The latest series of the BBC's smash-hit reality show The Traitors has introduced viewers to a new fan favourite: Matthew Hyndman. The 35-year-old creative director, originally from Northern Ireland and now living in Edinburgh, has captivated audiences with his cunning strategy to be recruited by the show's secretive 'Traitors'.
A Dramatic Bid for the Traitor's Cloak
In a recent episode that aired after the New Year's Day premiere, Matthew left viewers stunned. Following the banishment of Secret Traitor Fiona Hughes, he meticulously hatched a plan to be recruited into the ranks of the Faithless. This bold move, a masterclass in reality TV strategy, has led many fans to speculate he would be the perfect undercover operator. His on-screen scheming, however, is just one part of a far more profound and personal story of resilience.
Escaping 'Catastrophic' Conversion Practices
Long before entering the Scottish castle, Matthew faced a real-life ordeal. In 2015, at the age of 24, his private conversations about his sexuality were exposed to his church congregation in Northern Ireland via an email shared with over 100 community members. The fallout was immediate and severe.
He was pressured to undergo so-called 'conversion therapy' in front of 400 fellow missionaries, a demand he bravely refused. Matthew later wrote in The Independent about wrestling with a sexuality he was told would lead to "eternal damnation." In the months following what he describes as a "catastrophic coming out," one of his former churches cancelled his membership due to his "lifestyle choices" and his refusal to undergo 'counselling'.
Despite a UK Government pledge first made in 2018, conversion practices remain legal, a fact that fuels Matthew's activism.
Co-founding a Movement for Change
In response to his traumatic experience, Matthew co-founded the Ban Conversion Practices campaign group alongside activist Harry Hitchins. Backed by major LGBTQ+ organisations like Stonewall, the group campaigns to outlaw the harmful practices aimed at suppressing or changing a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
"These degrading and discriminatory ‘treatments’ ruin lives. We must outlaw them now," Matthew has stated. He hopes that his newfound visibility on The Traitors will amplify the urgent need for legislation, which, despite a promise of draft laws in late 2024, has yet to materialise.
Life Beyond the Castle: Art and a BBC Warning
Outside of activism and reality TV, Matthew has a unique artistic pursuit. He previously earned extra income by selling framed photographic prints of himself performing nude headstands in stunning global locations, with pieces priced up to £1,180 through Bard Scotland gallery.
He runs a dedicated Instagram account for this art, @headstandmatty, which has nearly 17,000 followers. However, his cheeky side reportedly caused a stir before filming began. A source revealed that BBC bosses issued him a strict warning after discovering a secret social media account featuring his risqué poses, citing potential controversy for the broadcaster, despite the tasteful and even Royal Academy-commissioned nature of his work.
As viewers tune in to see if Matthew's on-screen plan to become a Traitor succeeds, his off-screen journey—from surviving conversion therapy to leading the charge against it—proves to be the most compelling narrative of all.
