Days into season 2 of The Traitors, the BBC blockbuster drama has proven to be as brutal as ever, with two murders and one expulsion already on the books.
The first three eliminations of the new series all had large personalities with a lot of potential in the game: Aubrey, Sonja, and Kyra.
as Aubrey and Kyra were brutally murdered by the Traitors as the rest of the Faithfuls slept, Sonja was expelled at the first roundtable vote, where she confessed that she had always spoken the truth about her non-murderous identity.
Following her exile, Metro.co.uk spoke with Sonja to find out how she feels about her early leave and what she actually thinks of her other rivals, including one she believes is being’misunderstood’.
The 66-year-old described her time on The Traitors and after her departure as ‘unreal’ and ‘enjoyable’, adding that fan comments have been’so overwhelmingly kind, wonderful, and lovely’.
Sonja was surprised to learn that the Traitors considered making her the clan’s fourth member, but ultimately chose veterinary nurse Miles, 36.
After seeing the programme in issue with her family, which included several small children who were running around enthusiastically, the volunteer business mentor revealed that she believed the Traitors’made a mistake’ by not choosing her.
‘But on the other hand, I didn’t have any negative tension in there because I had a really nice couple of days. Nobody really got mad with me. Nobody was upsetting to me,’ she added.
‘Looking back when I watch it, I think I got off quite lightly, so no regrets. I would have probably played a different game if they’d made me a Traitor. But who knows – I think a few other people would have thought of me as a potential.’
Given that the dramatic series presented by Claudia Winkleman was taped prior to its broadcast on BBC One, many viewers are undoubtedly wondering if the participants have stayed in contact.
Sonja revealed some information regarding the group conversation, but kept the specifics private.
‘You feel a close bond with all of those people because you’ve been through that together and even in the short time I was there, and Aubrey, we are definitely part of that Traitors family,’ she shared.
‘There’s chatter amongst people and it’s very nice, but one thing that is great is everybody’s overwhelmingly supportive.
‘If anybody’s a bit worried or wondering what will be on the next episode, we all rally in support. It’s just a totally caring, support conversation network, and that’s nice.’
So is the group chat on WhatsApp, we asked?
‘Who knows? Who knows?’ Sonja answered. The cryptic nature of appearing on The Traitors seems to have stayed with the fan-favourite!
Sonja was only on The Traitors for a brief period, but she got to meet the other participants, including the mysterious Diane.
Viewers around the country were stunned to learn in episode three that another player in the game, Ross, is Diane’s son.
Speaking of Diane, Sonja said: ‘She’s a strong lady, and she’s not frightened to say what she thinks. If you remember in my banishment before Claudia finished speaking, Diane was like, “I’ve got something to say.” You think, “Wow, here’s a force of nature.” And she really is.
‘As always, there’s more to her than that. She’s very gentle, very caring, but she won’t take any rubbish. You don’t want to cross Diane, but she’s fair and she looks out for everybody.
‘She’s a great kind of different energy there and I think she’s just going to be an absolute icon of this show. I don’t know how long she’s in for but I hope it’s a long time. I love watching with you guys. Everybody thinks I know, but I don’t!’
Sonja believes Zack has received unfair criticism for his actions, despite the fact that this is not the case.
‘I think Zack is misunderstood, because he has a lot of nervous energy. He’s just hyper. And that’s Zack,’ Sonja deduced.
‘I think it’s being seen as tells and traits, and then I think that’s making him a bit more hyper and talking a bit more. So I actually think that was a misunderstanding of him. If you’re there a bit longer, you’d get to know that Zack.’
The Traitors’ stars may have become close as a group, but Sonja formed strong ties with two in particular, and she’s already planning adventurous excursions away with both of them.
‘In the train when we’re arriving, whoever you sit with there, you kind of get to know first and you have more of a chance to speak to them than everybody else when you arrive. I was sitting with Aubrey and he’s just so charming and so lovely. We’re already planning to go in my campervan together having a little tour, so it’s just a delight,’ Sonja recalled.
‘Campers on Tour, Traitors on Tour, I think that would be great. Taking my meeting to youth clubs, wouldn’t that be great?’
Meanwhile, Sonja and Meg instantly started up a chat about Eurovision, since they are both avid fans and are intending to attend the 2024 tournament in Sweden this year.
‘I’m crazy about it. I was there in Liverpool for everything, wearing all sorts of crazy things. When we first met, I said, “I’m massively into Eurovision.” So we said let’s go together.’
Despite her brief appearance on The Traitors, Sonja rapidly earned the label of ‘Mother’ from admirers, a word of respect commonly used by members of the LGBT+ community.
‘I just love it. It’s so fantastic. My gay friends are saying you’ve always been a gay icon darling, so nothing new there,’ Sonja cheerfully said. ‘It’s just wonderful.’
Sonja’s game-playing strategies may not have been sophisticated enough to keep her in contention for the large financial prize, but she did manage to fish out one Traitor fairly early on, although accidently, when she questioned Ash directly over breakfast one day if she was a Traitor.
‘I think the “melon-gate” incident absolutely gave me a tell because it was pure coincidence that Ash was sat behind the melon which I was getting and I thought, “Oh, I’m going to see what it feels like to accuse somebody,”’ she said.
‘So poor Ash was there and I was like, “Ash, are you a Traitor?” as a joke. Her poor little eyes went like saucers and I thought, “Oh, I hit a nerve there.”’
Now that Sonja is watching the drama unfold with everyone else, she hopes there will be plenty’more twists and turns that we haven’t seen’ in store.
‘I’m so excited as the rest of the nation is to watch it. If you’re thinking of going on the Traitors. I can’t imagine how big the cohort will be of applicants for future ones because it’s so great,’ she said.
‘I think you’ve got to be sure you feel resilient as a person, but you can be absolutely sure that the rest of the cast look after you brilliantly. The producers are always there for you, both before they make you very aware of what you’re going into and afterwards the follow-up, the constant contact and the availability of people to help you is great, but then the cast is so great as well.
‘You never feel I’ve made a mistake when I’m alone or there’s nobody I can turn to. Everybody’s there for you.’
The Traitors is available to watch on BBC iPlayer with news episodes airing on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
