The tension in the castle was palpable as Amanda Collier, a retired police detective, faced her final moments on BBC’s hit game show, The Traitors. On Thursday, January 8, 2026, viewers watched as Amanda’s fate was sealed during a dramatic roundtable vote, marking the end of her journey in a season that has left audiences gripped since the New Year. Her elimination, which aired last week, was the result of what she herself described as a “tiny mistake”—one that snowballed into suspicion and, ultimately, her banishment from the game.
On January 12, Amanda appeared on BBC Breakfast with presenters Jon Kay and Sally Nugent to reflect on her time in the castle, her exit, and the lessons she learned along the way. The interview provided a revealing look into the pressures of the game and the razor-thin margins for error that contestants face. Amanda explained, “If you make one tiny mistake, they leap onto it. It's like a deck of cards.” She recounted the pivotal moment at the roundtable: “I just confused them. I gave two names at the same time at the roundtable and they were sort of, 'hang on a minute, you said this person and then you said this person.' Then I voted for Jade, but I said someone else, so they were a bit like 'That's a bit Traitorish.'”
The confusion Amanda sparked among her fellow contestants proved costly. The roundtable vote ended in a tie between Amanda and Reece Ward, forcing a rare “Chests of Chance” twist—each had to choose one of two boxes, with only one containing a shield that would grant safety. Luck was not on Amanda’s side. Reece picked the box with the shield, and Amanda’s elimination was confirmed. Standing before her fellow players, Amanda revealed that she had been a Faithful all along, a revelation that left many in the room questioning their decisions.
Throughout her time in the castle, Amanda had kept her policing background largely under wraps, confiding only in Rachel, whom she considered a close ally. Unbeknownst to Amanda, Rachel was actually one of three Traitors working against the Faithful. After Amanda’s banishment, Rachel disclosed Amanda’s Faithful status to the remaining contestants, using it as a strategic misdirect. This revelation set off a chain reaction, with fellow Traitor Fiona openly doubting Rachel’s motives and accusing her of being a Traitor. The confrontation escalated, and Rachel ultimately succeeded in orchestrating Fiona’s elimination—a dramatic turn that highlighted the game’s ever-shifting alliances and the high stakes of trust and deception.
Reflecting on her experience, Amanda admitted that her professional skills as a police officer did not translate as she had hoped to the unique psychological landscape of The Traitors. As she told Sally Nugent, “I'm an expert police officer, I'm not an expert on the traitors, so you go into the castle and you think these skills that I've got, they'll translate, but they absolutely did not.” This candid admission resonated with viewers and underscored the unpredictable nature of the game, where intuition and experience can sometimes work against even the most seasoned professionals.
The current season of The Traitors has been marked by a series of twists and surprises. Notably, the show introduced the concept of a “secret Traitor” for the first time, with Fiona’s identity as a Traitor hidden from both the contestants and viewers during the initial week. Fiona’s eventual banishment, following her confrontation with Rachel, was a dramatic moment in the series. Addressing the group upon her exit, Fiona said, “I want to say I haven't had the opportunity to grow to love you but I do like you very, very much. I came in here to prove that women of a certain age should be listened to and I feel as if I've been listened to, thank you all for being wonderful, wonderful people. I will never forget you. You may be very surprised to hear that I am, I am a Traitor!”
The elimination of both Hugo and Fiona as Traitors has kept viewers guessing about who will be unmasked next and who can truly be trusted. The game’s blend of social deduction, luck, and psychological warfare has become a hallmark of the show, drawing comparisons to classic reality formats while carving out its own identity through inventive twists like the Chests of Chance.
Amanda’s story, however, extends beyond the castle walls. In a separate interview published on January 11, she opened up about a traumatic event in her personal life—a bike crash in 2022 that left her with a broken collarbone and in need of emergency surgery. Amanda recounted, “We were in a camper van in the Loire Valley and decided to have a bike ride on the last day. Caroline [her wife] accidentally clipped my wheel and it sent me headfirst into a flint wall. I was wearing a helmet but realised I had to turn my body or I would break my neck.” The crash resulted in her shoulder “smashing into the hard rock.” She recalled, “I have never been in so much pain. I had to be pumped full of morphine.” The injury required metal to be inserted into her collarbone, and Amanda admitted that she still experiences twinges in her shoulder—though she managed to complete the physical challenges on The Traitors without issue.
Her resilience in the face of adversity, both on and off the screen, has earned Amanda a legion of supporters. Many viewers have expressed admiration for her candor and strength, particularly as she navigated the emotional highs and lows of the game and her recovery from injury. Amanda’s journey serves as a reminder that reality TV contestants bring with them a wealth of real-life experience and vulnerability, often unseen by the audience until moments of crisis or reflection.
For fans eager to keep up with the unfolding drama, The Traitors continues to air Wednesdays at 8pm on BBC One and is available for streaming on BBC iPlayer, as is BBC Breakfast. With alliances constantly shifting and the line between Faithful and Traitor growing ever blurrier, the coming episodes promise more intrigue, surprises, and—no doubt—a few more hard lessons in trust and deception.
Amanda Collier’s story is one of tenacity, humility, and the unpredictable nature of both games and life. Whether facing a castle full of suspicion or the aftermath of a harrowing accident, she’s shown that sometimes, even a tiny mistake can change everything—but it’s how you respond that truly defines the journey.
