Claudia Winkleman, the charismatic host of BBC's hit reality series The Traitors, has finally disclosed the reasoning behind her pivotal casting decision for the fourth season's most enigmatic role. During a candid appearance on the companion show Traitors Uncloaked, Winkleman elaborated on her choice of Swansea local Fiona Hughes for the crucial position of Secret Traitor, describing her as both "twinkly" and remarkably "convincing".
The Dramatic Finale and Secret Traitor Revelation
The fourth series of The Traitors culminated in a tense and thrilling conclusion, with contestants Rachel and Stephen emerging victorious as the last remaining Traitors. The deceptive duo successfully navigated the treacherous game, eliminating all remaining Faithfuls before dividing the substantial £95,750 jackpot equally between them, each receiving £47,875.
A visibly emotional Claudia Winkleman praised their achievement during the grand finale, declaring with admiration: "Two traitors but totally faithful to each other. You did it. You absolutely did it." This marked the perfect ending to a turbulent season that began with 22 hopeful contestants and concluded with just seven survivors, all desperately attempting to uncover deception while simultaneously concealing their own duplicity.
Fiona Hughes: The Twinkly Secret Traitor
This season introduced an intriguing new plot device that captivated audiences throughout the series: the Secret Traitor. This crimson-robed character's true identity remained concealed not only from the Faithfuls but from fellow Traitors as well, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the already complex game of deception.
The crucial position was eventually revealed to belong to Swansea resident Fiona Hughes, a revelation that sparked heated discussions among fans regarding her potential survival tactics and gameplay strategies. However, viewers remained unaware of the specific reasons behind her selection for this pivotal role until Claudia Winkleman's recent revelations.
During her appearance on Traitors Uncloaked with presenter Ed Gamble, Winkleman was directly questioned about her decision to cast Fiona in the game-changing position. Her response was immediate and instinctive. "How can we not look at her!" Claudia exclaimed enthusiastically.
She continued by describing how Fiona possessed a subtly captivating quality that significantly enhanced the programme. "Fiona was so convincing about how people treat women of a certain age and she was twinkly," Winkleman explained, highlighting the contestant's unique appeal.
The presenter confessed to feeling immediately drawn to her, adding warmly: "I wanted to put her in my pocket." Ultimately, the decision proved straightforward for the production team. "We had to give her the red cloak," Winkleman concluded decisively.
Cast Reactions and Memorable Moments
Fellow contestant Stephen subsequently disclosed that Fiona was his preferred companion in the turret, and his joy was unmistakable when she eventually joined him as a fellow Traitor. Stephen confessed to experiencing an immediate connection with the Swansea contestant and placed complete faith in her judgement throughout the game.
"I think myself and Fiona got on really well and if there was anyone I wanted it to be, I wanted it to be Fiona – but I didn't think it would be," Stephen revealed. "I was so chuffed when she walked into that turret." Presenter Ed Gamble swiftly concurred with this sentiment, smiling as he added: "We all were."
Rachel, the other victorious Traitor, then reflected on one of the series' most discussed sequences: her heated confrontation with Fiona in the kitchen, mere hours following Amanda's elimination at the round table. Fiona had openly branded Rachel a Traitor after Rachel informed the group that Amanda had revealed she worked as a detective.
Fiona maintained Rachel was fabricating the story – and must therefore be a Traitor – in an astonishing Traitor-versus-Traitor confrontation that left audiences gobsmacked. When questioned by Ed Gamble about her thoughts during this dramatic exchange, Rachel laughed: "I just thought this is great crack."
"Because I was nervous for the first part of the game and I love games, I am so competitive. Fiona reminded me that this is a game. These are all adults going to play a game – the laughs we had," Rachel explained. "But it did take me about three seconds when she dropped her cloak and I just thought, 'no'."
Rachel confessed she hadn't anticipated Fiona would act quite so swiftly or decisively. "She dropped the hood and I just thought, 'no, she's going to throw me under the bus.' I just didn't think she was going to move like Usain Bolt, straight away go for me – but she's phenomenal. And that line, 'I'm drunk on power', I was like, 'I know you are!'"
Despite her initial astonishment, Rachel revealed that Fiona's audacity transformed the moment into something memorable and enjoyable. "She made it so much fun. And that reaction where she said, 'I know you are a Traitor', and I burst out laughing – I thought it was hilarious."
Even host Claudia Winkleman was left utterly astonished witnessing the dramatic kitchen confrontation unfold. "I was watching," she recalled, "and my mouth – I had to hold it up with both hands and my feet. I was like, what is happening. It was unbelievable."
Fiona herself shared with Uncloaked just how much she relished the entire adventure, embracing the unique opportunity to play the Secret Traitor role with enthusiasm and strategic cunning that captivated both her fellow contestants and the viewing audience alike.
