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It’s a tangled web of intrigue in those castle corridors. Two hidden relationships have already come to light in the current run of The Traitors. The unjustly banished Judy was revealed to be the mother of Faithful Roxy, before psychologist Ellie confessed that Ross, who’d just been sent packing himself, was her boyfriend.
An increasingly popular fan theory suggests that these covert connections are merely the tip of the treacherous iceberg. Sofa sleuths claim the framed family tree on display in the Ardross Castle lobby – the one the Traitors covertly daubed with red fingerprints to mark candidates for murder – is a hint that everyone in this year’s game has a pre-existing tie to somebody else.
The Latin inscription on the picture translates as: “Beware whom you trust as your own blood. The sharpest knives are often handed over the table by trusted servants. Among close friends lurk the most hidden enemies. Beware lest your trust become the cause of your ruin and destruction.”
Sounds significant, right? If family trees are indeed the secret theme of the civilian series, the entire castle cohort could have been cast in pairs and be slyly working together in teams of two. There have also been recurring cutaway shots to a 1934 copy of Who’s Who? in the castle library, which feels like a clanging biographical clue.
We haven’t yet reached the devilish contest’s midway mark, so can expect plenty more plot twists to come. Here are 10 potential options for more hush-hush romances and familial links…
Reece’s mum is in the castle
Reece from Sheffield – whose wholesome job title is sweet shop assistant, like something out of the Beano – has been the subject of multiple theories (not to mention multiple murder near-misses). He “worships” Fiona “like a mum”. Could that be because she is his mother? The chaotic Secret Traitor hails from Swansea and the name “Reece” has Welsh roots, as an anglicised form of Rhys. It might also explain why Fiona was in no rush to free him from his cage during the hidden skulls mission. As a Traitor, she knew he’d be safe.
Other viewers have pointed to Reece’s close bond with retired police detective Amanda. The pair keep playing snooker and having cosy conflabs, hinting that she might be his mother. Reece is 27, Amanda is 57 and Fiona is 62. The maths works in either case.
There’s even a wild card theory that Reece is related to Rachel – which would explain why he didn’t mention the fact that she asked him to leave her and Stephen alone at the family tree on the crucial night in question. Of the screen grabs from the series on his Instagram account, several feature Reece with Rachel. Coincidence? Probably, yes, but worth a chin stroke.
Jessie is dating Jack
Orange-haired Jessie from Hull is emerging as this year’s “Jazatha Christie”, with her sleuthing sights trained firmly on Stephen the sharp-dressed Traitor. There’s also mounting speculation about her being in a hidden romance with Essex personal trainer Jack – who, at 29, is just one year her senior.
For this week’s cage mission, Jessie chose to fight on behalf of Jack. As they held hands through the bars of his cage, she whispered “Love you!”. Quite familiar for somebody you only met four days ago. When she successfully released him, Jessie leapt into Jack’s arms with a squeal of delight. “I couldn’t have been more proud of her,” he said. Aye-aye.
Faraaz is Maz’s son or grandson
This year’s youngest contestant, 22-year-old internal auditor Faraaz, seemed especially affected by last night’s face-to-face murder of police officer-turned-civil servant Maz. Both are unassuming blokes with a gentle manner. Both are practising Muslims from the north - Middlesbrough and Preston respectively.
Maz is an avowed family man with five children and five grandchildren. Could one of those be his fellow Faithful? Social media sleuths claim to have spotted similarities in their facial profiles and physical mannerisms. Hey, their names even rhyme.
Rachel and Matt are siblings
A tad tenuous, admittedly, but some fans have speculated that Rachel and Matthew might be brother and sister. They’re both Northern Irish and have rarely been shown in conversation, suggesting they could be deliberately avoiding one another – or the edit is concealing their connection *bangs gavel*.
Matt and Stephen are engaged
Another suggestion is that Matt and Stephen are secretly in a relationship. This might be wishful thinking because they’re the only two out gay men in the contest, but the thirtysomethings do share a Scottish link – Matt is based in Edinburgh, while Stephen originally hails from the Isle of Lewis.
Matthew mentioned early in the series that he’d use the prize money for “a big gay wedding” with his partner. Eagle-eyed viewers have spotted that Stephen wears what could be an engagement ring. It’s a long shot but it might just work. However, Instagram posts suggest that both have partners who aren’t in the game. At least they have nice knitwear in common.
Maz and Amanda are former police colleagues
They fell in quick succession this week, but before he was murdered face-to-face, “civil servant” Maz revealed that he was a retired police officer. He wasn’t the only one in the castle, of course. The formidable Amanda is an ex-Met detective.
What are the chances of having two former coppers out of 22 contestants? It led some viewers to wonder if the pair used to work together. Bang to rights or fuzz fantasy?
Hugo is Jade’s father or Amanda’s brother
The “psychopathic teddy bear” was the first Traitor to fall – but before he bowed out, barrister Hugo robustly defended Jade at the round table. Was it paternal protectiveness? They’re both pretty posh. He’s 51 and PhD student Jade is 26, leading some viewers to wonder if he’s her father.
Others clocked an exchange which hinted that Hugo knew about Amanda’s undisclosed police past. “You’re the only one who’s prosecuted people,” he told her. It could have been a coincidental turn of phrase, but perhaps it pointed to the pair having worked together with the CPS.
With six years between them, they might even be siblings. This might explain why Amanda scoffed at suggestions they were in a relationship (“I’m a lesbian,” she said, while Hugo agreed, “I’m not your type”) – and why he paid tribute to her “playing a better game than me” before his banishment.
Observant viewers pounced on crime novelist Harriet Tyce’s remark when Reece was overcome by emotion. “I’ve never seen you cry like that before,” she said, then swiftly corrected herself. Some saw it as a slip-up, indicating that Reece could be her son or nephew.
There’s been similar guesswork about Harriet, 52, having a familial link to one of the castle’s other youngish blokes: gardener James, builder Adam, creative director Matthew or account manager Sam. Has lightning struck Tyce?
Adam and Jack are brothers
When Adam received a vote at episode two’s round table, the camera cut straight to Jack for his reaction. They’re both Essex boys. What more do you need? Entire internet conspiracies have been built on less.
Somebody has an identical twin
Bear with us here. One niche theory doing the rounds is that there are identical twins cast in the series and the producers are secretly switching them in and out. How would this work? To what end? And who could it be? Your guess is as good as ours, but it would be a plot twist to make the resident owl’s head spin.
