This dark horse on The Traitors could win just like Alan Carr

*Warning: spoilers ahead for the Traitors 

The impact of the secret Traitor twist has been swift and acutely felt on the BBC show by audiences and contestants alike. 

But just as soon as it began, it’s all over with the reveal that Fiona was the culprit all along – throwing the game into chaos and letting a new frontrunner emerge

It’s a bold approach to upend a format this successful and then reverse course after a week, but The Traitors production team has earned a dose of creative licence. 

However, whether they made the most of it is another matter.

With an expiration date during episode four, the new red cloak was no doubt underutilised in Ardross castle, because while in play, it upheaved all our expectations going into what could have been an overfamiliar season.

The serial killing Traitors – having held so much power in their turret that every cast member wanted to be one – were finally disarmed and anxious. 

Then the post-roundtable reveal, perhaps the most tedious element of the show for us all-knowing viewers, finally had mystery.

Even the to-camera confessional moments felt like we were in on hunting the Traitors.

Perhaps in future series, they’ll hold their nerve on the secret Traitor reveal for longer. For now, we finally know their identity – scene-stealer Fiona, a 62-year-old local government officer who’s playing the game as a giddy, scatterbrained lass who’s game for a laugh.

It felt like déjà vu – she reminded me of the best-worst Traitor in recent history, Alan Carr, who rode to victory over the loyal Faithfuls on account of his sheer force of personality and ability to whip up an irresistible one-liner. 

The very person who collapsed into a fit of giggles while saying ‘I’m a Faithful’ and yet still won the cash.

In one roundtable moment that was cut from the show, but which Alan has spoken about since, Stephen Fry pinpointed the victor’s secret ability. He referenced the Cambridge spies and their ‘flamboyant, camp characters’, connecting it to how they managed to go completely undetected.

The ability to undercut suspicion with a joke should be recognised at the roundtable as an advantage – it was something Alan did time and time again. 

Granted, it might be unscientific and purely vibes-based, but in this show, so is everything. 

Alan was proof and, so far, so is Fiona.

Having dialled up her ditzy side and by cracking jokes about looking like Cindy Crawford in a red bikini, Fiona could follow Alan’s path to victory. 

She even has the added bonus of being a Welsh woman and – as vocal faker Charlotte taught us all last series – the Welsh accent is the most trusted in these fair isles.

There were two stonking hints that Fiona was our red lady swishing about the corridors during the third episode, which also showed that her whole Swansea prima donna bit is indeed part of her game.

She admitted to ‘playing up to being dotty and clueless’ before warning: ‘Never underestimate a woman of a certain age.’

We should take heed, as should her fellow Traitors. 

She’s already teamed up with Harriet to take down Hugo and is sprinkling her seeds of doubt about fellow Traitor Rachel, proving she will be prepared to turn on anyone if it comes to it. 

Even Rachel has been bowled over by how impervious Fiona is to suspicion, questioning how much of her personality is real

I have no doubt the pressure will eventually start to get to Fiona, and we will have to see how she handles it, but right now, nobody suspects her, even after her hilariously bad performance in last night’s task.

Meanwhile, Stephen and Rachel’s traitorous conclave has got off to a rocky start, with a couple of unforced errors, and neither has the effortless charisma of the newest addition to their trio. 

Stephen looks nervous most of the time, and Rachel is gliding by on her association with former detective Amanda. 

I will miss their stricken expressions in the turret as they tried to piece together who the secret Traitor was – itself proof of how undetectable Fiona has been so far – but the reveal promises great telly ahead. 

If Fiona is careful about not overdoing it, she could already be on the way to that cash prize.

The Traitors season 4 returns tonight at 8pm on BBC One.

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