The Traitors: 'Charlotte's fake Welsh backstory will be her downfall'

How well are the contestants playing the game in this year’s season of The Traitors UK?

Dr. Tricia Cardner who is a mental game coach and former psychology professor has delved deep into the memorable parts of the first show which returned to our screens last night, to analyse micro-expressions and body language to see who is playing the game the best*.

And it's not great news for Charlotte, the Londoner who was the talk of the first programme for adopting a fake Welsh accent and backstory.

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Dr Cardner says Charlotte’s fakery will only add stress and delay her reaction time in The Traitors Castle.

“Charlotte decided that adopting a Welsh accent would be useful for her game so she made up a backstory about being from Wales and tried to sell this to an actual Welsh person," said Dr Cardner.

"I don’t think it was necessary or a particularly good strategy. Lying, or in this case acting as if she were Welsh, always requires a greater cognitive load than honesty and will typically result in more inconsistencies and slower responses - especially during stressful situations.

"As we see through the episode, Charlotte doesn’t appear to handle stress particularly well, and trying to keep up her accent and backstory is an added stressor that isn’t really adding anything to her game.”

* Dr Cardner's interview was commissioned by the following client

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Anyone who watched the first episode of The Traitors which aired on TV on Wednesday evening were treated to twists a plenty.

However, there was one surprise that wasn't as much a twist as a madcap body swerve with sidestep and added moonwalk - Charlotte's fake Welsh accent and backstory.

The business development director from London does have a Welsh mum which apparently prompted her bizarre plan to use a Welsh accent throughout her stay on the programme.

This crazy twist was heralded as 'amazing', 'ridiculous', baffling' and 'utterly pointless' in the many, many hilarious reactions to the reveal which were posted on social media.

Here are our favourites which were posted on X (Twitter in old money) Enjoy!

Obsessed with the dramatic music when she admitted that she WAS NOT WELSH #TheTraitors pic.twitter.com/3aHUZr6J6l

— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) January 1, 2025

TV moment of the year#Thetraitors pic.twitter.com/E9e4RPkqnN

— Ivan Brett (@IvanBrett) January 1, 2025

Are you rooting for the #Traitors or the #Faithful?

I’m rooting for the girl who has pretended to be welsh for literally no solid reason whatsoever

#TheTraitors #TheTraitorsUK pic.twitter.com/gl45VaHgtF

— Soph (@scward1991) January 1, 2025

IMAGINE FAKING A WELSH ACCENT AND AN ACTUAL WELSH PERSON WALKS IN #TheTraitors #Traitors pic.twitter.com/3SnuArCaLn

— Emi⁷🌕 is RUNNING WILD because WINTER IS AHEAD (@BTSWhalienEnth1) January 1, 2025

Last year we had “Ross is my son” and this year we’ve got “I’m actually not welsh” #TheTraitors pic.twitter.com/Py562vKpg4

— Alex (@alexr_241) January 1, 2025

The admin of “Wales For A United Kingdom” page on Facebook:pic.twitter.com/nZNrfVoQQt

— Welsh Fan Zone TV 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@WelshFanZoneTV) January 1, 2025

Charlotte faking a whole ass Welsh accent with there being a real Welsh person in the castle to just be a faithful #TheTraitors pic.twitter.com/HsysH8CCIH

— Charlie (@_charloe) January 1, 2025

Traitors strategies per series

Traitors s1: we are secretly a couple
Traitors s2: my son is a fellow player
Traitors s3: erm, I’m Welsh#TheTraitors

— Sophie Hall (@SophLouiseHall) January 1, 2025

She should wore traditional Welsh costume for added realism... pic.twitter.com/kvMpEAUp8C

— Vee Johns (@VeeeJon99) January 1, 2025

when you binge watch the entirety of gavin & stacey in one go #thetraitors pic.twitter.com/ZzMMel2UYW

— putasinghonit (@putasinghonit) January 1, 2025

Yin regretting not putting on a Welsh accent #TheTraitors pic.twitter.com/7PSVMygDcW

— Mary (@80sirishlegend) January 1, 2025

Absolutely CANNOT wait for the moment Charlotte reveals she actually isn’t Welsh and everyone’s just like #TheTraitors pic.twitter.com/ExcGKrfypl

— Tegan Marlow (@teganmarlow_) January 1, 2025

Traitors is just great telly.

The fake Welsh accent is a tremendous move - if a little daft.

It’s going to be entertaining watching how that pans out 😂😂

— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) January 1, 2025

First time ever watching #TheTraitors and I'm already confused as to why someone is pretending to be Welsh. pic.twitter.com/XOcE4EbUVq

— Lee Redman (@LeeRedders) January 1, 2025

Pretending to be Welsh for no reason whatsoever (other than it being a nice accent) is absolutely my favourite thing that’s ever happened on this. Immediately solidifies Charlotte amongst the greats like Amanda, Maddy and Diane. #TheTraitorsUK

— Rob Madge (@Rob_Madge_02) January 1, 2025

As a #Traitors bluff, it is the perfect combination of high drama, ruinous stress, and absolutely bloody nonsensical. Love it. Why has she done it to herself?? #TraitorsUK https://t.co/3VHcxjjRi3

— Mark Wallace (@wallaceme) January 1, 2025