The Traitors star Harriet Tyce has broken her silence following a dramatic departure from the BBC One gameshow, where she effectively orchestrated her own banishment in what she described as a "kamikaze move."
The 52-year-old crime writer and former barrister found herself at odds with fellow contestants during Wednesday's tense roundtable, having accused Rachel of secretly operating as a Traitor.
Despite receiving the most votes from players convinced she was working against them, Ms Tyce maintained her innocence until the very end.
Upon leaving, she addressed the group directly: "It's a kamikaze move, I appreciate that, but I wanted to ensure you all knew who I really was."
BBC The Traitors: Harriet talked about her 'self-sacrifice' at the Roundtable
|BBC
She urged those remaining not to ignore her warnings, sharing: "I've given you the names, do not let this sacrifice be in vain. I am and have always been, a faithful."
The revelation of her true identity came during a heated breakfast confrontation, where Ms Tyce chose to disclose her career as a published author and barrister for the first time.
Speaking to the BBC about her decision, she explained: "I didn't want the Traitors to have a single piece of information on me that I hadn't shared with my fellow Faithfuls."
For Ms Tyce, maintaining control over her story was paramount in an environment where Faithfuls have limited power.
BBC The Traitors: Harriet tried to expose Rachel as a Traitor
|BBC
"You have very little control in that environment as a Faithful and I was bl***y well going to control my own narrative and not give that to anybody else," she said.
She added that while others might doubt her words, she refused to allow anyone the chance to spread falsehoods before she had spoken her truth.
Harriet's initial strategy had been to fly under the radar, presenting herself as an unassuming contestant rather than a successful novelist.
"The idea was to go in as the nice lady with the jumper who was not a published author," she revealed.
"Not too much on anyone's radar - the invisibility cloak of the middle-aged woman and just try and keep my head down and watch what was going on."
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BBC The Traitors: Harriet and Rachel had an intense row
|BBC
She acknowledged the approach had worked well until circumstances changed, noting: "They should have killed me when they had the chance."
However, constantly allowing herself to be underestimated proved difficult to sustain.
"I think that with Smoke and Mirrors, it was just too irresistible an opportunity to let myself be myself properly and to stop letting anyone play me for a fool," she admitted.
Viewers flooded social media with praise following the broadcast, with host Claudia Winkleman herself responding: "You are tremendous xxx."
BBC The Traitors: Harriet ended up being banished in the latest Roundtable
|BBC
Fans hailed her performance as exceptional television, with one declaring her "a breath of fresh air and intelligence for reality tv" while another praised her for delivering "one of the best episodes of TV."
However, Ms Tyce confessed to feeling deeply uncomfortable watching events unfold, admitting she was "actually quite horrified" seeing the episode air.
Reflecting on her journey, she acknowledged she might have approached things differently: "I would have tried to have been less emotional, but it's almost impossible."
Despite any regrets, she remained satisfied with her conduct: "I demonstrated integrity and as it turned out that's something that's really important to me."