The Traitors: Sheffield sweet shop worker and boxing coach Reece named as contestant in popular BBC show
A Sheffield sweet shop worker has been named as a contestant in the new series of The Traitors, which launches tonight.
Claudia Winkleman once again hosts the ultimate reality game of trust and treachery, with new twists and new players.
22 people from across the UK descend on a Scottish castle in the latest series to win up to £120,000.
The Traitors begins on New Years Day at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
Viewers are warned to “expect even more twists, turns, secrets, epic missions, deception, banishments and, of course, murders aplenty”.
Each episode will become available on BBC iPlayer after they have aired on BBC One.
For fans who want more, The Traitors: Uncloaked will start on BBC Two immediately after the main series on Thursday, January 1 at 9.05pm.
The show will then move over to BBC One for the remainder of the series from Friday, January 2 at 9pm onwards and will also be available on BBC Sounds and BBC iPlayer.
Host Ed Gamble will be joined by celebrities and players from previous series to analyse and react to developments in the castle.
Sweet shop assistant Reece, 27, from Sheffield, explained by he applied to appear on The Traitors.
“I've always been so competitive, and it’s just the idea of having that unique experience because how many people can say they’ve been on The Traitors?” he said.
“I don’t think I’ve done anything in my life which is so unique, and because I also have that competitive edge, I’m excited to see what I’m able to do.”
He added: “I’m not shy at being cutthroat. I’m quite what you see is what you get, but obviously very aware that this is a game.
“If I must remodel my personality to fit what is in front of me at that time, that is what I will do. I’m very competitive and confident, I don't want to go on and change who I am, or anything about me, I want to go on and be successful being me in the game.”
When asked if he has a game plan, he said: “I want to be unapologetically myself. I think my individual traits like assertiveness will push me further. Once I get an idea, I will drive with that idea.
“My boss recently told me I have tunnel vision, and how if he doesn't necessarily tell me how to get to the end goal, I'll just smash through walls to get there anyway. So, I'm very much going to go in with a game plan of being myself but heighten those emotions that I need to win. I'm very aware that it's a game, so whether a Faithful or Traitor, I’m going to have to adapt to whatever's happening in front of me.”
What are you like when playing games with friends and family? Would you say that you're competitive or not so much?
“I’m naturally competitive and I am a sucker for a board game. I am equally a sucker for finding little ways on how I can cheat at the game.”
Do you think you'll be good at the Missions? What strengths do you think you might bring to them?
“Physically, I think I'm in the best shape of my life at the minute so the physical missions would be very much up my alleyway again. I’ve always been into sport, and I’ve always been competitive, so I don't necessarily think they’ll be a problem. I am also a boxing coach in my spare time, so I’d like to think I am resilient and strong. I like to pride myself on being able to work in a team, but I’m also not shy to work on my own which we may have to do in some Missions.”
If you're a Traitor, how do you think you'll feel?
“I think I'd actually be more comfortable being a Traitor. For me, again, those natural abilities I have of being assertive, a comfortable talker, being able to look somebody in the eye and perhaps lie for the benefit of myself, will just kind of naturally slot in for me a lot easier. Obviously, if I'm a Faithful, I will embrace that to the absolute end, but I want to be a Traitor.”
Would you say you've got a good poker face?
“I'd like to think so. I’m generally very unserious but I can be very serious at times. I'm quite an emotional person, not necessarily sobbing at the drop of a hat or anything like that, but my face tells a story before my words do, and I'm aware of that, so I will have to do a death stare.”
If you're a Traitor, how far are you prepared to go to win the game?
“The obvious answer is, as far as possible. It is a level playing field, so anything that I would say to win the game, I'm expecting other people to say the same about me. Although I sit here and say that I would like to build bonds, relationships and friendships, I would deliberately push them aside to be able to push myself forward. To me, that’s how the game is going to work. It's how it's previously worked and how I imagine it will always work.”
If you're a Faithful, what do you think your game plan will be?
“I’d like to think as much as the I am cutthroat, I'm very direct, and my intentions are true. If I don't like a situation, I'll tell you. If it’s 20 versus one, but I think the one's right, there'll be 20 versus two. I'll happily stick my neck on the line and as much as I’ve said I will throw people in the fire, I am a good ally, I'm a good companion, and I'm a good team player.”
If you're a Faithful, what qualities do you think you're going to need to make it through to the final?
“I'm so certain on being a Traitor that I’ve not really considered it. As I've said for being a Traitor, being able to heighten my assertiveness, for example, those qualities will be able to translate to being a Faithful. I have no qualms in using my assertiveness, charm and confidence to lead a group. At the end of the day, the game is the game, isn’t it?”
How good are you at spotting a liar?
“It's so easy to say when you're watching from your sofa, isn't it? If you asked me before I found out I was going on, I would say ‘really good’ but now I know I’m going on, I'm second guessing myself.”
What do you think you would do with the prize money? Should you win?
“I've really tried to refrain from thinking about it, but I would definitely donate some money to charity.
“My girlfriend recently lost her grandad to cancer, and I completed a half marathon to raise money for Macmillan, and it really touched my heart seeing all the family there. I'm lucky enough to not have lost anybody, but that’s obviously a charity very close to mine and my girlfriend's heart so I would definitely want to put some money towards that.
“I'd also love to just be financially secure. The dream for me is just to be able to look after myself and look after those around me, so I would want to put some money towards a house and get out of the renting market.”
Reece is joined on the show by 60-year-old child liaison officer, Judy, from Doncaster.
When asked why she applied, she said: “I applied because I thought I could do this, and it's a great opportunity to do it at my time of life. I just think that the whole experience will be incredible, and I will never, ever experience anything like this again.”
Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you think you will bring to the game?
“I’m very much a people person and I work in fostering and adoption. I’m full of laughter, because I'm always jolly. I don't do mardy. I just want to be there for people, embrace it and enjoy it. I'm going to let the game unfold, make myself present, whilst obviously keeping under that radar. I won't be big and loud; I’ll be myself and have fun. People usually gravitate towards me because they think I'm quite warm and loving, which I am, but I can have a dark side if I need to! Overall, I think if I can nurture people and be there for them like I do every day in my job then I might bring that.”
Do you have a game plan?
“I want to go with the flow, be myself as much as I can be.”
Do you think you'll be good at the Missions and what strengths do you think you’ll have in those?
“You might think I'm getting on a bit, but I'm not. I'm going to get myself in there. I want a challenge. My husband has said, what if they do a challenge with a helicopter?! I'm not great with heights. Whatever the Missions might be, I’ll just have to throw myself into them. Of course I will!”
If you are a Traitor, how do you think you'll feel?
“The thing is, I want to go into this game, and I don't know what the outcome is going to be. I was all set on being a Faithful but when I started playing with the idea of being a Traitor I was just like, oh, I love this. I think it might be fun. I’m prepared to go all the way and if anyone gets in my way, they're going down!”
How do you feel about being a Faithful?
“Well, as a Faithful the challenge is obviously to try and find the Traitors and I'm quite good at noticing body language. I’m dyslexic but I think my brain is wired to be good at reading people. At least I like to think I can, and I tend to go with my gut feelings. I’ll observe quite a lot, get into different crowds. move around and get the feelers out in different groups. You can never be 100% but over time I'd hope to get to know everyone and spot the signs.”
If you win the prize money, what do you think you spend it on?
“Well, I've got a big family. I've got 11 grandkids, ranging from from 17 years old down to a year. I've got three stepdaughters, who are absolutely beautiful inside and out, and my own children. I'd love to be able to book a villa for all of us - all the grandkids, everybody, just to do that as a one off. That's what I'd love to do, because everyone’s lives are busy and getting everyone together, under one roof, I'd love to do that. I’m not a greedy person, life’s all about family to me. Sharing that win with all my family that I love would be truly special.”