As The Traitors keeps drawing big audiences across Ireland, some viewers have gone online to insult the players.
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Recently eliminated Traitor Katelyn Divilly told the Irish Independent that she stepped away from social media after being harassed by trolls.
Read More: The Traitors ‘Faithful’ Anna Duke ‘Obsessed’ with Irish Rendition of Hit Show
Former Irish contestant Anna Duke, who appeared in the BBC version of The Traitors, said she faced the same thing.
I did The Traitors in January, and I was absolutely shocked about the amount of abuse that we got online. Going into it, I think because I hadn’t really engaged on online critique of shows before, it’s not something I even thought happened, because if you’re not looking out for it, you don’t really notice it. But I was absolutely stunned by the amount of people who messaged me horrible things, who were making videos making fun of us, who were writing these big think pieces on how we’re bad people on Twitter and Reddit. It really, really took me off guard; it really knocked me for six.
she told Newstalk Breakfast
Ms Duke said it is easy for outsiders to accuse players of being too competitive, but everyone knows it’s just a game.
You’re allowed to get into the spirit of the game, and you know, play. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad person, it doesn’t really say, I don’t think, too much about your character. But I think when you’re watching it, you actually see so little of everyone’s day, each individual character, that people are so quick to make judgements on the people as a whole. And actually, I don’t think we should really be doing anything apart from critiquing the gameplay.
she said
According to Ms Duke, one cruel video mocking her and other contestants made her cry.
My personality had never been up for public debate – and I wasn’t even one of the most hated or most critiqued characters on our show. I wouldn’t even say I was one of the breakout stars on our show; that’s why I was so shocked by the amount of abuse that I got. I just remember opening my phone one day, and it wasn’t even like I was looking for it, it was just on TikTok. This girl made a video just kind of making fun of me – I think women sometimes get it a little bit tougher – but of me and three of the other women on my cast.
she said
Ms Duke said the video’s many likes and comments “genuinely felt like I was being bullied.”
With help from BBC therapists, she said she now feels like herself again, but her “heart breaks” for the current Irish cast.
Source: NewStalk