'The ultimate power play' backfires spectacularly as tonight's banished Traitors contestant revealed
Rachel played an absolute blinder at the roundtable
The Traitors returned to BBC One tonight (January 14), five nights after Matty’s Friday night cliffhanger, where he tried to strike a deal with the Traitors.
However, Matty’s little speech to the Traitors was nothing compared to Harriet’s…
What happened on The Traitors tonight?
Harriet told the Traitors that she was convinced mum-of-two Rachel was in the confessional booth. She told them she’s a best-selling author of psychological thrillers. And a former criminal barrister. Harriet also informed the Traitors that she’d be coming for Rachel at the next roundtable, and there was “nothing they could do about it”.
Before turning on her heels and exiting the church, she told them: “Bet you wished you killed me when you had the chance.”
“Harriet didn’t just drop the mic, she swung it round her head and lobbed it across the room,” declared one viewer on social media. “Harriet for Prime Minister,” another declared. “The Traitors are done for,” said a third.
“Harriet has to be one the greatest Faithfuls to ever grace this show,” another declared, as Rachel headed into breakfast quaking in her boots.
Harriet says her piece at breakfast
First, she told the group that she wasn’t acting as a collective any more and was out for herself. She then shared her real job, telling them she’s a crime writer and a former criminal barrister. She missed out the part about her famous father, though!
“Let’s be clear, obviously I kept it quiet, because as soon as I was chosen as a Faithful I’d be walking round with a big target on my back,” she said.
“So, my first question was, who they were planning to recruit next,” said Harriet. She revealed that they’d told her they would pick Harriet, then Jessie, then Sam.
She then shared that she’s coming for Rachel at the next roundtable. “I’ve had enough. You should’ve killed me when you had the chance,” she said, speaking directly to Rachel.
Matty, meanwhile, refused to tell the breakfast table the questions he asked the Traitors.
Rachel then made up a couple of questions she’d ‘asked’ the Traitors. She said she asked them to describe their game plan from the first turret. She said they said they would murder and lie. She then said she asked how more than one Traitor could win the game. She said they told her they wouldn’t, insinuating that it’ll be Traitor on Traitor. And it was that little tidbit that appeared to spark a lightbulb moment for some Faithfuls…
‘Wouldn’t be surprised if she was banished’
Fans watching at home predicted that the Faithfuls might now think Harriet and Rachel could both be Traitors. And, when talk along those lines started to flood the castle, Harriet’s downfall was predicted at the roundtable.
“I wouldn’t be surprised with how Harriet is acting, everyone will banish her,” said one. “Harriet’s gone in too hard,” said another.
“Harriet is a Traitor,” Matty declared. Roxy and Jack said they felt the same…
The roundtable
Teeing it up, host Claudia Winkleman said to camera: “After Harriet’s accusations at breakfast, who will the Faithfuls believe?”
Harriet then shared why she thinks Rachel is the Traitor. She said her suspicions started early on, claiming she was in character from the moment the blindfold came off. Moving on to Hugo’s banishment, Harriet said she was struck by Rachel going for Ross, revealing that she thought she was “being played”.
Harriet then said she felt like Fiona was “set up” for her outburst at Rachel, where she called her a Traitor and was then banished.
“I am onto you,” she said. “Your behaviour only makes sense if you are a Traitor.”
Rachel then said that it was “hard to hear” as she trusted Harriet and “thought she was her friend”. Rachel then shared her secret. She said she’d been trained by an ex-FBI agent to read people and their microexpressions. And she added that she had a file on all the contestants.
After Harriet urged the table to vote for her to find out once and for all that she is a Faithful and Rachel is a Traitor, it was time to vote. She called the move “the ultimate power play”. However, it backfired when everyone took her at her word and voted her out.
“Harriet went from being the best player ever to the worst in one episode,” said one viewer. “Harriet has been banished at her own request and was a Faithful!” another laughed. “Harriet’s cockiness screwed her over but now this is Rachel’s game,” said a third.
Read more: Hold up! Wild theory reckons Jack has let slip he’s won The Traitors
