Ex-Traitors players talk tactics and celebrity final predictions

ByFlora Grafton

From shock slip-ups to a murder by yawning - and a whole host of Jerry Hall one-liners along the way - the current series of Celebrity Traitors has gripped the nation. But ahead of Friday's finale, what do former contestants make of this season's crop of stars and who are they tipping to win?

Judy, from Doncaster, took home the unwanted title of the first player to be banished from the castle in series four.

She told the BBC while it was a shame people didn't get to see more of her personality, she knew her daughter and fellow player, Roxy, would be "fighting for both of us".

"Roxy had warned me a few people were coming for me, and then my back got up... but I just tried to play the game.

"The thing is, they've got nothing to go off, so obviously people are all going to jump on the same bandwagon... I had to go down gracefully."

Roxy was adopted by Judy aged five, and said it was important for her and her mum to show viewers "if you're adopted or from an adverse background, you can still achieve things and be as regular as everyone else".

Roxy, 33, had been rooting for comedian and faithful Joanne McNally in the latest celebrity series, before she was banished by her fellow faithful on Thursday.

"When you're in there, your version of the truth becomes the truth, and nobody can tell you otherwise. You're in your own echo chamber."

After surviving for 11 episodes she was evenutally murdered by the traitors, though said she could see it coming.

Roxy had her own memorable moment on the show, when she clashed with crime writer and former barrister, Harriet Tyce, whose sights were – correctly – set on traitor Rachel Duffy.

It was then Tyce produced the now-iconic line: "The benefit is to set the cat amongst the pigeons, Roxy."

Theo Mayne was a contestant on the first ever UK series

Mayne, 31, played the role of a faithful in the first ever UK series in 2022. Little was known about the show when it first graced our screens, but it has since exploded in popularity.

Mayne feels viewers "don't realise how hard the game is", with players' minds constantly in overdrive.

"It's hard to use your brain because you're just always thinking about, am I going to be murdered? Who is a traitor? Who is a faithful?

He added: "You're always thinking, right, I need to survive the day, I need to look good, I need to not say this, I need to not do that... But I just went in there, was myself 100%... I mean, I told a few lies, but that's it!"

"I think if it wasn't for our guinea pig cast, it wouldn't be as big as it is."

Like her fellow veteran players, Jessie Roux, from Hull, is "rooting" for Maya.

"It's hard because all of us aren't going off much, it's just trying to pick at random bits... as hard as it is, it's good vibes, even though it's stressful."

She added: "All of us got on and just hit it off, but when all of us had our different rules, the air just went cold.

"It was like, oh, all of us are in this now, and it did hit me then... I was just so on edge about being murdered."

"I didn't have expectations because every game is a different game and I just wanted to do my best, but I guess my aim was to raise awareness of stammering.

"I had people reach out about how I'd helped them, I had mums reach out about their kids and how it's helped them... it was just good to educate others."

Although he admits the traitors are "playing it really well" this season, Oleksy is a true faithful and hopes they can defeat the traitors.

"James Acaster is such a reluctant traitor! We've seen all different kinds of traitors, but I don't think we've seen one that played quite like James."

"I don't think I expected it to be quite so mentally taxing... it turns you so paranoid, it's unreal," he said.

"It's like having a pot on the boil and as soon as these factors come into play, you're just constantly bubbling over."

Oleksy was eventually banished by his fellow players, and says by that point, he was "desperate for a moment of vindication".

Watch parties

The final of Celebrity Traitors will air on BBC One at 20:00 GMT, and while many people will be glued to their sofas, venues across the region are hosting dedicated watch parties.

Headrow House, in Leeds, is hosting a screening of the final, as well as a repeat of the semi-final for those who missed it on Thursday, from 18:00.

Owner, Ben Stubbs, said: "We're all huge fans of The Traitors here, and we actually showed the final of the last series earlier this year.

Get in touch

Your Voice