Matthew says he’s ‘team traitor all the way’

Spoiler warning: This article contains details of the ongoing series of The Traitors.

Matthew Hyndman who asked the traitors to recruit him says he is “team traitor all the way”, despite being rejected and banished from the Scottish castle.

Hyndman said competing on The Traitors was the “most unbelievable experience”, but has “no idea of who’s going to win”.

“They didn’t recruit me but I think they played an absolute blinder and they deserve it at this stage,” he added.

The 35-year-old, a creative director from Northern Ireland now living in Edinburgh, said representation on shows like The Traitors is “so important”. There are just two more episodes of the hit BBC TV show to go.

In a post on Instagram following Wednesday’s episode, Hyndman said he “didn’t have the easiest time” coming out as gay in Northern Ireland and “wanted to show other gay people, kids back home that anything is possible”.

The banished faithful also told BBC Radio Ulster’s Evening Extra programme it was “hugely important” for him to “shine a light on Northern Ireland”.

“Although I don’t live there anymore I am absolutely proud to be from there,” Hyndman said.

“I really wanted to shine a wee light on where I come from and for any other gay person to show them that anything is possible and that the only thing we can do is to learn to love and accept ourselves,” he said.

“If I can leave that one thing from my experience in the castle then it will all have been worth it.

“Whether that’s a stammer or being gay or whatever it is, if you can see people like yourself then you feel that you’re more capable of living authentically.”

Jessie Stride, another contestant on this series of The Traitors, has a stammer and spoke on the show about struggling to pronounce her own name.

Hosted by Claudia Winkleman, The Traitors follows 22 contestants as they try to find the traitors among them who kill off players in the middle of the night in an attempt to win a cash prize of up to £120,000.

There are two contestants from Northern Ireland on this series, Hyndman and Rachel Duffy, from Newry.

Duffy has been a traitor from the start, but opted not to recruit Hyndman.

Asked who he would like to win this series of The Traitors, he was quick to back Duffy.

“I’ll get booed if I don’t say Rachel.”

He added: “It’s just so hard to say, isn’t it?”

But will she make it to the final? After being seemingly safe for weeks suspicion turned towards her in Wednesday night’s episode, led by Faraaz.

The penultimate episode airs tonight on BBC One at 20:00 with the final airing on Friday at 20:30.