While viewers know her as the scheming Secret Traitor from the hit BBC show, Fiona Hughes has a profoundly different life away from the cameras. The 62-year-old Welsh star, recently banished from Ardross Castle, works as a support counsellor for Swansea Council, where she helps vulnerable people rebuild their lives.
From TV Villain to Real-Life Lifeline
Away from the deception and drama of The Traitors, Fiona Hughes performs crucial work in her community. A case study featured on Swansea Council's website details how she helped a woman, referred to only as Alice, who was trapped in a cycle of domestic violence and sex work and felt suicidal.
Alice's testimony is powerful. "Fiona came into my life when I thought nobody could help me," she says. "I felt so ashamed and just didn't want to go on. I'll always be grateful for the time she spent with me and thank her from the bottom of my heart."
Fiona encouraged Alice to seek specialist support for domestic abuse and to return to education. This intervention proved transformative. Alice left her abusive partner, went back to college in 2018, and remains in contact with Fiona today.
Speaking to The Sun about the positive outcome, Fiona said, "The lady is very settled now. She has children and is an amazing woman." She added a poignant reminder: "It's not my story to tell, but it's important to remember so many people feel very vulnerable and isolated, but you can change somebody's life by reaching out."
Master of Her Own Downfall on The Traitors
This revelation about Fiona's impactful day job comes fresh from her dramatic exit from The Traitors. The Swansea native was banished on Friday's episode after an explosive confrontation with fellow Traitor Rachel Duffy, which saw Fiona accuse Rachel of treachery in front of the entire group.
Reflecting on her elimination, Fiona admitted to The Sun, "It was incredibly tense. I was really the master of my own downfall." She explained her suspicions, stating, "I needed to confront Rachel to be sure in my own mind that she was a team player and not playing singularly." Fiona described Rachel as a "formidable player" and a "lone wolf" she believed would eventually target her.
Her banishment followed her unique start to the game as the 'Secret Traitor', working alone before joining Rachel and Stephen Libby in the turret. Tensions peaked after fellow Traitor Amanda Collier's banishment, when Rachel claimed Amanda had confided she was a former Metropolitan Police detective—a claim Fiona instantly doubted.
Fallout and Future Schemes in the Castle
The aftermath of Fiona's departure was emotional. Stephen Libby broke down in tears from guilt over his vote, while a triumphant Rachel Duffy declared, "I won the battle, but I need to win the war."
The episode also saw a major twist, with Faithfuls Matthew Hyndman, Harriet Tyce, and Rachel winning the chance to question the Traitors. Unbeknownst to the others, Rachel would be answering, not asking. Matthew made a shocking proposal in the castle church, offering the Traitors a deal to murder fellow Faithful Jessie Roux and later recruit him.
"I'm not a monster; I don't want Jessie to die," Matthew told the camera. "But I came here to play the game, and that is what I'm going to do." The Traitors' response will be revealed in the next episode.
Meanwhile, the show continues to draw massive audiences, with the fifth episode pulling in an average of 7.35 million viewers according to overnight ratings. The Traitors returns on Wednesday, 14th January at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
