The Traitors winners reveal career plans after pulling off shock victory
TREACHEROUS gameshow The Traitors had one of reality TV’s most dramatic ever finales last night – capping off a series that became a cult favourite and compulsive viewing.
Traitor Wilf was unmasked at the last moment, losing out on the £101,050 prize fund, which instead was split between Hannah, Meryl and Aaron.
Hannah, who had been best pals with Wilf throughout the hit BBC1 show, admitted: “Maybe I’ve realised I’m a bit too trusting.”
The show saw a trio of “traitors” secretly operate within a larger group of people.
The traitors gradually “murdered” their rivals — called “faithfuls” — in a bid to win a huge jackpot accrued through various tasks.
The group had to identify the villains before they picked off the competition.
Business student Alyssa was revealed to be a traitor two weeks ago and estate agent Amanda was unmasked as the other traitor on Tuesday.
Then in a twist, faithful Kieran turned traitor to swerve being bumped off by Wilf — then was banished last night.
Asked if her time on the show had affected her trust in others, Hannah joked: “I’m never going to be able to have a relationship again. I suppose it has actually.”
On finding out fundraiser Wilf was a traitor, she said: “It was such a shock because I had never even considered him.
“We had bonded so much that I was like, ‘How does nobody else see that he’s a faithful?’ It didn’t occur to me ever.
“When he said it, I could see the relief and happiness in his face at the outcome.”
Meryl explained: “I was in shock. I literally dropped to the floor when Wilf told us he was a traitor. I did not believe it.
“I felt complete shock like, ‘How did you lie to me and Hannah for so long?’ But it’s a game and he was playing the game so well.”
Aaron added: “At the end of the day it is a game.
“Even if it had gone Wilf’s way, there would have been no hard feelings.”
In fact, what most upset Hannah was not being cast as a traitor.
She admitted: “I desperately wanted to be a traitor and I was so annoyed when I wasn’t one.
“I’d have done far worse things actually so I can’t hold it against them.
“The fact Wilf has taken the outcome so gracefully means he’s a great guy in the end.”
Now all three winners are looking at jobs in the entertainment industry, with Meryl hoping to become a TV presenter, like show host Claudia Winkleman.
She said: “I work at a call centre as a customer service agent and I really want to break into the television and journalism industry in presenting.
“I’m going to use this time and money to get into that.”
Hannah quit her job doing care assessments before signing up to the show and has now gone full-time as a comedian.
Aaron has also left his property agent job and is going travelling in the New Year, which he will document on YouTube as he wants to become a vlogger.
But he stuck to his promise and gave his prize money to his mum for the deposit on a house.
He said: “She was crying when I came back from the show and then once I told her, she started crying even more. It was really emotional.”
And Aaron has had loads of people sliding into his DMs and flirting with him after becoming the series’ heartthrob.
He said with a laugh: “I’ve had a lot of love and a lot of mums offering hugs up. There’s a fan page right now of me in trousers.”
There has been huge reaction to the show on social media.
Seeing normal people on a reality show again is refreshing, so I have no doubt a second series would be a ratings juggernaut.
Olympic Tom’s in train-ing
TOM DALEY is giving his knitting needles a break by taking up another unlikely pastime – trainspotting.
The Olympic diver will star in a Christmas special of Francis Bourgeois’s Channel 4 YouTube series.
Tom and Francis hit London, space hop through Clapham Junction, spread joy with railway-inspired gifts before a finale at Waterloo Station.
A TV source said: “Tom is a great sport and got really into it.
“He struck up a real rapport with Francis and they bonded over their shared love of trains.
“Viewers will see a side to Tom they’ve never seen before. It’s great fun.”
The Christmas Special of Trainspotting with Francis Bourgeois can be streamed now.
Three New Year episodes of Francis’s cult series will feature more celebrities who are yet to be revealed.
Trainspotting has never been so cool.
SADLY for Lord of the Rings fans, there is no way Prime Video’s Rings of Power series 2 will be out in 2023.
Amazon Studios’ head of television Vernon Sanders said: “It would be amazing if we could get Season 2 out within a year of Season 1’s release.
“It may take a smidge longer than that.”
Bitter pill for Selina
DOC MARTIN star Selina Cadell says some customers at the chemist where she filmed the ITV1 drama believed she was a pharmacist – like her character Mrs Tishell.
The actress explained: “One gentleman came in and said, ‘Can I have some Ibuprofen?” and I said, ‘I’m sorry, I can’t, I’m not a real chemist.’
He replied, ‘What are you doing behind that counter if you’re not a chemist?’
“You would have thought the cameras all around would have made it clear we were filming a TV programme but he continued to be angry and left the shoot saying loudly, ‘imposter’.”
The Doc Martin Christmas special, the last ever episode of the Martin Clunes drama, airs on ITV1 on Christmas Day.
Gio joy at Nic pairing
BEING paired with Nicola Roberts for the Strictly Christmas Special has certainly cheered up Giovanni Pernice.
The dance pro won the Glitterball in 2021 with Rose Ayling-Ellis, but this year was second to be eliminated partnered with Radio 2’s Richie Anderson.
But the Italian has got his mojo back with Girls Aloud star Nicola and rates her dance skills.
He says: “I always said if I was going to do the Christmas special it had to be with someone good so I am happy about this.
“I am glad I am doing my first with somebody who can dance.”
Nicola signed up after asking her new agent for something “fun” to do.
She explained: “I said, ‘I really fancy some fun. Is there like soft play for adults?’
“I got the call saying ‘would you like to do the Strictly Christmas Special?’”
It airs on BBC1 on Christmas Day.
THE King’s Speech is the bookies’ favourite to top the Christmas Day ratings, with William Hill offering odds of 1/5.
BBC1’s Call The Midwife and Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special are 7/2 and 12/1 respectively, while Doc Martin on ITV is 25/1.
At those odds there’s little point having a flutter.
Thriller in nod to Matt bro
NEW Netflix spy thriller Treason should perk up your Boxing Day hangover.
The five-parter stars Charlie Cox as MI6 agent Adam, whose stellar career is at risk of imploding following a reunion with a Russian spy.
Adam’s physiotherapist wife Maddy (Oona Chaplin) treats an amputee ex-servicemen in a poignant storyline for writer Matt Charman.
His brother Greg had a leg amputated, after 24 operations failed to get his tibia to grow.
Matt added: “Greg has since made a great life for himself, at 45 years of age he runs half-marathons, and Oona’s character encourages ex-servicemen to do the same.
“We hope those scenes prove inspirational.”