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*WARNING: This article contains spoilers for last night’s episode of The Traitors on RTÉ.*
IT WAS ANOTHER night of high drama on The Traitors as Faithful Faye was banished at the roundtable.
She thought she was able to rely upon the support of Traitors Nick and Ben, only for the two to put her name on their chalkboard.
Looking back this morning, Faye, who is an event coordinator from Dublin, said it’s “blatantly obvious” in hindsight that the two were Traitors.
“They were so vocal throughout about being ‘Traitor Slayers’ – they nicknamed themselves – and all of a sudden they’re mute,” said Faye.
“It was the biggest telltale sign and we didn’t pick it up so we’re kicking ourselves for that.”
She had developed a close friendship with Nick and Ben, but insisted that there’s “no bad blood”, that she doesn’t “hold anything against anyone”.
However, Faye did say she will give them a “scalding” later when the contestants view the final episode together.
“Maybe I’m just a little bit too trusting, but I’m a very loyal friend, so for these people that I considered my really close friends to betray me – which is the point of the game – it hurts and it does get very emotional.
“I know people will be like, ‘you only know them for two weeks,’ but it’s two weeks with no phone, no nothing, but pure connection and conversation.
“You do get really wrapped into it but I can’t wait to see them and I have nothing but love for everyone.”
She also said she is rooting for Nick and Ben because they’re “playing an absolute blinder and deserve to win”.
“It hurts me to say, because they kicked me out, but I love them and I’m rooting for them.”
Faye revealed today that she was approached to apply for the hit show at the Ploughing Championships in Offaly.
At last year’s edition of the Championships, TV producers Kite Entertainment held open casting calls and scouted for the next participants of shows such as Ireland’s Fittest Families, Gogglebox, and the first series of The Traitors.
Faye said she wasn’t planning on going to the Championships, but that her mother suggested “a little daughter and mother day”.
“I was like, ‘fine, I’ll go. It’s sunny’.
“And they just happened to walk by a booth and they pulled me in and said, ‘would you go on TV?’
“I said yeah and then I filled in the application, they took my picture, and that was that.”
She added: “Recruited at the Ploughing Championships, what a story to tell.”
Meanwhile, Faye said she wasn’t surprised that some viewers instantly knew who she was when she appeared on screen.
Faye has close to 120,000 followers on TikTok and has taken to the app to share her experience of having her photos used by the so-called GAA Catfish – the story was documented on The 2 Johnnies podcast.
“It was such a big thing the GAA Catfish and everyone was talking about it.
“I caught in a scandal that you don’t even mean to be caught in.”
When asked if she would now like to ‘capitalise’ on The Traitors fame to become an influencer, Faye said she hopes to “make whatever I can from this”.
“To have been given such an incredible opportunity that can help me boost my platform is just incredible.
“And even without that, the whole experience, I’m grateful for, besides the benefits of what social media can do.”
When Joanna was banished at the roundtable on Sunday night, she tearfully said she hoped one of the boys would go on to win because she felt the others were “mean girls”.
Faye said that comment “really did take me back” but added: “People say things at the roundtable in the heat of the moment that they don’t mean.
“When things are heated and everyone’s coming at you, it’s hard not to take it personally.
“Maybe that’s just what happened in that scenario, but there’s definitely no bad blood there.
“I think she’s an incredible person and I am buzzing to see her later, but it definitely did hurt my feelings.”
She added that the editors “pick the most intense bits” and the “best bits to give you the best views”.
“We’re all friends, we actually don’t hate each other. There’s a lot of love still on our table, and a lot of jokes, but you definitely see the worst.”
Meanwhile, Faye said it’s “a lot harder than you think” to separate feelings from gameplay.
“It’s hard to keep your emotions away from the game, even if you’re probably the best game player. Everyone gets kind of wrapped up in it.
“The game becomes your reality and you don’t know anything else.”
And while Faye said she has no regrets, she said she wished she had been “a little bit clearer headed and defended myself better instead of getting just defensive”.
“I wish I came with gameplay instead of just barking back.
“But it’s so hard, with the adrenaline of it all and so many people coming at you in that round table, it’s really hard to think straight.”
Elsewhere, Faye pointed to her being placed inside a coffin during one of the missions as one of the “very emotional” moments of the game for her.
“It’s something you don’t think you will experience until you are at the end of life.
“Some people are questioning me having a panic attack, but others understand it.
“It’s just the concept of knowing that they’re going to close the coffin on you and it’s scary.
“Of course, it made great telly for you guys but in the moment, it’s a very strange experience to live, but I made it through it so I can’t complain too much.”
Meanwhile, Wilken has become a fan favourite among many despite, or perhaps because of, his inconsistent approach to playing the game.
He said today that his wife “put me up to it” and made his application video.
“She told me to prepare for it and the whole family were watching other versions of the show and I was just there like, ‘okay?’
“Then when I knew I was going to get picked, she asked me, ‘do you know this and this?’
“I said, ‘nah, I’m gonna go in there blindfolded, I mean, how hard could it be?’
Wilken said he thought the show “would be like a little cruise”.
“It was a murder mystery, but I was looking for physical clues, and I saw no clues.
“I give it up to the traitors, they were really sneaky.”
He added that he is aware of the love from the audience and that his wife shows him some of the social media commentary.
“There’s a lot of good support from the Irish, you guys are really nice people.
“I walk by and people will say my name and talk to me, and families are getting pictures taken with me and putting them on their school’s board.
“The feedback, the support, this is like a new height and a new wave.”
He added that the show moves “faster than Trump on a daily basis” and that he has made some great friends.
“They’re my first real friends in Ireland that I wasn’t associated with either through my wife or work.”
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