Controversial Contestant's Parting Gift Shakes Up The Traitors

In 2022, Kieran Tompsett, a contestant on the first civilian season of the hit BBC show The Traitors, made a controversial move that forced the show's bosses to change the rules of the game forever. Kieran, a consultant from Hertfordshire, was eliminated in the final episode after revealing the identity of the final Traitor, Wilfred, in a move that some viewers branded as "cheating."

Kieran later explained that he felt a sense of loyalty to the Faithfuls, particularly to Aaron, who planned to use the prize money to help his mother buy a house. Kieran's actions saw the Faithfuls walk away with £101,050 between them, and he insisted that his controversial move "wasn't a rule at the time," although he acknowledged that it "couldn't be replicated now."

The BBC has since made "adjustments" to The Traitors to ensure that a similar stunt can't be pulled off again. However, Kieran's actions were supported by the show's psychologists, who described it as "one of the smartest moves that could have been made." Reflecting on his participation, Kieran said he had "no regrets" and that his moment on the show was "one of the highlights" of his life.