Traitor: Is the Welsh accent really more reliable?

This article contains some discussion of the first episode of The Traitors, but does not include major spoilers such as who the new traitors are or who is killed or exiled.

Plot twists are already happening in Traitors season three, as a contestant from London lifts the lid on her charming – but fake – Welsh accent.

Charlotte, 33, has lived in London all her life but has decided to reveal she is from Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, to maximize her chances of survival.

“I’m doing a Welsh accent because my mum is from Wales, it’s one of the most reliable accents,” she told the camera on New Year’s Day.

But there is a Welsh lilt. Really The key to gaining people’s trust as a loyalist on the show?

The reality show revolves around “traitors”, chosen by host Claudia Winkleman, who must deceive and gain the trust of the other contestants, who are “faithful”.

Dr Mercedes Durham, professor of sociolinguistics at Cardiff University, researched the similarity of the Welsh accent and found that people associate the accent with being friendly – but not necessarily smart.

“They genuinely appreciated it, they found it funny, attractive and friendly, but they didn’t take it seriously or associate it with intelligence,” Dr. Durham said.

But friendship and trust are linked, Dr. Durham says, so there may be a method behind the mask.

Inspiration may have come from ex-Welsh contestants Andrew Jenkins from Talbot Green, Rhonda Cynon-Tough, and Amanda Leavitt from Swansea, who finished both loyalists and missed out on the Traitor Trophy in series one and two.

Amanda traveled through the first series of Traitors in 2023, with her detractors pleading that the humble character could never be a traitor.

“I think the Welsh accent is very comfortable, it’s definitely played a part in people trusting me to be a motherly figure,” Amanda said.

“Maybe they didn’t think I’d be fast enough, or able to kill, maybe I’m too naive,” she added.

“But I don’t know if I agree with pinching my Welsh accent,” laughs Amanda, adding, “We’re very proud of our Welsh heritage”.

Amanda said Traitors fans could also be wary of a Welsh contestant this time around, as both she and Andrew kept their charming tones to the end.

Andrew agreed that the Welsh accent was believable, but said he would have spotted Charlotte’s duff Welsh accent from a mile away.

“Oh I think it’s terrible, she keeps dipping in and out of her London accent,” he said.

“I think the Welsh are lovely, friendly, trusting people, I went in and was authentic.

“I tried to make as many friends as I could and to be honest with myself, I think that helped.”

Charlotte isn’t the only Welsh person at the game this year, as Cardiff-based Allan is from North Wales and Leanne is from Holywell in Flintshire.

According to Dr Durham, there is a lot of variation in Welsh accents, and people are more closely related to certain areas.

“The main association for people outside of Wales is Barry Island in the Valleys of South Wales and the Vale of Glamorgan, thanks to Gavin and Stacey,” he said.

“Perhaps more than the other two contestants, this is the tone that outsiders will most associate with Wales.”

The Welsh accent has prompted new contact centers to set up or expand in Wales in recent years, including Starling Bank, Capital on Tap, Wizo and TCH Group.

One firm even chose Newport over Middlesbrough, Teesside, to open its funeral planning business, because “Consolation” and “compassionate” Welsh accent.

Sandra Busby, chief executive of Cnect Wales, which supports contact centres, said Wales had always been an attractive destination for a number of reasons, with accents “playing their part”.

“Over the years the Welsh accent has consistently come in the top three regional accent surveys for friendliness and trustworthiness,” he added.

A study by the University of Sheffield and Spa Seekers ranked the Welsh accent as the most comfortable accent across the UK in 2024.

The public has a soft spot for all Celtic accents, including Irish and Scottish, thanks to their friendly connotations, Dr Durham said.

Received pronunciation, also known as “Queen’s English”, works well to gain people’s trust, but mainly because of its social prestige.

But Birmingham, Liverpudlian and Cockney accents are often disliked and are found at the bottom of popularity surveys.

According to a study by Ilaria Torre from the University of Plymouth, trust in accents can change over time depending on our social circles and everyday relationships.

Participants heard either a standard southern English accent or a “less reliable” Liverpudlian accent, and attitudes changed based on first impressions and judgments.

This first impression of credibility is enhanced if the person speaking in a “trustworthy” tone continues to behave fairly.

Yet if they continued to behave unfairly, they were seen as less trustworthy than those whose tone and behavior were both less trustworthy.

The participants were “punishing them, so to speak, for not meeting the participants’ expectations”, Ms Torre said.

In the opposite direction, those who were seen as “unreliable” with a Liverpudlian accent but performed well were able to overturn negative preconceptions.

So, while a Welsh lilt can get you off to a good start as a reliable contender, it still has its drawbacks.

With a mix of different accents from across the UK, how would the Welsh do?

You may know – the first three episodes of The Traitors. Now on BBC iPlayer.

The series airs on BBC One on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights at 21:00 GMT.