The Traitors viewers stunned by Matthew’s unprecedented ‘deal with the devil’ tactic

There was quite the heel turn on Friday’s (9 January) episode of The Traitors, as contestant Matthew made an unprecedented bid for glory.

Matthew, 35, a creative director from Northern Ireland, was initially selected as one of the many Faithfuls in the ongoing fourth series of the hit BBC reality show.

During last night’s episode, he made a plea to Traitors Stephen and Rachel to recruit him to the other side, asking that they choose to murder fellow Faithful Jessie.

Speaking to the Rachel and Stephen through a wall, with their identities concealed, he said: “I’m taking a massive risk here. I want to know that there is some trust.

“I suspect [host Claudia Winkleman] will offer you the opportunity to seduce the next time you meet. I want you to turn that down and I want you to murder Jessie.”

He added: “And then the next time you seduce, you can seduce me. So my question is, do we have a deal?”

Viewers were shocked by the twist, with many highlighting how little screen time Matthew had amassed before seizing the spotlight.

“He felt the ‘which ones matthew again’ vibe brewing and had to act FAST,” one person joked on X/Twitter.

“Didn’t even know Matthew existed until a couple of episodes ago and here he is making a deal with a devil what a guy,” another wrote.

“THE WHIPLASH I GOT WHEN MATTHEW TOLD THE TRAITORS TO MURDER JESSIE AND RECRUIT HIM WHAT A GIGA CHAD,” someone else exclaimed.

Some, however, has speculated that this is a devious strategy from the contestant, who never stated that he would actually accept the Traitors’ offer to convert.

Before beginning the series, Matthew said that there was no “morality” in the game, and he would do whatever it takes to win.

“It's a game, so there's no limit,” he said. “I can't express this enough because I am quite moral and I want to do the right thing, but this is a game, and so the moral dilemma that I see people face, I don't quite get because there’s no morality in this at all. We all know that we're entering a game.”

“I think I allow myself to become a different person when I play games, and I allow myself to be brutal, in the way that you must be if you want to win.”

The Traitors continues on BBC One next Wednesday at 8pm.