BBC The Traitors row 'staged' by producers who 'orchestrated' feud which saw pair turn on each other

While the two villainous Traitors were shocked by the reveal, Ms Duffy was immediately suspicious of what Ms Hughes might have up her sleeve.

Thursday's episode saw the two engaging in a bitter and scheming row which was labelled by fans as one of the "most entertaining" of any series as the two women came to blows outside of the Round Table.

It came after former detective Amanda Collier was banished, revealing to the group she had, in fact, been a Faithful.

The meeting saw a few of the players breaking down in tears over the tense exit, and despite being a Traitor, Ms Duffy was among them.

She had formed a close friendship with Ms Collier, who displayed just how deeply she trusted the communications worker earlier in the episode by sharing a secret she'd been keeping from the rest of the group.

Explaining that she wouldn't be telling anyone else, she told her co-star: "I was a senior detective in the Metropolitan Police.

"I'm very adept at covert policing. That was my job. You are the only person I will ever tell."

Speaking to the cameras later, Ms Duffy laughed: "Of course I have to go and be best friends with the top detective.

"I'm thinking, 'don't blink, don't move.' I think it really helps my case. I'm trying to figure out how this will play out."

She seemed to devise a plan quickly, though, using Ms Collier's banishment to steer suspicion onto other players.

She ended up calling a meeting during the group's free time later, sharing what Ms Collier had revealed to her and advising players to heed the warnings of the former detective.

In response, Ms Hughes bizarrely decided to switch up the narrative, telling the group she believes Ms Duffy is a Traitor and that she could be lying about Ms Collier confiding in her.

Stunned, Ms Duffy expressed to audiences how she would be "coming for" Ms Hughes during the Traitors' meeting in the turrets - but fans were forced to wait another 24 hours to find out what happened next.

While the drama got people talking, some have argued Ms Hughes had broken the rules by telling the group she thinks Ms Duffy is a Traitor.

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However, an insider has claimed the shocking moment didn't unravel authentically, with the source stating: "The dramatic scenes between Rachel and Fiona were the result of 'clever meddling' by the producers.

"They knew the rivalry had potential and encouraged the contestants to publicly challenge each other for their place in the competition."

Speaking to MailOnline, they continued: "As with most reality shows, producers are heavily involved in shaping the narrative.

"During filming of The Traitors, producers constantly brief contestants. They speak to them before each segment and again while filming their pieces to camera.

"Fiona, in particular, was urged to go head-to-head with Rachel, who remained a favourite with the production team.

"The intervention was to heighten tension and drama on screen. Ultimately, the dramatic showdown was carefully orchestrated to keep viewers hooked and maximise the episode's impact, which worked a charm."

In response to the claims, the BBC told GB News: "To suggest any staging, scripting, player preference, or interference otherwise is categorically untrue.

"Players each have their own strategies, and we follow their interactions and the game play as it unfolds."