Mayor praises Traitors star over stammer awareness

Spoiler warning: This article contains details of the ongoing series of The Traitors.

An elected mayor has said seeing people who stammer on television is "so important" and gives others with the condition, including himself, confidence.

Jessie Stride, 28, has been praised for awareness raised by her appearance on hit BBC One show The Traitors.

David Skaith, the Labour mayor for York and North Yorkshire, said: "For many years with my stammer, I tried to hide it and push it away and not really speak about it."

The politician said he "didn't see people who had stammers" when growing up, causing him to "push it down".

"I remember at school being asked to stand up and read aloud and I would almost refuse to do it because I didn't want to stammer and get caught out."

Skaith added that it was "great" to see people "being able to present themselves and be able to speak openly and people really engaging with them and understanding".

"Everyone wants their voice heard and when you can't physically say a word it is so infuriating."

Charity STAMMA said it was "thrilled to see stammering representation on the show".

According to its figures, 8% of children and at least 1% of adults worldwide are affected by the speech disorder.

In a social media video, a spokesperson praised Stride for raising awareness of how difficult people who stammer can find introducing themselves.

"It was also really encouraging to see some of the other contestants' reactions, just waiting to let her speak," they said.

Stride, from Hull, was "murdered" in episode six of the current series, causing dismay among fellow faithfuls and fans.

The hair stylist said she hoped that being a contestant would give "hope" to people with speech conditions.

Skaith said he had tried to raise awareness of stammering since his election as mayor, but admitted that he still apologised when speaking to audiences.

"I shouldn't apologise about it because it's part of who I am, but I apologise more out of frustration, I think."

He said he recently gave a talk at a university, where a student approached him afterwards and thanked him for being open about it.

"It gave them the confidence that it's OK to have a stammer," Skaith said.

"I won't lie, I'd rather I didn't have it, but it is part of me and it is just who I am."

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