The Traitors #12 why are we still here?!

[witchycat2]

The third series may be over but we still have a lot to say.

I'm obviously not assuming because I clearly presented it as ONE option. Did you miss the part where I said "even if they're not"?

I do think it's the most likely because realistically most children used to living with their parent will find it very unusual if said parent is absent for three plus weeks without any contact at all! Which is why I noted the phones thing - it's been specified in several articles on the show they aren't allowed to use their phones or be in contact with their families.

From her insta her business is in the UK. Even if she could conceivably say she travelled for work, 3 weeks is a long time to be gone and everyone who I know who travels (other than in jobs where you can't always, like the armed forces) checks in constantly with photos, calls, facetime, etc.

An 18 year old who hasn't yet started university isn't really 'an adult' able to care for several much younger siblings for several weeks. Which is why I gave the other option but said, again, this also doesn't match with the 'lone single parent without any support trope' - as asking anyone, even a close family member like a grandparent to look after 4 boys for several weeks is a big ask.

She said she raised them as a single mum but she's wearing a wedding ring on Instagram in October so it's possible they were with her current husband/partner.

I have a (very working class) colleague with 5 kids of a similar age span to Frankie's (the eldest now 19 the youngest now 11) for the 3 years I have known him his dad has looked after the children for a week a year so him and his wife can go away on holiday without the kids (nothing exotic - a static caravan somewhere in the UK - they also do a similar/ Euro camp holiday with the kids). It's entirely possible that Frankie has the children father(s) her parents/ in-laws a sibling that are prepared to have the children on a one off/occasional basis.
As for being out of contact for 3 weeks perhaps she told them she had an MI5 internship job in a remote location and she had been warned signal was terrible so she would call if she could but not to expect to hear from her.

Regarding the flaw about there being little incentive to get rid of a traitor as they're immediately replaced - maybe the banishment process could be incorporated into the prize fund? Banish a traitor and the amount won in that day's challenge is doubled, banish a faithful and you lose half of it. Or something like that.

I heard Frankie say that she told her kids that she had a job in a remote location with no signal

She told them she was on the show (the day before it aired) by buying them a copy of the traitors game (said it was a late Christmas present) and when they opened it said ... 'remember when I had that job in Scotland'

🙂You said it was the most obvious explanation.

On Alexander not being as clear in explaining himself as you'd expect from a diplomat and hostage negotiator, I think you did see his skills the odd time, when he calmed down a fraught situation -- like the time he said, possibly quite calculatedly, 'I'm stuck' early on at a round table, which took the stress level down a bit as others then felt able to also say 'Look, I don't know who to vote for, either'.

I have a friend who is a former police hostage negotiator, and he says the main thing is to be as boring as possible to take the heat out of the situation. (Mind you, he also said it was more 'talking down a runaway teenager from a church roof' than anything else, and that ordering fast food was always key. Possibly less pizza in diplomatic circles...?)

Yes, I've also been wondering about what cover story people gave to their families and close friends. I go away for work, regularly, but my 12 year old messages me all the time.

Why are people just questioning Frankie, who is in her 50's so her kids are probably secondary age? Who was looking after Leannes twins, or Minahs daughter? They are more likely to he tiny. Probably their other parent. So why is it beyond the realms of possibility that their dad has them?

Quite and not a single person asking about Leon's kids...

Absolutely!

I think it's because she said she raised 4 boys "all on her own" which made it sound like their dad was absent.

Frankie is 44. Her youngest is 8 or 9 but it is all filmed in the summer when presumably the kids were off on holiday with either their dad or grandparents.

I'm also not liking what seem to be quite personal attacks on Frankie here. Also, although it's beautifully presented (as you'd expect from someone with her design skills) her house isn't huge, and if I remember correctly it's in Sussex, where you can get a lot for your money in some rural parts!

It's film in May not the summer holidays.

Personal attacks are definitely never OK. Speculating about how well off someone is, isn't an attack though, it's just speculation and observation. I think Frankie was pretty popular wasn't she? I think she seems lovely. I personally do think a large, beautifully decorated home anywhere in the southeast of England is pretty indicative of privilege. But, that's categorically not a criticism. She genuinely seems like a lovely person, who's had a good life filled with blessings. Happy for her 😊

Didn't she say she wanted to put the money towards her son going to uni? Doesn't seem overly wild.

Just to add, the only reason I personally commented on her appearing well off (can't speak for anyone else) is that I was initially disappointed that both she and Alexander missed out at the last hurdle. But, evidence that she's well off made me feel more philosophical about that.
I think she went to school with Sophie Ellis Bextor, which was a posh girls' school in London. As someone who went to a rural co-ed comprehensive, her education and background, and home now (I'm a renter at a similar age to her) does seem very privileged to me. But, again, not a criticism whatsoever. Nobody can help their background 🤷‍♀️

I think Frankie (good style, would be great on Interior Design Challenge or similar), Alexander (a touch of the Ben Fogles), Linda bonkers and Minah (level headed, comes across as genuine) will all do well from appearing on the show. I don't really care what the winners spend their money on. I'm watching US traitors now and most of them have decent incomes from reality show appearances and I don't think 'who deserves the 250k prize pot' even comes into it.

Re Alexander not speaking up - actually, I respectfully disagree. The poor guy had to deal with being shouted down and falsely accused, to a crazy extent. I think he handled it beautifully. On the last round table he was called a liar, when he was being truthful by saying he'd said there was a 1% chance your most trusted was a traitor. I don't know why they all screamed at him. I felt very sorry for him, and don't think he could have handled it better. He's just such a beautiful soul ❤️

Mencap have received almost as much in donations since the Traitors final aired as they would have got if the game had ended with the final 4 players and Alexander had given them 25% share of the prize. So many people liked him and his selflessness.

metro.co.uk/2025/01/27/charity-enormously-grateful-traitors-breakout-star-fans-donate-17-000-22439262/

Aww, that's so lovely. It's almost like he's from another era. A true gentleman 😊

I suspect Alexander's aim was to raise the profile of his charity (and increase his OLD swipes) and Frankie aim was to raise the profile of her business. For both of them job done.

I suspect many of the younger ones want to launch media/influencer careers - it remains to be seen how many of them succeed in that.

Frankie's house doesn't look that small, and i disagree with the pp who said you can get a lot for your money in rural Sussex.
metro.co.uk/2025/01/25/inside-traitors-star-francescas-lavish-home-fans-call-absolutely-stunning-22433717/amp/

I donated to Mencap last night.

There was a box at the end that asks what was the reason for your donation.
I put Alexander ❤️ #TheTraitorsUK

The other thing I would say is that the contestants' various reasons for wanting the money should be taken with a healthy dose of skepticism, and may or may not be the whole truth!
The producers/casting team work hard to 'create' a character and persona for each contestant, which may, or may not be a very true reflection of them in real life!
We know someone who got down to the final stages of a similar contestant-type show and she told us that by the last round they were all being pushed hard to 'find' some trauma/ a 'sob' story which could become their raison-d'etre for being on the show. They were being heavily quizzed about their childhood and early life, about illnesses and disabilities (she has dyslexia) and almost being encouraged to create a backstory for themselves.

I did think that at the dinner party in Traitors, when they were sharing how they'd spend the money, there seemed some faltering. Wanting it for a lavish holiday, or a boob job, or second home or something really wouldn't be considered acceptable! Even Joe apologised that his reasons were 'worthy' enough!