Fans of the hit BBC reality show The Traitors were left utterly bewildered during Thursday's explosive episode, with many questioning if they had ever seen contestant Matthew before his prominent appearance at the round table.
Viewers Baffled by Sudden Contestant
As the dramatic New Year's Day series continues, the sudden focus on Matthew, a 35-year-old Creative Director from Northern Ireland, prompted a flood of confused reactions on social media. Despite making his debut on January 1st, the quieter Faithful had flown under the radar for many, speaking only a few times previously.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, viewers expressed their shock. One asked: 'Is it me, or has no one else seen Matthew in Traitors before today's episode?!' Another exclaimed: 'Genuinely who the f*** is Matthew?' The sentiment was widely shared, with posts like 'Has Matthew been here the whole time?!' and 'Just watching Traitors on catch up. Who the f*** is Matthew? Never seen him before' summing up the national confusion.
Some fans joked about the situation, with one commenting: 'The Traitors are gaslighting me into believing there is a white man with brown hair called Matthew in the castle who has always been there.'
Secret Social Media Account Sparks BBC Warning
While Matthew may have blended into the background on screen, he certainly caught the attention of BBC executives before the series began. Producers discovered a secret Instagram account run by the contestant, which featured a series of artistic photographs showcasing his own backside in various poses, often during headstands in scenic rural and mountainous locations.
The account, which has over 16,000 followers and contained six posts at the time of discovery, once held more explicit images of his derrière, sometimes obscured only by a peach emoji. According to a source speaking to The Daily Mail, Matthew was given a stark warning ahead of his TV debut.
'Matthew was warned about his naked headstand account ahead of The Traitors' new season,' the source revealed. 'While his posts are tastefully done, and he was even commissioned by the Royal Academy of Arts for one of them, it does create controversy, especially for the BBC.'
Online Footprint Scrutinised
The incident highlights the rigorous checks the BBC carries out on all reality show contestants. 'Every BBC contestant, whether on The Apprentice or The Traitors, has their online footprint carefully reviewed before broadcast,' the source added. 'Matthew was asked to remove several images from his secret side profile. It's all a bit of fun, but some viewers may find posts of his naked backside offensive.'
Matthew complied by removing some of the more explicit content but resisted shutting down the account entirely. The bio on his profile reads: 'Yes, they're real. Instagram hates my' followed by the now-signature peach emoji.
On his reasons for joining the show, Matthew previously said: 'It's an adventure and just seems fun. My New Year's resolution was to have more adventures... I've watched The Traitors and absolutely loved it, so I just thought why not give it a go.'
The Daily Mail has contacted a representative for The Traitors for further comment.
