What’s better than a secret detective in the Traitors’ castle? A lesbian secret detective, it turns out

BY SCARLETT CLARKE, IMAGE BY BBC/STUDIO LAMBERT/EUAN CHERRY

The Traitors has returned to the BBC for its fourth season and the buzz is as alive as ever with a new secret traitor in the mix, secret family connections and our new obsession: secret detective and confirmed lesbian, Amanda Collier.

Keeping her professional experience under wraps from her fellow contestants, Amanda has nevertheless cemented herself as a voice of authority in the castle. She remains calm where others unravel and provides theories rather than blindly following the pack. Confident and self-assured, Amanda was already one to watch.

Then came the round table on Friday, where Amanda silenced accusations of a prior relationship with fellow contestant Hugo Lodge by coming out as a lesbian.

She said: “It’s lovely that you think that we’re together or whatever but we’re not. I’m a lesbian.”

And the sapphic crowd watching at home went wild.

“So I’m not sure I’m your type”, Hugo giggled – perhaps relieved that the revelation might take some heat off his back (a short-lived win for the Traitor).

“No, you’re not my sort,” quipped Amanda with a smirk. Of course. 

The detective was serving charisma in spades, and the tireless fan editors of TikTok have likely not known peace since.

Montages of Amanda – complete with slow-motion shots, dramatic transitions and pride flag overlays – have flooded the app, set to tracks like Jealous Type, Yes, And? or, a personal favourite, Father Figure. One edit has already amassed over 90k views and considering this season is only three episodes in at the time of writing, it feels safe to say there’s plenty more Amanda screen time (and sapphic thirst traps) still to come.

Beyond the edits and online swooning, Amanda’s moment has resonated more deeply too. While some viewers described her coming out as a clever way to dispel suspicion or simply “cinematic”, others have reflected on how, for many queer people, coming out is never a one-time event in a society that still assumes heterosexuality as the default.

Fans will remember sapphic contestants from previous seasons, from Cat Burns on Celebrity Traitors to season three finalist Leanne Quigley. Now, the torch has been passed on.

Amanda is bringing competence, charisma and unapologetic lesbian visibility to a primetime reality show. What a way to start 2026! 

The Traitors Season Four returns to BBC One for episode four on Wednesday at 9 pm.

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