Viewers of BBC's hit reality show The Traitors were left collectively cringing this week after contestant Matty made a daring and, many believe, foolish proposition to the show's secret villains. In a move fans have branded as signing his own 'death certificate', Matty attempted to broker a deal with the Traitors, Stephen and Rachel, that left audiences with severe second-hand embarrassment.
A Bold Proposition Backfires
The dramatic sequence began during a tense roundtable in Ardross Castle Church, where Matty, alongside Harriet Tyce and Rachel, won the chance to question the hidden Traitors. Unbeknownst to Matty, one of the people he was addressing was Traitor Rachel herself, concealed within a wooden confession box. After learning the Traitors' next murder target was fellow Faithful Jessie Roux, Matty decided to play a dangerous game.
He presented them with an audacious offer. "I suspect Claudia will offer you the opportunity to seduce the next time you meet," Matty said, referring to host Claudia Winkleman. "I want you to turn that down and murder Jessie. And then the next time you seduce, you can seduce me. So my question is, do we have a deal?" The episode cliffhanger left the question hanging, but the following instalment revealed the Traitors' cynical response.
Traitors Plot Their Next Move
As Wednesday's episode opened, the Traitors were seen discussing the merits of Matty's proposal. Their conversation quickly turned to a plan of recruiting him only to later "throw him under the bus" as a sacrificial pawn. Despite this devious strategy, they replied to Matty's note with a simple: "You have a deal."
Matty's reaction was one of sheer delight. Reading the note, he confidently stated, "I've wanted to be a Traitor since the beginning. Keep my cloak warm." However, he showed a sliver of conscience in a confessional, telling the camera, "I'm not a monster; I don't want Jessie to die. But I came here to play the game, and that is what I'm going to do."
Viewer Reaction: The 'Ick' Factor
The confidence displayed by Matty did not resonate well with the show's audience. On social media, fans were united in their cringing disbelief, with many claiming the move was a catastrophic error.
Viewers flooded platforms with criticism, writing comments such as: "Little does Matthew know he just signed his death warrant," and "Matthew i’ve got the ick." Others were baffled by the strategy, with one fan posting, "I’m still so confused on what matthew was trying to do," while another bluntly stated, "Oh Matthew you are so stupid!" The prevailing sentiment was that Matty had dramatically overplayed his hand, with multiple users asserting he had "signed his own death certificate."
Ahead of the episode, the intended target of the murder plot, Jessie, appeared unbothered. She took to Instagram to share a clip of herself dancing, captioning it: "When people are worried about Matt's deal but you're just enjoying the missions." She added, "Sorry I'm busy, please leave a message," showing no signs of a feud. Matty even commented "LYSM" (Love You So Much) on her post, to which Jessie replied "ILYYY" (I Love You Too).
The unfolding drama leaves Matty's fate in the balance, with viewers now convinced his bold attempt to outmanoeuvre the Traitors may have sealed his fate in the game far sooner than he anticipated.
