The first player murdered by The Traitors was Netty.
Was the castle as you expected? How did it feel walking in for the first time?
It was everything and more. Seeing the flag flapping up in the sky, walking on the gravel and Claudia. It was all amazing. It was the best thing. Even just being in the kitchen and seeing the sweetie jars – I loved it. It was brilliant.
What were your first impressions of your fellow players?
Everyone was super friendly. The madness of seeing Ross was mind blowing. I just had no idea, and then I was overthinking that. I was so excited to be there, it was just a case of; grab a person, hug them and everyone was so warm and just as excited as I was which was lovely.
When you saw Ross, what went through your mind?
It didn’t make any sense to me. I think in the first instant, because it has been so long since I’d seen him, I don’t think I even remembered his name! I was so excited – for me it was an added bonus. I know he thought oh no, this is not going to be good for the game, but I just thought – this is amazing!
Were you happy to be a Faithful?
I got to relax being a Faithful, I did get to just be me and I think that was easier. Obviously, your time in there is more vulnerable because you can be both murdered and banished. However, I was happy to be a Faithful.
Did you have a strategy, and did you stick to it?
I think originally, I said I’ll observe and see what’s going on, but I absolutely did not stick to it! I was like ‘what do you think?’ to everyone and ‘this is what I think’. That’s what I felt like I needed to do. I do like to talk to people, and I like to get involved.
How does it feel to be leaving the game now?
Bittersweet. I didn’t have the time that I had hoped to have, but I think I’ve had the time I was meant to have. I’ve had the experience that it should have been for me, and I get to watch it as a viewer now, not knowing what’s going to come.
Would you have done anything differently?
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. If I knew what was coming, I probably would have stayed a little bit quieter. But I don’t know if that would have stopped me being on that short list of names anyway. So, you can’t really think that way.
What will you take away from being a player on the Traitors?
It’s been one of the most fun experiences and journeys. It’s a massive group of people that I would never have crossed paths with in my life, and hopefully from that some lovely friendships can grow. It’s really nice to do something for myself that’s mad and exciting.
Do you have a standout highlight of the experience?
Meeting Queen Claudia was lovely. The rowing, that was a good fun Mission, seeing 100 coffins and you don’t know if you’re getting in them, what’s going on, and then the madness of being caught on the anchor made me chuckle. That Mission was really good fun, and it brought us all together in that little group, but it was all awesome and amazing. Everything.
The first player banished at the round table was Judy, who revealed she was a Faithful.
How did it feel meeting all your fellow players and walking into the castle?
It was incredible. I was pinching myself and thinking, is this really happening? It was just amazing. Everyone was lovely. Such a range of people, a really different mix but what we all had in common was that we were all nervous. I thought, let’s just take it step by step and see how it’s going to go.
Were you happy to be a Faithful?
I was going to go into it saying I want to be a Faithful, because that’s just me, just how I am. But then something takes over, and you think to yourself, oh, I could be a Traitor. But I basically went in saying, I’m just going to be me. I’m not going to change.
Did you have a strategy, and did you stick to it?
No, I didn’t have a strategy. I just thought there’s no point in changing myself. I’m just going to play the game the best I can play it and enjoy it and have some fun, and that’s what I did.
How does it feel to be leaving the game now?
It’s hard, but I enjoyed exactly what I did, and I was there playing the game the best I could. Unfortunately, it wasn’t good enough, and I knew I was going down, but I went down gracefully.
Would you have done anything differently?
No, I don’t think so, but I would have loved to have stayed longer of course.
What will you take away from being a player on the Traitors?
I’ve had an amazing time. It’s been incredible, and the friendships that we’ve built up is incredible. It’s a unique situation that we’ve all been in together and I’ve loved every minute of it.
Do you have a standout highlight of the experience?
I think for me it was when I knew Sam was coming for me – my back went up as usual and I just thought, oh no, I’m not having it, so obviously I had to come for this person, which I did.
How difficult was it to keep the secret that you had a daughter in the show?
We had a bit of a strategy together, me and Roxy. I wanted to distance myself, but she kept gravitating towards me. She had my back.
Roxy’s still in the game. Are you backing her for the win?
You know what? 100%. I’m willing her on, and I know she’s got it in her to go all the way.
The second player murdered by The Traitors was Ben.
Was the castle as you expected? How did it feel walking in for the first time?
Oh, my word! It was just amazing. The castle was just as grand as you see it on television, and walking into it was just incredible. It was like walking into the television, it was unbelievable. As soon as we got in there everyone was darting off to the different rooms. It blew everybody away.
What were your first impressions of your fellow players?
They were all lovely. Every single one of them had been brilliant from minute one, right to the end. We all knew we were playing a game, and everybody was so supportive. Everyone was from different walks of life with different occupations, so it was so lovely to meet everybody and come together as a nice group. I had lots of great bonds with people like Hugo, Reece and Jessie. She really opened up to me all about her stammer and so I had a real connection with her.
Were you happy to be a Faithful?
No! I wanted to be a Traitor from minute one. I embraced my role as a Faithful, but I tried to give out a clue for the Traitors to recruit me, because I wanted to be a Traitor so bad.
Did you have a strategy going in and did you manage stick to it?
I didn’t have a strategy as such; I just wanted to embrace the whole process of everything.
How does it feel to be leaving the game now?
I’m absolutely gutted to be leaving the game so early, because I was totally under the radar. I played the dithery old guy who sounded clueless, but I wasn’t really. My name never got brought up, until the Traitors went and murdered me.
Would you have done anything differently?
Yes, I wouldn’t have said what I said about Ross to everybody, where I said “If I’m not here tomorrow, Ross has bumped me off” because that was a get out clause for the Traitors, as getting rid of me would make everyone look towards Ross.
What will you take away from being a player on the Traitors?
There were thousands of people who applied for that show. I was one of 22. That to me is an immediate win. I’m a super fan of the show and I try to watch all the series from different countries as well, so to be on it was an absolute pleasure for me. I’ve never done anything like it before in my life and I want to do it again!
Do you have a standout highlight of the experience?
The whole lot! The whole experience has just been amazing for me.
The second player banished was Hugo, who became the first Traitor banished at the round table.
Was the castle as you expected? How did it feel walking in for the first time?
The castle was better than I expected, and it was bigger than I expected. I was really intrigued to get to know if I’d ever see that turret, and it was fascinating. Walking into the turret for the first time was like being a star in my own production of Phantom of the Opera. I was so excited to change my black barrister’s gown for a green Traitors cloak.
What were your first impressions of your fellow players?
My first impressions were quite scary because I chose to hug Ross, and he’s an absolute man mountain. I couldn’t even get my arms around him. Everyone was absolutely lovely, and it was just instant bonding. It was a bit like Freshers’ Week, which was some time ago for me, but it was completely acceptable to just talk to people and learn more about them.
Were you excited and happy to be a Traitor?
I was delighted to be a Traitor. I don’t think I would have lasted one day as a Faithful and in fact, in the turret, Rachel confirmed that she would have murdered me in an instant had I not been a Traitor.
What was your reaction to finding out there was a Secret Traitor in the game, and how did that impact your game plan as a Traitor?
At first, I was annoyed to hear there was a Secret Traitor. I do not require middle management or supervision! However, I changed my game plan slightly to hunt down the Secret Traitor, ultimately becoming a bit obsessed and taking a very high risk.
How does it feel to be leaving the game now?
I’ve got mixed feelings about leaving the game. I love the game, and I think it’s important that everyone plays to win. When I was there, it was such a fun time, I don’t think I fell out with anyone and I didn’t do anything particularly devious or dastardly. So yeah, it was a great fun time to be there, but a good time to go. Always leave them wanting more.
How did it feel to be voted out by one of your fellow Traitors?
Traitors gonna Trait, Trait, Trait, Trait, Trait. You’ve just got to shake it off! I would have done the same thing to Stephen. It’s only a game, but he’s a dude and he was the best dressed Traitor.
Did you have a strategy, and did you stick to it?
I think it was Mike Tyson who said, ‘everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face’. I did have a plan, but I didn’t really stick to it, and I kept forgetting to pretend to be a Faithful which is ultimately what you must do as a Traitor. I forgot that I had a shield, because nobody put a coffin in my grave, and I just forgot to act like a Faithful would.
Do you hope that the Traitors will go on to win?
I do hope the Traitors go on to win, notwithstanding that Stephen stabbed me in the front! I think it’s about time the Traitors bounce back. So yes, they’ve got my unqualified support.
What will you take away from your experience on the Traitors?
Being on the Traitors was the most brilliant opportunity. To meet 21 other people, who I never would have met in real life, from every single part of the UK and beyond was just incredible, and that’s really what I take away. Also, it felt like being a star in my own Hollywood movie. So, I quite like that.
Do you have a standout highlight of the experience?
The moment that Claudia gave me the Traitors cloak was incredible. You can just picture the scene – the castle looked gorgeous. I was born for that role, and I very much styled myself on Phantom of the Opera, just understated, subtle and modest.