Traitors finalist Andrew Jenkins has shared reflections on his experience on the show, revealing how he would approach the game differently and expressing empathy for fellow recruited traitor James Acaster.
Jenkins, 47, joined the ranks of the Traitors mid-season and reached the final. He described the decision to become a traitor as difficult, noting it was a challenge for him to embody a villain after a lifetime of being a "team player." He admitted to struggling to navigate the game in this role and said he sympathizes with James Acaster, whom he described as a "reluctant" traitor.
"When I was asked to be a traitor, it was a difficult decision," Jenkins told the Daily Mail on behalf of Buzz Bingo. "It was hard, because I've always been a team player all my life. Even though it's a game, it took me a while to decide to become a traitor, but it wasn't very nice."
When asked what he would change if given a second chance, Jenkins pointed to communication with fellow finalist Mollie Pearce. "I could have influenced Mollie, but I was just too nice," he said. "I didn't have a game plan. I just went in there with no game plan, just being nice."
Jenkins explained his strategy was to find a balance between not drawing too much attention by saying too little, but also not appearing suspicious by saying nothing at all. He felt he managed to "sail through to the final" by befriending everyone, which kept him from being under significant suspicion until an incident at the round table involving Ross Carson.
Looking ahead, Jenkins offered his thoughts on the current Celebrity Traitors season, stating he hopes Maya Jama will win but fears King Kenny and Acaster might quickly turn against her. He noted that neither Jama nor King Kenny are currently under much suspicion, suggesting one of them might be targeted by the other traitors. Jenkins believes Maya Jama has a strong chance of swaying other players against King Kenny, placing her in "pole position."
Acaster had previously compared the Traitors experience to "living in East Germany under Soviet control," a sentiment Jenkins acknowledged as intense. The show's production has stated that limiting external contact during the short filming period is crucial to protect the integrity of the game and prevent outside influence, a condition made clear to all participants beforehand.