# Traitors castle’s owner built his fortune on opium trading

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-dark-drugs-secret-behind-the-celebrity-traitors-castle-is-revealed-even-if-the-bbc-would-rather-you-didnt-know/
- Published: 2026-10-24T17:32:54+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-24T17:47:17+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16235727/dark-drugs-secret-Celebrity-Traitors-castle-BBC.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment, Health, Medicine, World

## Key points

- Ardross Castle is linked to an opium trading fortune.
- Sir Alexander Matheson acquired it in 1845.
- The BBC history article reportedly omitted the opium connection.

## Summary

The article says Ardross Castle, where the UK and US versions of *The Traitors* are filmed, has a history linked to opium smuggling. Sir Alexander Matheson acquired the castle in 1845 after building a fortune through Jardine Matheson, a firm he established with his uncle to trade opium from China to British-controlled India.

It reports that a BBC article about the castle’s history mentioned Matheson’s wealth from China trade but omitted his opium dealings. A contestant, speaking anonymously to *The Times*, claimed the BBC was reluctant to acknowledge the connection; the article provides no BBC response to that allegation. Historian Neil Sinclair is quoted as saying Matheson had no qualms about involvement in a trade that Britain considered legitimate, though China opposed it.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.