In a dramatic turn of events on BBC One's The Traitors, a fiery and self-sacrificial accusation from a departing player spectacularly failed to land, leaving the accused Traitor stronger than ever. The latest episode, aired on Wednesday 15th January 2026, saw crime-writer Harriet Tyce's "kamikaze" attempt to expose Rachel Duffy completely ignored by the remaining contestants.
A Furious Exit Falls on Deaf Ears
Harriet Tyce, the 53-year-old lawyer turned author, had thrown herself on her sword at the previous roundtable, insisting on her own banishment to prove her Faithful status and label Rachel Duffy as a Traitor. Despite her theory being correct, her delivery was so aggressively bizarre that it instantly backfired. Rachel received not a single vote at the subsequent roundtable, escaping all scrutiny.
Harriet's furious breakfast declaration—"I am not going to allow another day of machinating or web weaving around me"—and her direct threat to the Traitors, "You should've killed me when you had the chance," only served to draw suspicion onto herself. Viewers, along with the players, dismissed her outburst as out-of-character and ultimately counterproductive.
Two More Faithful Fall as Traitors Remain Hidden
Instead of Rachel facing consequences, two more Faithful contestants were eliminated from the Scottish castle. First, Adam Waughman, the 34-year-old ghost-hunting builder from Essex, was murdered by the Traitors. He later blamed his exit squarely on teammate James Baker, after a dispute over a shield during a mission.
Following this, smooth-talking account manager Sam Little, also 34 and from North Yorkshire, was banished by the group. Reflecting on his game, Sam admitted he came across as "arrogant and over-confident" early on and that his decision to grab a shield instead of gold in a haunted cabin mission sealed his fate.
The only player with accurate suspicions appears to be hairdresser Jessie Stride from Hull, who has correctly identified Stephen Libby as a Traitor. However, she is struggling to rally others to her cause, and her future was left hanging in the balance at the episode's end as she faced potential murder.
Betting Odds and Viewer Reaction
Following the episode, bookmakers have installed Traitor Stephen Libby as the 10/11 favourite to win the £120,000 prize. His fellow Traitor, Rachel Duffy, follows closely at 6/4. Despite being voted "most faithful," Jessie Stride is the rank outsider at 25/1.
Viewers took to social media to compare Harriet's failed tactic to that of former contestant Fiona, both of whom targeted Rachel and lost. One fan noted, "Harriet seemed to make it personal, she went in far too heavy, just like Fiona." Another added, "It’s a game. She took it way too personally."
The show continues to pull in massive audiences, with the series four opener on New Year's Day attracting over 11 million viewers, cementing its status as a national television phenomenon hosted by Claudia Winkleman.
