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Behind the Scenes of The Traitors: Linda’s Shocking Gameplay and Unexpected Betrayals!

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The most intriguing aspect of this season’s The Traitors series is how Linda Rands, a former opera singer whose acting abilities rival those seen in Widow Twankey’s pantomime, managed to stay so long before being expelled from the castle on Wednesday evening.

As a lifestyle expert, I myself, in a previous professional capacity, found myself in a situation where a colleague, the composed call center manager Minah, age 29, had grown tired of my overly dramatic antics. She chose to join forces with others, leading to a collective decision to part ways professionally.

Initially, Linda’s behavior resembled that of a ‘pointer dog’, as she perked up noticeably when host Claudia Winkleman casually mentioned, “I’ll catch you Traitors later”, reminiscent of an eager puppy hearing a tantalizing treat.

The video sparked numerous funny memes across various social platforms. Even more disappointing were the fake, tearless displays of sympathy and strong declarations of camaraderie from individuals who’d just eliminated a competitor the previous night.

The spectacle brought so much joy to audiences that the BBC honored it with a playful billboard in London’s West End. Everyone, even Linda, concurred – it was nothing short of a small wonder she managed to endure for as long as she did.

The day following our encounter with her at the packed performance, Linda, aged 71, displays a delightful demeanor, warmly accepting her title as the outstanding queen of melodramatic performances.

It’s quite remarkable that she didn’t get caught earlier on, isn’t it? Yet, it seems everyone felt the same way. Laughing, she said, “Indeed! I guess I had more than nine chances to escape detection.

There was much speculation among people if the clumsy old lady character was intentionally misleading, or if severe editing made her appear more forgetful than she truly is.

Linda, a grandmother of two who is also divorced, shares that her initial strategy was to portray herself as older and somewhat less sharp-witted. However, she discovered that this persona was not an act, but rather a reflection of her true self. In her own words, “It wasn’t staged at all; that was me!

Despite her less-than-stellar acting skills, Linda has become a highly admired competitor throughout the third season of the ultimate trust-and-betrayal reality show, leaving fans deeply saddened by her exit on various social media sites. One fan lamented, “Our beloved Linda isn’t with us anymore!” Another referred to her as a ‘legend’.

I wonder what her reaction was when she stood before the large billboard in Leicester Square, announcing her ‘Golden Cloak Award’ and praising her ‘outstanding performance’.

Wow, it was amazing!” she exclaims, “Unbelievable! Yet, the only accolade I’ve ever received – and it was for poor acting!” (or)

“What a fantastic experience!” she says, “Hard to believe! But the one recognition I’ve had in my life – and it was for bad acting!

Linda’s straightforward honesty and self-effacing humor are quite captivating. In a complex psychological scenario where every subtle facial expression, hint of a clue from an unguarded remark or tiny gesture is exploited, it was hard to overlook Linda’s thoughts, which seemed to be broadcasted to the audience like signals.

It’s even more puzzling since she openly acknowledges that acting was a part of her training as an opera singer. She laughs and agrees, ‘Yes, it was,’ but admittedly, it didn’t seem that way, did it? She felt she had failed to meet expectations in that aspect.

However, she elaborates that operatic acting differs from feigning for television cameras. In essence, most of her performances have been on vast stages, but under the watchful eye of a camera, one needs to be exceedingly subtle, which isn’t something I’m accustomed to. To put it simply, I found myself adrift and went along with the flow.

Even though she might seem a bit eccentric, Linda possesses an impressive background in music. She was schooled at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music, followed by the London Opera Centre (which ceased operations in 1978), and went on to spend seven years gracing the stage with the English National Opera.

Subsequently, she relocated to Amsterdam to perform with the Dutch National Opera for a span of 13 years. Later on, she shifted from there to become a member of the Netherlands Radio Chorus in Amsterdam, which is comparable to the vocalists of the BBC.

I, myself, am incredibly fortunate to possess both Dutch and British citizenship, having been raised bilingually. My only son, Paul, who turned 45 this year, was born and brought up in the vibrant city of Amsterdam. He is the fruit of a fleeting 18-month marriage with my late husband, Paul Snr, a heroic firefighter. Despite our union’s brevity, my ex-husband and I managed to maintain a strong friendship that endured until his passing recently.

She notes that after Paul (Snr) remarried, we all consistently got together during Christmas and New Year celebrations, which was delightful for us. Meanwhile, our son Paul mentioned, “Dad would have enjoyed seeing you on Traitors.” Regrettably, he passed away prior to Linda submitting her application for the show.

Despite entering into new romantic connections since then, she chose not to re-marry and currently resides independently in Hertfordshire. Her decision to return to the United Kingdom in 2020 was motivated, in part, by the desire to be closer to Paul, Lauren (aged 43), her grandchildren Everleigh (four) and Lettie (six months old).

Everleigh was given permission to watch Linda on television. “Oh, Grandma,” she exclaimed, “I wish I could be on The Traitors as well!” She has a flair for the dramatic, much like her grandmother.

It seems her son Paul found her acting on stage awkward or out of place, as he is familiar with her behavior in everyday life. When she acted in a way he considered over-the-top, he would express his disapproval by saying something like, “Oh, Mum, why did you do that?” He often thinks she lacks intelligence and was taken aback by how long she managed to stay on the show.

It’s been proposed that the events depicted in this series may have been overdramatized, yet Linda maintains that all emotions portrayed are sincere.

The atmosphere is intensely focused, and it’s easy to become fully engrossed in the action. Since you’re working side by side for long hours, there’s a constant feeling of being under the spotlight and pressure. Given these circumstances, it’s no wonder people sometimes crack. Every move or word you make is closely examined and critiqued.

As an over-the-moon devotee, when I inquire about the most nerve-wracking experience, she reminisces about the time she was entrusted with covertly inscribing on a canvas the names of four devoted followers who were destined for a Death Match – a strategic card game that would result in the elimination of one of them.

The secret mission became quite overwhelming as my pen frequently ran out of ink while I wrote, causing me to worry that if anyone had noticed my scribbling, they would suspect something. (She admits this herself.)

As an utterly devoted fan, let me tell you, it was quite a challenge! You see, when I tried to use the pen vertically, it seemed as though it had a mind of its own, constantly dripping ink everywhere. I had to pause and give it a good shake every few seconds just to keep it from malfunctioning. Boy, did that task take forever!

It hadn’t crossed Linda’s mind that her unique ‘z’ flourish in Fozia, which she had written on the slate during the Round Table, could potentially betray her identity. This was a detail that fans noticed and suggested could have incriminated her.

Lauren, her daughter-in-law, labels her as ‘somewhat unconventional,’ which seems like a mild observation. In response, Linda quips, “Perhaps being eccentric is a requirement for appearing on the program.

Some contestants get selected by researchers, but Linda chose to apply on her own, having been a dedicated viewer since the show debuted in 2022. “I was captivated by the psychological aspects,” she said. “I thought, ‘I could do that.’ So I downloaded the application and began filling it out.”

Normally, she came very close to not finishing the application but grew frustrated but left it unfinished after learning that she needed to submit ‘pictures and a small video’, a task she found too bothersome to carry out.

It seems that my incomplete application somehow piqued their interest, as the following day I received a call from the show’s producers asking me to finish it up. Impulsively, I whipped up a video before heading to the gym, and to my astonishment, I was selected!

It seems she got chosen for the role since they believed she could bring a comedic touch to the production, as she herself admits. Indeed, that was evident in her performance.

Maintaining the confidentiality about every aspect, including Linda’s involvement and ultimately the winner of the competition, was likely quite difficult, particularly for Linda. This is because the show was recorded during the summer months.

She acknowledges that her son, as well as Lauren, his wife, and her sister Carol, were all aware of the situation. Quite an assembly indeed!

To put it simply, ‘They were individuals I had faith in. However, the situation was challenging, and I had concerns about potentially revealing too much.’

The group reunited for the first time since, on December 12. This gathering was to view the premiere episode of a 12-episode series collectively. Prior to this, I had crossed paths with a few individuals, but only at home. We preferred to steer clear of public spaces to avoid arousing suspicion. Maintaining our deception proved challenging.

Have you been successful in maintaining confidentiality? Let me put it this way, I held onto a secret for quite some time, only sharing with individuals whom I trusted implicitly. However, it wasn’t an effortless task.

On the program, groups emerge, bonds are forged – only to be sometimes shattered. I wonder if the participants actually establish sincere partnerships by asking Linda.

She formed close relationships with Doctor Kasim, aged 33, and ex-British diplomat Alexander, aged 38. However, her closest confidante continues to be Anglican priest Lisa, who is now 62 years old.

Linda mentions that they connected well because they are around the same age, she herself sporting statement glasses and a purple highlight in her silver hair. Unlike the edgy Linda who prefers hoodies and leather, Lisa is more traditional in her style, with a neat bob cut and a preference for practical jeans and vests.

On the initial day, I spotted Lisa and was relieved to see someone close to my age. She’s simply charming. From that moment, she caught my interest. We chat almost daily now.

At first, Lisa concealed her role as a clergy member from the entire group, even though there were hints like her wearing a cross pendant and occasionally saying “As God is my witness”. Naturally, Linda remained blissfully unaware.

‘I didn’t have any inkling or suspicion. Not at all, I must admit that I barely caught on to most of it. A good part of the time, I was wandering around as if in a daze.’

It seems almost definite that she’ll maintain a lifelong friendship with Lisa. Will she attend her church to sing?

She exclaims firmly, “Absolutely! I adore Lisa deeply, yet I’m not particularly spiritual. It’s quite peculiar, but we’ve developed such a strong friendship.

Some viewers saw Linda as the air-headed grandma on the show, while others believed her seemingly absentmindedness was a clever ruse. However, it’s now clear that she is exactly as she appears.

Despite her unique quirks and dramatic performances, there’s no question about it: Linda truly shines as a real-life star.

  • The Traitors airs on BBC1, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 9pm.

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2025-01-18 04:54

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