She won Three's reality TV show, and watching it back was a whole different experience.
Chloe Withrington went into a South Canterbury castle to play one of New Zealand's most devious TV games, and came out the other side with $75,000 in winnings. Smart, strategic, and genuinely compelling to watch, she made it out with her friendships intact, her dignity mostly intact... and her son's favourite cast member still isn't her.
Chloe, 31, lives in Beach Haven on the North Shore of Auckland, and was one of the contestants on Season 3 of The Traitors New Zealand, on Sundays and Mondays on Three and ThreeNow, hosted by Madeleine Sami.
In a dramatic final twist, Chloe was recruited from the Faithful to the Traitors by Keanu at the eleventh hour - only for Keanu to be voted out shortly after, leaving Chloe to fight the final round alone and claim the $75,000 prize.
It's a well-deserved win for Chloe, who has faced more than her share of challenges outside the castle walls. She lost her partner in a rugby accident three years ago, and says she plans to put the winnings to good use, making enhancements to her home's exterior for her and her pre-school aged son.
Going on a psychological reality show in a South Canterbury castle was, she'll admit, not an obvious move, but one that's helped her. We caught up with her to talk deception, cliques, and what happens when a superfan's entire office recognises you.
Watching The Traitors as it airs, was there a moment where everything clicked and you thought, oh god, how did I miss that?
Oh, absolutely. From day one I was convinced it was either Keanu or Harrison. And episode six gives us some pretty solid evidence pointing to Harrison... which, as it turns out, was wrong. But whether I ever figure out Keanu? You'll have to keep watching...
What's it like seeing yourself in those high-pressure moments on screen?
Honestly, running social media for my business means I'm pretty used to seeing myself on camera now. But watching back the high-pressure moments, knowing what you now know about who the Traitors actually were? That's a different kind of uncomfortable. There's also so much that doesn't make it to air, which explains a lot of things. I genuinely feel for production trying to compress a full day into one hour. They've done an incredible job, but there's a whole world of context that viewers don't get to see.
You got pretty fierce about protecting your alliance. Are those friendships still going?
The clique is forever. I got really defensive of our alliance on the show, and it's because I genuinely adore these people. I went into filming after a few years of deep depression, and I found a group where I could be completely, 100% myself, which was something I hadn't been able to find in a long time. Harrison and Sam, I love to bits. And Keanu and Violette? I speak to them every single day.
And now you're back on the North Shore, are people recognising you in public?
Ha! I'm a solo mum who works from home, so I genuinely don't leave the house often enough to get recognised. But I did recently meet a new client in person, and when I walked in she immediately knew who I was. Turns out she was an absolute superfan of The Traitors, and her whole office was excited. That was definitely new territory. And I am so awkward that it makes me want to hide behind a display stand.
The Traitors New Zealand Season 3 is currently on ThreeNow. Hosted by Madeleine Sami.
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