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Harriet says she really believed she was going to be killed on The Traitors

The crime writer and former barrister was at the centre of yet another explosive episode on the series and became the latest faithful to be banished.

By contributor Lauren Del Fabbro, Press Association Entertainment Reporter
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Supporting image for story: Harriet says she really believed she was going to be killed on The Traitors
Harriet, one of the contestants in series four of BBC1’s The Traitors (Cody Burridge/BBC/PA)

The Traitors star Harriet has said the level of immersion on the series led her to believe she was really going to be killed.

The crime writer and former barrister, 52, was at the centre of yet another explosive episode on the hit BBC series and became the latest faithful to be banished following a dramatic confrontation with traitor Rachel.

Harriet had the chance to speak to the traitors, whose identities she could not see, during Wednesday night’s episode, and because they did not have to answer truthfully she used it as an opportunity to try and get into their heads, declaring her suspicion of Rachel.

(left to right) Rachel, Sam and Harriet at breakfast in BBC1’s The Traitors
(left to right) Rachel, Sam and Harriet at breakfast in BBC1’s The Traitors (BBC/Studio Lambert/PA)

The author went on to reveal her profession to her fellow players the following day and challenged Rachel at breakfast – a move which backfired and made others suspicious of her.

Speaking on BBC’s Morning Live, Harriet said: “I think the pressure had just got to me.

“There was no strategy in what I was doing. As soon as I won the opportunity to meet the traitors, I knew that I was doomed.

“That was why I tried to give it to Roxy, because it’s such a poisoned chalice, and I knew the more I thought about it that there was no way I was going to play it safe.

“I didn’t have it in me to be strategic.

BBC1’s The Traitors, (left to right back row) Rachel, Jessie, Stephen, Faraaz, Maz, Ellie, Harriet, Hugo, Jack, Fiona, Sam, Adam, Roxy, Reece, (left to right front row) James, Matthew, Jade, Netty, Ross, Judy, Ben, Amanda and host Claudia Winkleman (standing centre)
Series four of The Traitors has been attracting big viewers to BBC One (Cody Burridge/BBC/PA)

“It’s such a pressure cooker, unless you’ve been in it, I don’t think you can understand, because, of course, it’s a game, but the level of immersion is such that I actually believed it was real. I thought people were trying to kill me for a bit.

“It’s good because it meant that I actually brought the drama. I snapped out of it pretty quickly and I was always sort of rationally aware, but you’re not totally rational.”

Harriet was once a celebrated player on the show after delivering a very articulate case during a roundtable which helped the faithfuls catch out their first traitor, Hugo.

The faithful was voted out at the roundtable during the most recent episode after asking her fellow players to call her bluff.

Following Harriet’s departure, traitors Rachel and Stephen decided to murder another player after declining to recruit a faithful.

The pair shortlisted Jessie, James and Sam, however do not know that Sam is the only unshielded player.

The Traitors continues on BBC One and iPlayer at 8pm.