Yet another Faithful was banished from the castle in the penultimate episode of The Traitors on Monday night.
Pete O’Flynn, the 43-year-old military police investigator and self-proclaimed ‘leader’ of the Faithfuls, was given his marching orders amid more scurrilous scenes in Slane.
The Cork man left with an emotional parting speech, his voice cracking as he revealed, ‘I’m a Faithful’.
He said the show had been ‘the best thing I’ve ever experienced in my life’. Host Siobhán McSweeney added to the tension: ‘And then there were four. I hope you were paying attention, because this will be the last time a player will reveal if they are a Traitor or a Faithful when banished.’
The game has entered its most dangerous stage as the final four contestants face a brutal endgame with two Traitors and two Faithfuls remaining. With more than €30k in the prize pot, there is plenty at stake.
Pete’s banishment came after a tense round table that first saw the votes split between him and Traitor Carla Geary. They each had to make their cases. Pete insisted: ‘I’m a million per cent a Faithful, a million per cent,’ warning that voting him out would help the Traitors.
But his pleas fell on deaf ears. As he delivered his final speech, he revealed the secret he had hidden, announcing: ‘I was 99.9 per cent honest with you throughout this whole game. I did lie about my occupation. I’m actually Sergeant Peter O’Flynn.’
The contestants were shocked, with postal worker Anna Murphy letting out a loud gasp.
Traitors Carla Geary and Pauric O’Meara have been left to see another day. Carla burst into laughter when alone with the camera, asking, ‘how did I just get so lucky?’
A Traitor from the first episode, Carla has learnt the tricks of the trade, saying that after Pete’s banishment she was ‘squeezing the tears out as I had to react in some way.’ But she is not yet in the clear.
The contestants’ chats after the vote highlighted that all eyes are still on Carla. Both remaining Faithfuls – Anna Murphy and Diego Caixeta – told Pauric O of their conviction that Carla is a Traitor. And it seems the Traitor alliance could be crumbling.
Pauric O reassured Carla several times that he would not go after her but behind closed doors made it clear to the cameras he was there to win. ‘Can the Traitors win? I’m not sure. Can the Traitor win? Me? Yes,’ he admitted. ‘Whoever’s standing in my way, I’ll just have to take them down.’
Pete’s banishment appears to have changed the game’s dynamics once again. Anna, who previously suspected Pauric O and Carla, suddenly turned her attention to Diego.
Diego caused suspicion after telling Anna he was out to get Carla but voting for Pete. She revealed her change of heart to Pauric O, a move that seemed to give him even more confidence to go for the win. Tonight’s grand finale will reveal whether it will be a Faithful or a Traitor who takes home the crown.
