The Traitors winner says show has taught her she’s ‘more independent than I thought I was’

One of the winners of The Traitors has said that appearing on the show has brought out a more “independent side” to her.

The game show saw 22 strangers play “the ultimate game of detection, backstabbing and trust”, where three contestants were chosen as “traitors” who must “murder” the remaining “faithful” participants while trying to stay above suspicion themselves.

*Spoilers for The Traitors finale below*

The show reached its climax on Thursday (22 December) night, with long-standing Traitor Wilfred and the newly recruited Kieran competing against Faithfuls Hannah, Meryl and Aaron.

However, Wilfred turned on Kieran, encouraging the Faithfuls to vote him out. But as Kieran left, he got his own back by hinting to the other contestants that Wilfred had been a traitor all along. Ultimately, the Faithfuls banished Wilfred and won the ￡101,050 prize pot between them.

Speaking after her win, call centre agent Meryl Williams, who has dwarfism, said that her experience on The Traitors had taught her a lot about herself.

“I think I might be the first person with my condition to win a reality show which I’m so delighted about,” she told the BBC.

The 26-year-old explained that appearing on the show had proved herself to be “more independent than I thought I was”.

“A lot of the time, especially being at home, sometimes people will do things for me,” Williams said.

“When I was at The Traitors, I realised how independent I was and how much I can actually do on my own without relying on other people because it was all down to me.”

Williams said that the show had also encouraged a competitive side she’d previously shied away from, adding: “It’s definitely brought out both my competitive side and my independent side.

Following the finale, The Traitors viewers have called for presenter Claudia Winkleman, who cried alongside the contestants, to get an OBE.

The Traitors is on BBC iPlayer now.