A retired detective who lives in Brighton is the latest contestant to go out from the BBC television game show Traitors.
Amanda Collier’s departure came as two traitors turned on each other in an explosive episode of the hit BBC One show that deals in “deceit and betrayal”.
Local government officer Fiona went to war with fellow traitor Rachel towards the end of the episode tonight (Thursday 8 January) when she told contestants she believes her to be among the plotting group of murderers.
It comes after Rachel, 42, announced to the group that banished faithful Amanda had confided in her and told her she was a former police detective prior to her departure.
Rachel told the other players: “Amanda trusted me with a secret before she left.
“So the reason why she was trying to help people is because she knows what she’s doing and she’s actually a former detective.
“She’s trained, highly trained, in body language – and she didn’t tell anyone else in the castle.”
In a confessional Fiona, 62, said: “I’m not sure what narrative Rachel is peddling. I am flummoxed.”
She added: “I think Rachel is lying about Amanda.
“She was gleefully telling people, ‘Amanda said, to me, I trust you explicitly. I know you’re a faithful.’ She’s playing a blinder and I don’t believe it.”
Fiona told crime author Harriet Tyce that she believes Amanda would have told her she was a former police detective as her husband and brother are both serving police officers.
Fiona expressed her disbelief to Rachel in private and said: “I am really suspicious of you. I question why she would have told you.”
Amanda had been banished from the show after her fate was left to chance following a tied vote.
The 57-year-old, from Brighton, received the same number of votes as sweet shop assistant Reece across two rounds of voting.
She was banished after presenter Claudia Winkleman brought out the “chest of chance” and told Reece and Amanda that the player who selected the chest with a shield in it would get to stay.
Before her departure, Amanda told contestants: “Remember everything that I’ve said today and, most importantly, my house is your house, anytime.
“I don’t need to go all dramatic. I think you all know what I’m going to say … take care of yourselves, I’m a faithful.”
Before she left Amanda, who had been keeping her former job a secret, told Rachel: “I was a senior detective in the Metropolitan Police, so I’m very adept at covert policing. That was my job.”
In a confessional, Rachel said: “I think it really helps my case. So I’m trying to kind of figure out how to let this roll out.”
Earlier in the episode civil servant Maz became the third faithful to be murdered following an in-person killing that saw him locked in a cage.
Reece, Maz and Sam had all been put up for murder after failing to win themselves protection following a challenge that involved contestants collecting skulls that would release select players from cages they had been placed in.
Stephen was also chosen as a potential victim but was unable to be killed by his fellow traitors, Rachel and Fiona, who decided to murder Maz while Stephen was locked away in a cage with the other contestants on trial.
The Traitors next airs at 8pm on BBC One tomorrow (Friday 9 January).
