Anthony
Age: 45
Job title: Chess Coach
Location: Birmingham

Why did you apply to be on The Traitors?

When I saw the show, I thought to myself – this has me written all over it! It’s like a real life, live game of chess. That’s what it is. Instantly, I was intrigued by that, and I just felt it was for me. I’ve never applied for a game show or anything before but this format, is 100% me.

What did you think of the first series?

When I started to watch series one, I thought that this is a game where basically everybody’s expendable. Like a game of chess, every piece on the board is expendable, the only thing that matters is the king, that’s it. And ultimately, the idea is to checkmate and win the game. For me, it was like in a chess tournament where you’ve got to control your emotions and psychologically manage yourself. I was completely intrigued by it.

Was there anyone’s game plan you admired?

I have watched the UK, US and Australian series, and there are different elements in different people that I think that were really good, but you can’t actually take the same thing and use it this time because everyone’s situations are completely different. One thing is that you have to think on your feet as things are forever changing and there’s always potential chaos, but I believe that’s where I’m at my best. I believe you can plan but only so much. The name of the game is survival, whether you’re a Faithful or a Traitor it doesn’t matter. In series one Wilfred got very close, he almost got there and what was really key was that he managed to get there almost undetected. You have to be able to stay in the shadows at the right time, gel with the group at the right time and create allegiances at the right time.

What do you think you’ll bring to the game?

My life experiences and being able to manage my emotions. That’s something I’ve discovered I’m actually pretty good at, being able to keep my emotions in check. I think that’s something that’s going to be really key, because if you don’t keep your emotions in check, you might say the wrong thing at the wrong time and rub people up the wrong way. I believe it’s something that I will definitely be able to bring to the game.

Do you have a game plan?

I have a loose game plan, a very loose game plan. The key to the game plan is flexibility because things are going to be forever changing, every day is a brand-new day. You might have a plan that you’ve got to throw right out of the window. The ability to adapt accordingly is going to be key because we don’t know what we’re up against. There will be 21 other personalities in there that you have to work with. Something that Wilfred said that stuck with me was that he never actually initiated anything about another player, he just jumped on the bandwagon and did little things at the right time. That means as far as I’m concerned, as soon as my eyes are open – it’s game time!

Do you think you’ll be good at the missions and what strengths do you think you might bring to them?

Depending on what the activity is I’ll always give the best I can. There’ll be areas that I think I could be pretty strong in but then some that I won’t. If I’m faced with a mission that I think I’ll be really good at then I won’t hesitate to put myself forward but if it’s one that isn’t really my forte, I’ll happily play the role of an assistant and let them lead. I’ll fit in wherever I need to.

If you are a Traitor, how do you think you’ll feel?

If I get a tap on the shoulder, then a big smile will appear from ear to ear, definitely. I will then need to control my breathing and remember that I need to control things from now on!

Would you say you’ve got a good poker face?

Yes, I think you have to have one for this game. If I’m sat opposite you then you’re going to be reading my body language. You’ve got to use everything you’ve got, you’ve got to be careful where your eyes go because if not, somebody’s going to catch you out or get suspicious of you. I’m looking forward to it whichever way it goes because it’s really a challenge and you have to really be on the ball.

If you are a Traitor, how far are you prepared to go to win the game?

All the way! That’s where I’m prepared to go. At the end of the day, I’ll quote it again ‘everybody is expendable’.

If you’re a Faithful, what do you think your game plan would be?

If I’m a Faithful, then the plan changes. Again, if I liken it to a game of chess, the Traitors make the first move and have the upper hand. As long as they survive the Round Table then they get to influence the game. As a Faithful, it’s going to be really tough in the beginning because you’ve got to navigate who the other Faithfuls are and also not become a danger to the Traitors, trying to identify them but not becoming a major threat. As the game goes on and the numbers get lower, I think you then have the advantage as a Faithful. If I am a Faithful, I’m going to try and feel people out really quickly and stay enough in the shadows so that I’m not identified as a threat.

How good are you at spotting a liar?

I believe you have to engage with people and create bonds with them in order to be able to spot them lying. Eventually, they always give themselves away. You might notice something odd but it depends on what situation you’re in as to whether it’s the right time to reveal it. No matter what your role is, it’s going to be difficult. The name of the game is survival, and you have to have your wits about you. The person that smiles at you could be the very person that writes down your name at the Round Table.

If you are a Faithful, what qualities do you think you’re going to need to make it through to the final?

I think I’ll have to be careful with my natural personality. Naturally I’m the charismatic person that would go around the room and chat, which could put fear into some people. I’m going to have to tailor my personality accordingly at the right times. Believe it or not, I believe the role of a Faithful is harder, you’ve got to manage yourself so well. I want to survive until the end, if I have to push you off the plank then I will. It’s you or me! You have to survive the Round Table and survive being murdered at night, so any human shield that’s required, I’ll have to use.

If you win the prize money, what do you think you’ll spend it on?

If I treat it again like it’s a chess tournament, I don’t think about the prize money. I’ll just do what I need to do every day and if I get the end result, then I can think what I’m going to do with it. You can’t get caught up in the prize money, there’s a lot of gameplay to get through before we get to that bit. I’m here for the game and it’s game time.

In this nail-biting psychological reality competition, Claudia Winkleman greets 22 strangers as they arrive at a beautiful castle in the Scottish Highlands to play the ultimate game of detection, backstabbing and trust, in the hope of winning up to £120,000.

But hidden amongst them are the Traitors whose job is to secretly murder a player every night, without getting caught.

It’s up to the others, the Faithfuls, to try to detect who the traitors are, and banish them from the game, before they become their next victim.

For the lucky ones who survive to the end, they have the chance of winning that life-changing cash. But if a Traitor remains undetected, they’ll steal all the money.

The Traitors returns on Wednesday 3 January from 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer and episodes 2 and 3 will be available on iPlayer immediately after. The show will air on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights.