Former Traitors contestant Amanda Collier has opened up about a terrifying holiday accident that left her fearing she would break her neck and struggling to breathe.
A Freak Accident in the French Countryside
The 57-year-old, who was recently banished from the hit BBC reality show, was on a camper van holiday with her wife, Caroline, in the picturesque Loire Valley. The trip took a sudden and violent turn on their final day during what was meant to be a pleasant bike ride.
"Out of the blue, Caroline accidentally clipped my wheel," Amanda recounted. The collision sent her flying headfirst towards a solid flint wall. Despite wearing a helmet, she realised in a split second that she had to twist her body to avoid a catastrophic injury. "I realised I had to turn my body, or I would break my neck," she said.
Agonising Pain and a Gruelling Journey Home
The impact was severe. Amanda's shoulder smashed into the hard rock, winding her so badly she couldn't breathe. Her collarbone was fractured and jutting out at an alarming angle, narrowly avoiding piercing the skin.
After being helped by a passing French jogger and receiving initial attention at a local hospital in 2022, it was decided her treatment would be best completed in the UK. This decision led to an excruciating 15-hour journey back through the Channel Tunnel.
"I've never been in so much pain," Amanda admitted, describing every bump in the road as "torture." The agony was so intense that at one point she begged her wife to pull over and leave her at the roadside, feeling she "couldn't go on."
Recovery and a New Perspective
Once home, Amanda underwent surgery to have a metal plate inserted to repair the shattered bones. She then faced a two-month recovery at home. The former Met Police detective says the experience has left her with a profound gratitude for her health, though she still experiences occasional twinges in her collarbone.
"I'm so grateful not to have any lasting effects from the accident," she shared, noting she managed the physical challenges on The Traitors without issue. "I'll never take my health for granted again."
Her appearance on the show's latest series, which began on New Year's Day and concludes on 23 January, was also marked by personal heartbreak. She revealed that fellow contestant Reece Ward reminded her painfully of her own brother, who passed away in 2011 at age 32, making her roundtable confrontation with him particularly difficult.
