The Traitors series 4 Murdered and Banished contestants have their say as they leave the castle

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.

Ross was the third player banished at the round table.

Was the castle as you expected? How did it feel walking in for the first time?

For some reason, on TV, I assumed the castle was way smaller, but once arriving and stepping out of those Defenders I saw it was huge, and more than I could ever have imagined.

What were your first impressions of your fellow players?

Looking around, I was really shocked at the real range of people. From ages to where people are from. Everyone was also quite attractive and, as a PT myself, I was looking around at all the other buff guys. I remember thinking to myself ‘I am going to have to eat well whilst I am here!’ I felt the pressure right from day one.

You didn’t expect to know anyone else going into the castle, except for Ellie. When you realised that you knew Netty, did you have to change your game plan slightly?

I actually recognised Netty before she noticed me, and so I was initially really excited because I thought I’ve got a secret ally and a competitive edge here. I was just telling myself ‘This is fantastic - keep it cool!’, and so I kind of muted myself. I was going to say ‘Hi, what’s your name?’ but the honest soul that Netty is just shouted my name, and I couldn’t leave my homegirl hanging. In the back of my head, I understood that it had put a mark on back and it threw my whole game plan out of the window.

How hard was it to hide your relationship with Ellie in the castle?

Hiding the relationship with Ellie was the easiest thing ever. Any time we had an interaction, I was happy to see her because I was under pressure the whole time, so Ellie was my safe space in the game. However, I thought she was a Traitor, because every time we had a moment together, she would not speak to me. I'm very proud of her though and I’m glad she’s still in there holding it down for the household.

Were you excited and happy to be a Faithful?

I was happy to be a Faithful! I think I would have enjoyed being a Traitor, because character wise, I would have blended in well with Rachel and Stephen. I would have liked the control, but I was under a lot of pressure as a Faithful, so I almost feel like I’ve had the Traitor experience with how much I was hunted down.

How does it feel to be leaving at this point?

It's bittersweet. I thought to myself, ‘would you rather stay in longer and be in the background, or would you rather burn bright and go out in a blaze of glory?’ and I genuinely feel like I did. I'm really happy with myself; I don't think I could have done any better.

What will you take away from being on the Traitors?

To have a bit more trust in myself. I remember being really flustered when initially being accused at the Round Table, and I actually like that I was able to look at the facts and make a pointed attack rather than take things personally. So, I'm really happy. I feel like I've represented myself really well.

Do you have a standout experience from the show?

My standout experience from the show would probably be making the five guys raise their hands up at the Round Table and then go, ‘one of you is a Traitor!’

Are you hoping that Ellie goes on to win?

Of course, I do! I am Ellie's biggest fan boy, so yes, I hope she goes on to win. She has all my support in the world, and she has the potential to go all the way. I just also hope she does something to redeem me - I don’t want my death to be in vain.

Maz was the third player murdered by the Traitors.

Was the castle as you expected? How did it feel walking in for the first time?

You see some things on TV, and you think ‘it can't be like that!’ and what I found was that it was even better than what I saw on the TV. You have this vision in your head, because you've been watching the programme for so long, but then to actually experience it in reality was just amazing.

What were your first impressions of your fellow players?

I’ve made loads of friends, and they’re still my friends. So that’s always a good sign, isn’t it?

Were you happy to be a Faithful?

I was happy to be a Faithful. I wanted to be a Traitor; I think most people would be if given the chance as you have more longevity in the game, but I was always aware that as much as I wanted to win the game, and as much as I wanted to be a Traitor, I always look at the bigger picture. I tried my best to stick to who I was, rather than to be somebody else, and if that meant that I went out first, that was fine.

We obviously saw you murdered in plain sight. What was it like seeing the Traitors for the first time? Were you suspicious of any of them?

I'd already come to the conclusion that Stephen was a Traitor, and I wasn’t massively surprised about Rachel due to a couple of things that she'd said that were making me really suspicious. But Fiona, I had no idea. It was a cold death in those cages.

How does it feel to be leaving the game now?

I really enjoyed being there, I enjoyed people's company and I was really enjoying trying to figure out who the Traitors were. I am a tad disappointed that I didn't stay a bit longer to try and prove my suspicions as I think I had good suspicions, but I can’t fault any of my time there.

Would you have done anything differently?

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I'm not that type of person that really looks back at things as I don’t think it gets you anywhere. You've got to feel the moment, and for me I did enjoy the moment and so I wouldn’t change that.

What will you take away from your time on The Traitors?

My main takeaway is just being able to experience something like this at my age. Most people don’t get the chance to ever have an experience like this, and so it’s amazing to do at 59. I've made so many friends, met so many lovely people, and have also seen Scotland for what it is, which is absolutely gorgeous. I don't have any negatives at all.

Do you have a standout highlight of the experience?

There's many! I absolutely loved the Missions, and I loved the people. I had such a laugh with people like Judy. Honestly, just being on the show was my standout moment.

Who do you hope goes on to win?

I hope the Traitors go on to win. The reason why I say that is because I understand the pressure that they must be under and how they have to think and be on it all the time. I have every respect for whoever goes on and wins though, because everyone deserves it.

Amanda was the fourth contestant banished at the round table.

Was the castle as you expected? How did it feel walking in for the first time?

It was nothing like I expected. I thought I would be quite calm and collected, as I didn’t think it could be anywhere near as stressful as some of the situations I have been in for my previous job. As soon as I got out of the car and saw all these strangers for the first time, I was so nervous but so excited.

What were your first impressions of your fellow players?

Everyone was really nice. They were just fabulous, and the whole experience was like nothing I had experienced before.

You had a great friendship with Rachel in the castle, why do you think the two of you got on so well?

I had told people that part of my work now is volunteering for charity, and I help people with certain disabilities as well as dementia. Rachel connected with that straight away, because of her mum. She said she was scared of me when we first met, and then as soon as I told the story about what I do, we connected straight away.

Were you happy to be a Faithful?

Yes! I think that the weight of being a Traitor is heavy. As soon as I got in the castle, I thought I could do more good as a Faithful than a Traitor.

How do you think your work background helped your game plan in the castle?

I don't think it helped me. In fact, I think it hindered me by giving me too much confidence, especially at the Round Table. That just felt like meetings I've been in for many years, so I didn't find the Round Table intimidating.

We saw you banished via the Chest of Chance – what was going through your mind when Claudia produced those chests?

I just thought I’ve got a 50/50, chance. I really did not want to go. I was sad, I was very nervous, but I thought I've got a 50/50 chance here. I was sadly up against Reece who reminded me of my brother who sadly passed away in 2011 at the age of 32. He just looked like him, so it made it more difficult because I had a really good friendship with him. He was like a little brother.

How does it feel to be leaving the game now?

Very sad but relieved at the same time. I was quite sad when I left, because I wanted to stay and I felt like I hadn't done everything that I wanted to do. I wanted to help more, as I’ve got this massive urge to help people.

Would you have done anything differently if given the opportunity?

I would have chosen a career to talk about that I knew about but blended itself with being a Detective Chief Inspector. Being a charity worker probably wasn't the best as it didn't show off my skillset and it made people suspicious, which made them doubt what I was saying.

What will you take away from your time on The Traitors?

The friendships that I've made. I've made friends for life, and what an amazing group of people. It was absolutely brilliant.

Do you have a standout highlight of the experience?

Yes, Rachel getting 10 skulls in the Mission. When she put that last one on, I just screamed. And because it was Rachel that did it for me. Forget about the fact that she was a Traitor as I didn’t know that; she was just my bestie in the castle, and she had my back.

Who do you hope goes on to take the win?

I hope the Traitors go on to take the win. I'll tell you why, because if you play the game as a Traitor, the weight on your shoulders is absolutely massive. So, to get through to the end, and then win is a master class and would make for a deserving winner or winners. I am a big sports person, and it doesn't matter how you do as long as you do your best and play your best game.

Reece was the fourth contestant murdered by the Traitors.

Was the castle as you expected, and how did it feel walking in for the first time?

So overwhelmingly big, and I know that sounds so flamboyant and exaggerated, but what you see on TV is very much what you see there. It was like a movie, and as soon as you saw it, everything instantly became real.

What were your first impressions of your fellow players?

The first person I remember seeing is Stephen. Just the elegance of that man is through the roof. I remember his first day outfit was like the denim on denim, and we were just thinking, ‘wow, he is so put together!’ In my train carriage was Hugo, Rachel and Fiona so they were naturally the people I stuck with the most because they were my day ones. The fact that they were all Traitors didn’t work very well for me, did it? We should have just turned the train around!

Were you happy to be a Faithful?

It’s so hard to say because going into it I really wanted to be a Traitor, but having done the experience now, I'm very glad I wasn’t. Given that my face very clearly can’t lie, I don’t think I would have done that well and so I was very happy that I was a Faithful, purely because I wanted to be unapologetically me. I didn’t anticipate the pressure on your shoulders of being a Faithful though. I thought to myself ‘well I don’t have to lie’ but I didn’t think about being accused and having no way around it because my only defence as a Faithful was to say ‘I’ve not done that’.

Did you have a strategy going in? Do you think that you stuck to it?

It actually dawned on me on the first night that ‘I’m here but I don't have a plan, and I don't know what I'm doing’. I was thrown in the deep end and didn't know how to swim, but again, I think that probably is down to the fact that I wanted to be myself. I didn't want to go in there and have this extravagant plan of lying or exaggerating or hiding - I just wanted to be me and see how far that got me.

There was a lot of suspicion around you throughout the game. Why do you think that was?

I can be very defensive, so when people pointed a finger at me, if it's something that I haven’t done, I've always said; ‘I don't need to prove it to you, because I've just not done it!’. I'm not over proving anything and I'm never going to bend my back for something that's not worth it if I know I’m innocent. So, when people were almost pushing the dagger in and asking and asking, I probably rolled over a little too quickly.

You also decided to put yourself up for murder in the Mission. Why was that?

I had flashbacks to the first Mission with the boats, and having to fill somebody else's grave with a coffin, and then having to explain to them later why you'd done it. I would rather have had the satisfaction of doing it to myself, than someone else doing it. At that point in the game, I was sure that someone would have done it to me if I didn’t, so I sacrificed myself.

You had a close brush with murder the night before, with the Chest of Chance. How did that feel?

It was hard because it hadn't happened before and you can't really prepare for it. In my head, I was more uncomfortable with it being against Amanda because I was so sure that Amanda was a Faithful and I was also so close to her. She was such a wonderful person, so to have to do that with her was awful because I knew one of us was going to get hurt.

How does it feel to be leaving the game now?

On reflection, the experience was the absolute best thing I've ever done. But come the end of it, I felt like people didn’t want to believe me so what more could I do? I trust the people left in the game will carry whatever words I left with wisdom and use it to find the Traitors. I think I very much bowed out when I needed to.

Would you do anything differently?

I’m going to say no, because everything I did in the moment was what I thought was right. I just wish people believed me.

What will you take away from your time on The Traitors?

The people. The people are absolutely amazing and everybody associated with the programme were just incredible. The experience is something I will never ever forget.

Do you have a standout highlight of the experience?

It’s probably the cage Misson. At the time, I couldn’t think of anything worse than being in this cage because it was so small and wet and cold but looking around, you just saw four lads crouched in these cages and it was so funny. That will be something I will never forget.

Do you hope the Faithfuls go on to take the win?

Absolutely, and I trust the Faithfuls left in the game. There are certain people in there that have certain skills that will absolutely go all the way.

Fiona was the fifth player banished at the round table and the second Traitor banished.

Was the castle as you expected, and how did it feel walking in for the first time?

Oh, it was wonderful. We were all in the car together and I recall being driven down and pulling up outside and just looking at this iconic building. Knowing that you were now going to be a part of The Traitors, I was absolutely ecstatic. I can't begin to describe to you how elated and thrilled I was to be there.

What were your first impressions of your fellow players?

It's hard to build first impressions, because we were all on our very best behaviour. I was just looking to see if there was anybody there that I had an immediate connection with, which was everybody really! You find yourself trying to find out as much as you can about people and as quickly as you can.

How did it feel to find out that you were the show's first ever Secret Traitor, and what was it like having all that power?

Finding out I had the red cloak was something else. It was so magical. It's like waking up on Christmas morning and everything you've written on your Christmas list is there. It was wonderful. But also, I can remember when I took the oath and I had this cloak, just wanting to put it on straight away and let the killing begin. The power that came with it, the fact that the Traitors, the green cloaks, didn't know who I was, but I knew them, that immense power was quite intimidating. I also knew there was a threat with that too, as they were having an opportunity to build allegiances, whereas I was very much on my own, but I wasn't afraid of that. I'm used to making my own decisions anyway, rightly or wrongly.

You looked like you were enjoying it though, was that the case?

I loved every single minute of it. I’m not going to lie to you, there wasn't a moment in the castle playing this game where I wasn't on cloud nine.

How does it feel to be leaving the game now?

I wasn't delighted to be leaving, but I was really the master of my own downfall because I needed to confront Rachel just to be sure in my own mind that she was a team player and not playing singularly. The action I took was to get it all out in the open and I felt at the time it was my only chance as Rachel was such a formidable player and I didn’t think I’d have another opportunity to put her name to the group as a potential Traitor.

As part of that bang, we saw you turn on your fellow Traitor, Rachel, tell me more about your reasoning behind that?

It was quite simple, really. I suspected that when there was the end game, that I would be thrown under the bus, not by Stephen, I have to say, but by Rachel. Rachel is phenomenal but she started playing this game the minute she was selected. She was amazing, absolutely amazing. I've got so much respect for that woman. But I felt that when somebody mentioned Stephen, she didn’t challenge their decision, whereas on one occasion when Rachel's name had come up, I said, ‘No, I don't think it's Rachel’, and I'd said it as well with Stephen. So straight away I thought, she's a lone wolf here, and if she's going to get rid of somebody from the turret, it will be me.

It was quite intense in the turret towards the end. How was that?

I wasn't nervous going into the turret. I wanted to have a bit of a joke with Rachel, but Rachel was so intense when I went in, there was just this immense look of ‘right, you've had it now, Mrs!’ So the only thing I could do in the turret was to say, ‘Well, come on then, bring the game on!’ because there was only ever going to be two outcomes, and that was I was going to go, or she was going to go, and either way it was going to happen. So it was out of my hands, and I was quite happy to go along with the flow.

Would you have done anything differently during your time there?

No, I had an absolute ball. Yes, it would have been lovely to have won, but it wasn't going to happen. I wasn't fetching money to the table. That's why Ben had to go, because he wasn't fetching money to the table.

What will you take away from being a player on the Traitors?

First of all, there are 21 people that I've connected with, and I consider to be the most wonderful people that I would never have had the opportunity to meet. We've got a very active WhatsApp group, and we all know we’ll be there for one another, each and every one of us. So that's one of the best things for me to have had the opportunity to connect with these amazing people.

Do you have a standout highlight from your experience?

Well, it's got to be the Secret Traitor. I mean, I'm a woman of a certain age now. I don't wear TENA pads, but that night, I thought I need a TENA! I was just so excited. It has been just brilliant being on this programme, and I'd love for more people to do it.

Do you hope that your fellow Traitors go on to take the win?

I sincerely hope they do, but there are also other formidable players there that I'm not prepared to write off. I think Matt is formidable, he’s very clever! And who couldn't love James? He’s a 100 mile an hour and the first time we met, he was just throwing everybody's name around and caused so much confusion, it was hilarious. But yeah, I would love for Stephen and Rachel to be a part of the final.

What has the reaction been like back in Wales?

I've gone global in Swansea, my boss told me. The reaction has been brilliant. I was up watching Swansea City Football team play Millwall. I'm now an official, YJB which means ‘You Jack Bastard’, and that's a very endearing term if you’re a football fan. So yes, it's been great. It's just lovely when you see children's faces and they recognise you, because this is proper family entertainment. There's nothing smutty, and no naughtiness, except for the murdering!

Did your family and friends suspect that you were the Secret Traitor?

Yes, but my lips were sealed.