Travis Kelce has moved beyond the world of athletics and into the sphere of celebrity. Since he began dating Taylor Swift, his profile has been raised significantly. This means that everything (and everyone) he touches becomes another layer of the already massive fame orbit he has found himself in. However, until recently, nobody expected that to lead to the world of reality television.

His mother, Donna Kelce, will appear in the United States version of The Traitors, which is inspired by De Verraders, the Dutch series. The plot of the show takes its inspiration from party games like Mafia. It places contestants in a Scottish castle where their motive is to catch the traitors, who are plotting to murder other contestants. “Faithfuls” are how those contestants are referred to. A six-figure cash prize is awarded to the contestants who guess correctly.

Donna Kelce Will Join The Cast Of The Traitors Season 4

It turns out that reality viewers will get another glimpse at Donna Kelce when she appears on Season 4 of The Traitors. The show will feature 22 other contestants competing for a $250,000 prize. Rob Cesternino from Survivor will appear as well. Other contestants include Colton Underwood of The Bachelor fame, Dorinda Medley from The Real Housewives of New York, and Rob Rausch, who appeared on Love Island USA.

The news was on the minds of her sons, Jason and Travis Kelce. Before Donna was announced as a cast member, the brothers reposed a clip from their New Heights podcast. In the clip, they spoke about The Traitors and speculated about whether they would be any good on the show. “Reposting this for no reason whatsoever” they wrote in the caption along with a smirking emoji.

The brothers spoke more directly about their mother’s new gig at the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France. “Mom just got announced as being on this season of Traitors,” Jason gushed. “I really am very looking forward to seeing how she does.”

Travis admitted that their family is “kind of anxious” to see Donna on the small screen. Jason then cut in to say he was being “cautiously pessimistic.” Travis then jokingly said, “We’ve seen the evil side of Donna, you guys haven’t.” He then clarified that he was kidding, saying, “There is no evil, she’s the sweetest.”

In 2024, Donna was honored along with Beyoncé’s mother Tina Knowles, Billie Eilish’s mother Maggie Baird, and Selena Gomez’s mother Mandy Teefey. The women were all celebrated at Glamour‘s Women of the Year event. Donna spoke to the outlet where she explained how she ultimately chose to “stand still” when it came to her own goals and focus solely on her kids.

Donna says she “wanted to get ahead” and “worked really, really hard” during her time working as a commercial banker. The bank Donna worked for was active in several states. “I was a major breadwinner in the family,” she told the outlet. “And I think it’s important for kids to see that a woman can do whatever she wants, but I did stand still too.”

Donna Is Stepping Outside Her Shell Now That Her Kids Are Adults

Donna was married to Ed Kelce for 25 years, and she later said they stayed together because of their children. “My husband and I knew that our marriage was not working, but we stayed together for the kids,” Donna admitted. “Ours was a very friendly relationship. So, we could do that and make sure that their life was normal as possible. But in that one respect, I did stand still for several years until I could move on on my own.” During an interview on The Martha Stewart Podcast, Donna said that she and her ex-husband divorced after Jason and Travis graduated from college.

While speaking to SheKnows, Donna explained that her sons were always extremely busy when they were younger. She said that keeping up with the two of them would’ve been impossible as a single mother trying to co-parent. She said she allowed her boys to try any sport that piqued their interest. However, she said they needed to commit to an entire season.

“Once it’s over, if you don’t like that team, or if you don’t like that sport, you don’t have to play anymore,” Donna said. “But your team depends on you. You have to show up on time, every day, whether you want to or not.” During their upbringing, the Kelce boys tried out football, hockey, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, and wrestling.

“We worked together as a team,” she told Martha Stewart during the podcast. She emphasized that “raising children on your own” is “very, very difficult.” She continued, “And with as active as they were, how do you do that on your own? So we decided that we would be married throughout the entire time that the kids were in the house, and that’s the way it worked out.”

After her sons began enjoying their own success, Donna had the chance to do more of what she wanted to do. She has acted in Hallmark Channel’s Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story. Donna also made a cameo appearance in Christmas on Call. As she reflected on motherhood, Donna was honest about the challenges it brought.

“Being a mom is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Donna said. “It’s so much easier to just go to work, but raising children, when they’re totally dependent on you and you’re trying to do the best you can with the limited resources that you have, it’s the most daunting task I’ve ever had to do.”

Donna Has Cooking Skills, Which Could Come In Handy For Other Reality Shows

It seems bizarre that Donna would join the cast of The Traitors, since her skills could’ve worked on The Great British Bake Off. In 2024, she spoke to Eating Well about her partnership with Pillsbury and her involvement with their annual Bake-Off competition. The chat took place on the eve of the holiday season, so Donna was asked if she had any special traditions for that time of year.

“When it comes to food, my dinner rolls are our biggest tradition and a must-have on our dinner table, but we look for all kinds of ways to spend time together during the holidays,” she said. “We have to be careful not to eat them all before the meal! And then, of course, for us it wouldn’t be the holidays without football!”

Donna referred to her “chocolate chip cookies” as a “year-round staple,” but they’re particularly special during the holiday season. According to Donna, the special treat “brings me memories of spending time in the kitchen with my kids. If you need a shortcut, using [store-bought] cookie dough makes it even easier to whip up these delicious treats, allowing you to focus more on creating those special moments with family.”

Donna has been preparing holiday festivities for her family for decades. With her reputation, it’s no surprise that her expertise would be helpful for any new hosts out there. When asked what tips she would give to first-timers, Donna said, “My biggest tip is to find a few simple, easy-to-make dishes that you feel confident making, so you’re not stressing in the kitchen in addition to all your other duties.”

Donna told the outlet that she was “thrilled” about her partnership with Pillsbury and went on to praise “all the creativity and innovation” in the bake-off competition. “One of my family’s favorite recipes that I make each year—Mama Kelce’s Dinner Rolls—are actually based on a Pillsbury Bake-Off winning recipe from 1969!” she said. “They’ve been a staple at our holiday table since Jason and Travis were young, so working with Pillsbury was a natural fit. There’s something so special about a recipe that stands the test of time and brings joy to the table every holiday season.”

When asked what appetizers she would be serving on Thanksgiving, Donna said she was “so inspired by this year’s Pillsbury Bake-Off contest winner, Julie McIntire.” Donna said that she “decided to add her recipe—Mini Beef Wellingtons with Smoked Gouda Dipping Sauce—as a tangy, smoky appetizer. Jason in particular is such a fan of savory dishes that I think he is going to love this recipe.”

For many, eating well has a lot to do with health. Donna told the outlet that, for her, the phrase “means my family is happy and satisfied from my cooking. It’s all about bringing a smile to their faces—and their stomachs!”