The Traitors is (finally!) back on screens, with season four debuting on New Year’s Day. As usual, a whole host of new contestants have entered the iconic Scottish castle in a bid to win their share of up to £120k.
One of those contestants is Jessie, a 28-year-old hairstylist from Hull. Ahead of the show’s release, she’s been open about having a stammer and how she thinks it will be an advantage to her in the competition series.
Speaking about the qualities she’d need to make it to the final, Jessie said: “Well, you have to be trusted.”
Everyone’s clicking on…
“Because I have a stammer, I can’t hide who I am,” she went on. “It has helped me be an authentic person, because I just can’t hide it.”
BBC
That said, Jessie thinks people won’t see her as a threat in the competition. “I feel like people will underestimate me just because of how I am and how I look with my orange hair and because I have a stammer,” she explained. “People might think that I don’t have it in me to be brutal, but I do.”
Whether or not she makes it to the final, and gets her hands on the prize money, Jessie believes her time on the show will make a difference. “I don’t think there has been a previous player like me,” she said. “I hope to inspire a lot of people.”
What is a stammer?
According to the NHS, stammering – also sometimes referred to as stuttering – is when:
Sounds or syllables are repeatedSounds are made longer Words get stuck or do not come out at all
“Stammering varies in severity from person to person, and from situation to situation,” the NHS website explains. “Someone might have periods of stammering followed by times when they speak relatively fluently.”
The NHS notes that there are two main types of stammering. Developmental stammering is the “most common type of stammering” – it happens in early childhood when speech and language skills are developing quickly. In comparison, acquired or late-onset stammering is relatively rare. “[It] happens in older children and adults as a result of a head injury, stroke, or progressive neurological condition,” the NHS points out. “It can also be caused by certain drugs, medicines, or psychological or emotional trauma.”
Depending on the type of stammer someone has, the NHS says there are different speech and language therapy approaches that can help people who stammer to speak more easily.
This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Watch season four of The Traitors on BBC One and iPlayer from 1 January.
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Jade Biggs (she/her) is one of Cosmopolitan UK’s freelance writers, working across all sections including entertainment, beauty, body, and sex and relationships. She previously held the position of Features Writer, covering everything from breaking news and the latest royal gossip, to the health and fitness trends taking over your TikTok feed. Jade has a degree in journalism and has been a journalist and content editor for ten years, interviewing leading researchers, high-profile influencers, and industry experts in that time. She is a cat mom to four fur babies and is obsessed with Drag Race, bottomless brunches, and wearing clothes only suitable for Bratz dolls. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.