Murder, intrigue and cutting hair are the new way of life for Leicester’s Traitors star Tyler, who makes his debut on the hit series this evening – and he is confident he can spot those telling killer lies. The barber is among the 25 new contestants braving the deadly Scottish castle alongside Claudia Winkleman for backstabbing and treachery galore.
A series of tasks will look to uncover who is Faithful and, more pressingly, who is a Traitor. At the end of it all, the Leicester man could walk away with up £120,000 – if he escapes a painful TV ‘murder’ at the hands of the elusive double-crossers.
Tyler was shocked to bag himself a place on the show after watching previous series with his mum, and is up for the twists and turns that come with The Traitors. He said: “When I applied, I didn’t expect to get on at all! I just love the game. If this was just a local game, not on television or anything like that, I’d still go for it because I just love it.”
READ MORE: I tried BBC The Traitors interactive book and was immediately murdered
Tyler is among 25 contestants this series
(Image: BBC)
While cutting hair is his day job, Tyler believes that his connection with people of all ages sets him in good stead for the games, lies and deceptions that the Traitors is known for. He said: “Every day I’m gaining trust as I cut people’s hair. They’re chatting to me about upcoming weddings and birthdays, if they’re going on holiday, so I feel like I can gain people’s trust quite easily.
“I feel like I can adapt to any situation. I like getting to know people’s stories, and when I’m talking to someone, I can kind of feel if they’re telling the truth or not.”
Confidence is something Tyler is clearly not lacking, and he believes his skills will translate well into all aspects of the show, from its missions which build up the prize pot, to its famed Round Table banishments which have delighted millions at home. “I’m a good reader of people, so I bring that as well,” he said.
“I’ll be really good at the missions I think, because I’m fit and healthy anyway and I like my gym, I enjoy walking and things like that. I am competitive. I’ve played sports since I was a young lad, football, cricket, loads of stuff, and I’ve always wanted to do my best, but I am also sportsmanlike and fair.”
Claudia is back as master of ceremonies
(Image: PA)
The Traitors, who are decided by Claudia in tonight’s series opener, are the key players of the game, deciding who to kill off and when, but despite the power that comes with that role – and the show’s iconic cloaks – Tyler wants to be a Faithful above all else. However, he knows the host may have other ideas, and he is willing to embrace a darker side.
He said: “Well, I’ve said I’d want to be a Faithful. But if I get the tap on the shoulder, I just feel like I’ll adapt to it.
“In my head, I’m just going to be thinking to myself, ‘this is a game’. Yeah, it’s not me, and it wouldn’t feel very nice getting rid of whoever’s in there if we’ve become friends and I’ve got to get rid of them. I’d have to keep thinking that they’d do the same. We all want to go in there and win it. And if you need to do something as a Traitor, that’s just what you’ve got to do.”
Last year, Loughborough’s Aubrey was the first contestant to be killed off, and, despite his ultra competitive nature, Tyler would accept it if he faced a similar fate – but would of course be disappointed. He said: “If I got voted out first, obviously it’s gutting, but at the end of the day, it’s a game. That’s what you’ve got to think about. It’s a game. And if you make it to the final and you win it – amazing.”
To get that major prize pot, deception will be key. And should he win, Tyler’s plans are very clear – and involve even more hair cutting, as he would buy his own barbershop.
He said: “I love my barbering. That’s my pride and joy. I wake up in the morning and, where some people might dread having to go to work, I can’t wait to get there and just start talking to people, cutting people’s hair, making them look good, and that makes me feel good.
“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. I’ve been doing it for five years now. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made in my life.”
How will Tyler fare? Tune in at 8pm on BBC One tonight (Wednesday, January 1) to find out.
We are now bringing you the latest updates on WhatsApp first