Meet the contestants from Wales on the new series of The Traitors

Nail-biting, award winning, reality series, The Traitors is back.

Host Claudia Winkleman welcomes a new group of strangers to play the ultimate game of detection, backstabbing and trust, in the hope of winning up to £120,000.

It’s a new series, and a whole new game. But who will make it through?

The Traitors launches this evening (1 January) from 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Episodes 1 and 2 will air at 8pm. From episode 3 onwards, it will air at 9pm.

The show will air on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights.

READ MORE: The hilarious reaction to The Traitors’ major Welsh twist

The new series will see two contestants who live in Wales taking part.

They are Elen from Cardiff and Leanne from Holywell.

Meet them both below…

ELEN

Age: 24

Occupation: Translator

Location: Cardiff

Why did you apply to be on The Traitors?

Firstly, because I love the show’s authenticity. It’s not scripted and it’s full of ordinary people. That was the first reason. And secondly, I genuinely thought I’d be really good at the game.

What do you think you’ll bring to the game? Do you have a game plan?

I’m a very bubbly and energetic girl. English is my second language, Welsh is my first. Because of this, I’m not as articulate in English as I am in Welsh, so people tend to associate that with being dumb. Every time I mix with English speaking people, they tend to underestimate me. However, how I present myself on the outside, doesn’t really represent what’s going on inside. That’s something I feel like I can use in the castle to my advantage.

What did you think of the previous series?

I have different thoughts about both series. I thought everybody loved Mollie last year. She was lovely. There were a lot of arguments in the first series. I fear it’s going to be the same in this series. So, I’m preparing myself for that.

Was there anyone’s game plan you admired?

Well, it depends on whether or not I’m a Faithful or a Traitor. If I’m a Traitor, I really like Amanda’s approach in series one. She made one slip up, which is a shame, because that’s the slip up that led to her being banished. But if she hadn’t done that, I genuinely think she would have reached the final. She embraced her background, where she came from. A grandmother and a mother, just a very ordinary person from South Wales, and no one suspected her. I’m from a very rural area. I’m not confident even speaking English, so I’d probably just embrace that further. Then, as a Faithful, I liked Andrew in series two. He was such an emotional man. I loved him. I’m pretty sure all he did was cry in the last episode and that would be me, as in, cry because I’m stressed, cry because I’m happy, crying because I’m sad. That’s me!

Do you have a game plan?

Well, I’ll definitely see what it’s like when I get there because I’m so convinced that there’s going to be a big twist in this series. Everybody loves a twist. They love to catch people off guard. I’m preparing myself to have to change my game plan on the spot. However,

I’m going to embrace my innocent demeanour. Also, I’m a very flirty person. I flirt a lot. Depending on who’s in there, if I see an opportunity where having some boys on my side would benefit me, I might do it.

Would you say you are competitive when you play games at home with your family and friends?

Very competitive, very strategic, I can be manipulative. All very useful traits for this game. That’s why I applied honestly. I just remember seeing it on TV and thinking, oh, my God, this is right up my street.

Do you think you’ll be good at the Missions? What strengths do you think you might bring to them?

Again, it depends. Physically, I’ll be fine. I’m a sporty girl. I’m active. I do strength training. I think I’d be quite good in that aspect. I’m also very good at riddles and mind games. Not so good with things that involve insects, heights, and being buried alive!

If you are a Traitor, how do you think you’ll feel?

A lot of adrenaline, it’s what I want. The only way I’m looking at this game right now is from a Traitor’s point of view, it’s what I want.

Would you say you’ve got a good poker face?

I’m actually training to be an opera singer. I’ve been performing since I was a child. So, I’m used to putting on that mask and just getting in the zone. I’m not in the Royal Opera House in London, yet but that’s the dream.

If you are a Traitor, how far are you prepared to go to win the game?

I’d like to think I will do whatever it takes. I’m so competitive and I want this so much. I really want that money. However, I wear my heart on my sleeve. I’m very emotional. I love people deeply. I don’t know what kind of friendships or bonds I’m going to make in there. If I really love the people, it’s going to be hard. Then again, they might be awful. So, it depends. To be honest, I’m intrigued either way.

If you’re a Faithful, what do you think your game plan would be?

Slightly similar to being a Traitor, as in, I would still try and get nobody to suspect me. I’ll just try and make people like me.

How good are you at spotting a liar? Do you think you have a good read on people?

Yes. However, when I do fall in love with someone or form friendships with people, it’s as if I subconsciously just ignore red flags. I have no idea who I’m going to meet. But hopefully it will be good.

If you are a Faithful, what qualities do you think you’re going to need to make it through to the final?

Apart from the fact that I do think in this game there’s a lot of luck involved, I do think being likeable is important. It’s not a popularity contest but, subconsciously, it is. Traitors are going to murder people they don’t like. Faithful are going to banish people they don’t like. I don’t know how conscious they are of doing it, but I do think being popular is going to get you far. So, it is something I’m going to try and do. Despite it not being a popularity contest, I am going to have to try and get people to like me. Anything to just keep me around.

If you win the prize money, what do you think you’ll spend it on?

I was recently diagnosed with stage four endometriosis, and it’s really bad. I suffer every time I’m on my period, sometimes in-between cycles as well. However, since I’ve been diagnosed, I’ve been referred to an endometriosis specialist, and that waiting list is six to twelve months. Once I see that specialist, I will be on another three-year plus waiting list for surgery. It is a condition so under researched, underdeveloped and underfunded, despite one in ten women having the condition. It’s so devastating I wish to honestly raise awareness and to have the money to fund my treatment privately.

READ MORE: The hilarious reaction to The Traitors’ major Welsh twist

LEANNE

Age: 28

Occupation: Veteran

Location: Holywell North Wales

Why did you apply to take part in The Traitors?

It just looked like so much fun. I remember watching series one when I was pregnant with my partner, Sophie, and she said to me, oh, you’d be so good at this, because I tend to get away with a lot. I tend to tell a few white lies to my boss for a couple of days off work, and I somehow always seem to get away with it. And she said you’d be so good at getting people wrapped around your finger. Sounds awful, doesn’t it?! And I applied in January.

I remember we were watching an episode, and she fell asleep on the sofa with the twins, so I obviously had to pause it, because I would have had to end up watching it twice because we can’t watch anything without each other. And I thought, how funny would it be if I went upstairs applied, and by the time she woke up from her nap, I could have been like, I’ve just applied to be on The Traitors. So, I did it. I ran upstairs, and I didn’t realize how much was on the application and the video! I was trying to do the video as quietly as I possibly could.

What do you think you will bring to the game?

I think I will bring a lot of enthusiasm. I’m a really enthusiastic person. I always, even if there are things I don’t want to do, try and do it with enthusiasm, because it’s best to bring a bit of light into a dark situation. I’ve rewatched the show again this week, and I’ve been looking at it in a different light and trying to understand how stressful it is, how stressful it is going to be, and just trying to process that and understand it. So, I just think, if I can be my enthusiastic self, it can just try and make that situation a little bit brighter for everyone else as well. Hopefully. I’m actually lying about my job in there as well, so I’m not telling anyone I was a soldier.

What will you say?

I’m going to say I’m a nail technician, and I work in the salon that’s down the road from my house. I’m in that salon all the time. I might as well work there, because my sister-in-law owns the salon with her best friend, so I’m always in. I know a lot about the salon, I do feel like I’m part of the team anyway and that’s how I feel like I’ll get away with it.

Harry won last year. Obviously, he was a soldier, and he bare faced lied his way to the end. I feel like it would put me at a bit of a disadvantage to divulge my previous job because people are automatically going to assume anyone in the military is smart and strategic.

Did you enjoy the previous series?

I think they were great. It was gripping and Harry played it amazingly. Series one was good, and then series two was even better,

Was Harry’s game plan the one you admired the most. Was there anybody else that you admired their game plan?

Mollie was really sweet and herself. And as much as I’m going to go in lying, I’m also going to go in and be myself. I’m going to be really honest about my life experiences, apart from things like deployments, of course. I’m just going to be my happy self, and I’m hoping there’s not too much talk about our work but if there is I’ve got my story covered. I just admired how down to earth and lovely she [Mollie] was. And to be honest, Harry was as well. He was just a good liar. I think they all played it well.

I’m just going to be a friendly person. As friendly as I would be if it wasn’t a game, and I wasn’t going in to try and win money. I’m just going to be everyone’s friend, not talking too much about people behind their backs, because I want my name brought up at the Round Table as little as possible.

When you’re playing games with your friends and family, are you competitive?

So competitive. My mum’s the same. We always cheat as well. Honestly, we drive each other mad.

Do you think you’ll be good at the Missions? What strengths do you think you’ll bring to them?

I think I’ll be great at the Missions. I’ve been in the Army for 12 years. I’ve done a lot of physical exercise. However, I have had children very recently, so I’m also really hoping my physical side won’t let me down. I’m really looking forward to the Missions. I can be a bit bossy, but I’m going to try and hold back from giving out instructions and be a really big team player.

If you’re selected as a Traitor, how would you feel about that?

I’d be excited. I feel like I’m already lying anyway, and I’ve got a great poker face. I think there’s one less thing to worry about at nighttime, and hopefully I can have a good night’s sleep knowing I’m not going to get murdered.

And, as a Traitor, how far would you be prepared to go to win the game?

As far as it takes. I’ll have my little boys in the back of my mind the whole time and just remember it’s a game. We’re all going to laugh about it afterwards, so I’m going to do whatever I need to do.

And if you’re a Faithful, what do you think your game plan would be?

I’m going to look out for the signs of people who may be a little bit extra tired in the mornings, because obviously, the Traitors stay up a bit later. I’m going to be on the lookout for any couples or mothers and sons, daughters, you know? People who are giving each other the eye or people who are purposely trying to stay apart.

What are the qualities that you think a Faithful needs to get through to the final?

I think they just need to come across genuinely, which I hope I will. Obviously, I’m lying about my job, but other than that, I’m going to be totally honest about everything else in my life.

Do you think would you say that you are good at spotting a liar yourself?

I’m a good judge of character. I really trust my gut.

If you got through to the final and you win the prize money, what will you spend it on?

I would love to go through IVF again. I went through IVF with my boys, and I was very poorly throughout my pregnancy, and then I went into early labour at six months. The boys were only 26 weeks when they were born. Because I was so poorly at the time I feel I missed out on enjoying that newborn stage. I’m so so grateful to have them, and I’m so lucky that they’re alive. When they did come home from hospital after three months, they come home on oxygen, and it was a struggle to take them out. I would love the opportunity to have another baby, hopefully have a bit of a better experience. And to make our family a bit bigger.

Meet all the players joining Claudia Winkleman in the castle