The Traitors star says game show has given her identity back

The new BBC game show The Traitors reached its shocking conclusion on Thursday (22 December).

The programme, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, saw 22 strangers play “the ultimate game of detection, backstabbing and trust” at a Scottish Highlands castle in the hope of winning up to £120,000.

Among the contestants was Amanda Lovett, a 54-year-old estate agent mother of five who told PA news agency that the TV show gave her the chance to “have my own identity”.

Lovett was picked in the opening episode as one of three “traitors” tasked with selecting each night which of the “faithful” participants must leave the show, while trying to stay above suspicion themselves.

After being banished from the game in Tuesday (20 December) night’s episode, Lovett told PA: “I’ve been with children and things since I was 19, and then married and working and it was lovely to have my own identity.

“And for people to look at me when I said I was a traitor and go “oh my god”, it can really be a 50-plus woman who can play this role.”

Lovett took on a motherly role to many of her fellow contestants, revealing she decided to go for the “mother them and murder them” approach in an attempt to win the game.

She told PA: “We all think of mums as just ‘they’ve been there, done that, they’ve settled down and have got nothing else to give life’.

“But I think when you go over 50 and your children start growing up, that’s the time to embrace life.

“Use all your experiences through life and the confidence you’ve gained and put that and generate that into the direction you want to go.”

Despite being unveiled as one of the deceitful traitors chosen by Winkleman at the beginning of the series, Lovett revealed she has remained close to her fellow contestants and is planning a holiday with eliminated “faithful” Theo Mayne next year.

“We’re all still friends, the whole 22 of us,” she said.

“We have a caravan and Theo and his partner Simon are coming down to the caravan with us in the summer. We’re all still very much in touch.”

Reflecting on grappling with her conscience as a traitor, Lovett added: “That was the thing, I was so upset that I was upsetting them, so I think you can see me fading a bit towards the end.”

The Traitors is available in full on BBC iPlayer.

Additional reporting from PA