said the game was played at break time and described it as "like a new tag".

"I select three traitors," he said.

"We have missions including trying to race cars in the playground and then decide who is the traitor. If you get banished you become my minion."

Jack said he was a "big fan" of the game because "it takes your mind off school things at break time like literacy and maths".

"I think it's really fun taking on the role of Claudia and taking on the game in our own way as children," he added.

Jude, 9, said he and his classmates found the game fun to play and that it was bringing together children who did not normally play together.

"We've done a lot of challenges and round tables," he said.

"We play with people we wouldn't usually play with because it's boys and girls playing together."

In the TV series, contestants air their suspicions about who they believe is a traitor at a roundtable before a vote is taken to banish someone, and in the school version it's the same. Masie, 8, said she was a particular fan of this part.

"I enjoy it so much it's so fun because we're not fighting each other, we get our anger out by banishing them. Everyone is talking about it in school and it's really popular," she said.

The enormous success of The Celebrity Traitors gave a further boost to the non-celebrity version of the programme, with ratings for the current series of The Traitors – series four – already surpassing those for series one to three with audiences above 11 million.

Florence, 9, said she was a "very big fan of the TV programme".

"I like playing The Traitors because it's a really fun game to play because you can't trust anyone else," she said.

Alfie, 9, said he started playing the game because his brother inspired him.

"He started watching it and then I started watching it and really liked it," said Alfie.

Headteacher James Griffiths said the teachers first introduced The Traitors to the school at the end of term to play with pupils before the Christmas holidays, and that the pupils had now come up with their own version.

"We were a little bit shocked that the children were so engaged in the game but watching them playing it together it's brought different groups of children, boys and girls playing together, and we see it as a positive thing because they're using problem solving skills and good communication skills and really working together," he said.

"They love it. We have definitely been hit by the Traitors craze in school and I was a little shocked to see Jack as Claudia but seeing him turn up in his wig and cloak has been wonderful."

The final episode of The Traitors series four is due to air on Friday at 20:30 GMT on BBC One and iPlayer.