The Traitors' Paul Gorton: 'I didn't see banishment coming'

Paul Gorton, featured in “The Traitors,” expresses surprise at his banishment despite his deceitful scheming.

Paul Gorton appeared to effortlessly plot and lie until his endless scheming caught up with him.

In the latest installment of BBC One’s The Traitors, viewers have been captivated for eight episodes by the cunning maneuvers of 36-year-old business manager Paul Gorton. Hailing from Manchester, Gorton successfully flew under the radar, deceiving, plotting, and manipulating fellow contestants in the quest for victory.

However, the tables turned in last night’s episode when a standoff with another traitor resulted in Gorton being banished from the castle. Expressing his surprise, he admitted, “I didn’t see it coming.” Gorton credited his fellow traitor, Harry Clark, for playing an exceptional game, stating, “It was the Paul and Harry show, and then I dipped off. I couldn’t keep up with the character.”

Hosted by Claudia Winkleman, The Traitors unfolds in a Scottish castle, where 22 strangers vie for a prize of up to £120,000. Selected as traitors, a handful of contestants must strategically eliminate their fellow players, known as faithfuls, through nightly “murders” while avoiding detection to claim the coveted prize fund.

“When I was in the audition phase, my intention was to play the role of a traitor,” explained the father-of-one.

“I believed that the best way for me to engage in the game was by assuming the role of a traitor, taking charge of the gameplay, and actively participating in the strategic aspects. So, when I sat down with Claudia, who selects the traitors, I made a deliberate effort to present myself as a traitor. I even chose ‘cruel’ as one of the three words to describe myself.”

However, Paul didn’t anticipate how challenging it would be to maintain his villainous persona as the game unfolded.

“It held up for eight episodes, but I found myself deteriorating,” he admitted.

“Over the past few episodes, my emotional side started surfacing. My mind was working in overdrive, and I reached a point where I thought, ‘I’m done here.’

“I believe Harry might have sensed that and decided to seize the opportunity to get me out of the game.”

Balancing the demands of the game with being a new parent to an 18-month-old at home proved to be a significant factor for Paul.

“I just couldn’t sustain the act and gradually started reverting to my true self,” he confessed.

In Thursday’s installment, Paul and Harry opted to enlist Andrew Jenkins to join their ranks as a betrayer.

Feeling compelled to accept their offer, Andrew harbored unease about the notorious history of the traitors, known for sacrificing their past allies.

However, it was at the round table that Harry ultimately sealed Paul’s fate by betraying his fellow conspirator.

Paul, taken aback, struggled to comprehend as Harry unleashed a litany of incriminating traits and incidents that could classify Paul as a traitor.

Ultimately, Paul garnered the majority of votes and was ousted from the competition.

In reflecting on the comparisons being made between him and “Nasty Nick” from the inaugural season of Big Brother, he expressed his perspective, stating, “I anticipated being perceived as a villain, much like the Nasty Nick character. However, the crucial distinction lies in the nature of the shows themselves. This is The Traitors, and I openly acknowledged to Claudia Winkleman that I would employ deception and falsehood to secure victory. In contrast, in Big Brother, authenticity is paramount; you don’t need to resort to deceit. So, if I were to participate in Big Brother, my actions wouldn’t involve traitorous behavior, to put it simply.”

Displaying his talent for deception to a widespread audience, have there been some uncomfortable discussions at the family dinner table?

“People I know who have seen it find it absolutely hilarious,” he remarked.