Cloaks at the ready - The Traitors is back!

After a seemingly-interminable wait, Claudia Winkleman has returned to her Scottish castle to welcome a new group of 22 strangers to play the ultimate game of deception. Who will become The Traitors and who are The Faithfuls?

Read on for a profile of contestant Paul....

Paul

Age: 36

From: Manchester

Occupation: Business Manager

Why did you apply for the show?
"There are two answers for this. First and foremost, all of my friends and family said, 'You need to watch this show, you need to go on this show.' That was before I had seen it and I still don't know if that's a compliment or not! When I watched it, it was about people that are really good at lying, what were they saying?! So, there was that but then I watched it and just fell in love with it straight away as it's properly up my street. I love the activity side of things, especially the mission where they were walking across the drawbridge blindfolded, I really loved that. Then the Round Table with people's emotions running high, I thought this is definitely something I could get involved in and, you know what, I might be able to succeed in."

What is your game plan?
"I keep thinking that I should have a game plan but then I also think, maybe I should just freestyle it. The problem is, if you have a game plan and you try and stick to it but it doesn't work you might get yourself in a bit of trouble. I think as soon as you tell someone that you've got a game plan then you could be picked out. I'm going to have a rough guideline of what I'm going to be like inside there, but then also I'm such a winger, I have no idea what I'm going to do or what I'm going to say, and if I did have a game plan the chances are I wouldn't stick to it!"

How would you feel to be chosen as a Traitor?
"Well, if Claudia touches my shoulder, I'm never washing that top again. I hope that happens because the more I think about what the show is, it is about the real Traitors, right? To participate in the show fully is to be a Traitor I think. It's great to be a Faithful and find the Traitors but I want to be the one that people are trying to find. I would just try to be, calm, normal and just like me. If it happens, I'd be buzzing."

What would you spend the prize money on?
"It'll have to be a house. For myself, my partner, our little boy and our dog - I need to get us all a house! We're renting at the moment and mortgage rates are just chaos, so if I can win the show or be part of a group of people that win the show then that is life changing for us. The family, the house, nothing glamorous really, there's no cars, parties or holidays, it's: we need a roof over our heads and then that will set us up for the rest of our lives. Or a Ferrari..."