The Traitors star Sam Little has confessed that his choice to grab a shield during the final game was the direct cause of his banishment from the show, expressing regret over his choice.
Speaking to the BBC following his exit as the seventh contestant to leave at the Roundtable, the reality star acknowledged he entered a self-preservation mindset that proved fatal to his chances.
"That definitely led to my downfall, and I really thought going into that game that I could just handle everything and stay composed," Mr Little explained.
The contestant admitted he felt completely overwhelmed during the crucial moment, unable to maintain the composure he had anticipated.
BBC The Traitors: Sam was the latest to be banished from the series
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Despite never having received protection before and wanting to safeguard himself, Mr Little recognised that his fellow players viewed the decision with suspicion.
He revealed that his frustration stemmed from a previous challenge where his team had given up shields to boost the prize fund, while other contestants chose to look after their own interests.
"I thought, 'Well, everyone's prioritised themselves there so I need to prioritise myself now!'" he told the BBC.
However, the banished star expressed deep regret about not pausing to collect his thoughts before making such a pivotal decision.
BBC The Traitors: Sam expressed regret over the move that caused his 'downfall'
|BBC
"I wish I could have just had a word with myself in that cabin in the woods and just took a minute to breathe," he reflected.
Mr Little acknowledged that while his desire for protection was understandable given he had never been shielded before, the optics of his choice appeared suspicious to the other players.
He also disclosed that he had entered the competition with a clear strategy as a Traitor, noting that the approach was not vastly different from playing as a Faithful since deception requires mimicking genuine behaviour regardless.
The contestant pondered whether the game might have unfolded differently had his convictions about fellow player Judy not been so firmly held.
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BBC The Traitors: Sam was banished on Thursday's episode despite being a Faithful
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"If my suspicions on Judy weren't so strong and everyone else's suspicions on Judy weren't so strong, I just wonder how the game would have played out," he mused.
Mr Little questioned whether taking a quieter approach during the initial Roundtable might have altered his trajectory entirely.
When Judy was revealed as Faithful despite Mr Little and 15 others suspecting otherwise, the shock fundamentally undermined his faith in his own judgement, leaving him questioning his position in the game.
He described the unmistakable signs that his elimination was imminent, recalling how conversations would abruptly cease whenever he walked into different rooms around the castle.
"You start walking around the castle into different rooms of people and suddenly their conversation stops and you think 'Well, that was definitely about me!'" he said.
After enduring repeated interrogations at successive Roundtables, the contestant sensed his fate was sealed.
Mr Little recalled fellow player Matt questioning how he had managed to avoid so much scrutiny during one of the gatherings.
Despite acknowledging there was a limit to how long anyone could defend themselves, Mr Little expressed satisfaction with his performance, noting he had successfully deflected suspicion on several occasions before his eventual departure.