The Traitors’ Jaz Singh reveals his top 5 tactics to spot a Traitor

As a movie lover who appreciates real-life drama as much as the scripted ones, I can wholeheartedly say that Jaz Singh is a character worth rooting for. His journey from an ordinary young man from Manchester to a super-sleuth on The Traitors is nothing short of captivating.

In “The Traitors,” one would typically assume that the traitors are the main characters, and for most parts, you’d be correct. This BBC reality show is known for its ruthlessness, and indeed, it’s the titled deceivers who drive the unfolding narrative. They manipulate, double-cross, and eliminate their fellow contestants each night in the Scottish Highlands, effectively taking on the role of the protagonists without a script.

In contrast to the previous season, The Traitors’ second installment showcased a unique type of protagonist last year. At first, Jaz Singh was simply one among many, but he transformed into a “Faithful” with an uncanny ability to identify traitors. This is why fans affectionately nicknamed him “Jazatha Christie”, or “Jazzandra”, in reference to Cassandra, the Greek prophetess whose predictions were consistently disregarded.

As I prepare for the upcoming third season, I confess to TopMob that I never envisioned myself excelling at this game. It’s a dynamic arena where factors beyond your control are perpetually thrown into the mix. Yet, here I am, moved by the encounters on the street when strangers approach me saying, “You’re the true victor.” Such moments stir emotions within me that I hadn’t anticipated experiencing in this context.

How did Jaz, an ordinary young man from Manchester who had never heard of Agatha Christie, transform into a superb detective? According to Singh, it was his upbringing that played a significant role. “My father,” he implies, “was the key. I grew up surrounded by deception. When you’ve been in such an atmosphere, you’re always questioning everything.

At the end of season two, it was startlingly uncovered that Singh’s father, highly respected in the Sikh community of Manchester and a role model for young Jaz, had a hidden second family. This revelation left a deep impact on his son. Later, Singh delved deeper into this subject for Radio 4 in a documentary titled “The Psychology of a Second Life.” Although he prefers not to disclose further details about the situation, he believes that going through this experience has given him an ability to spot insincere individuals who merely appear charming on the surface.

From a young age, I found myself doubting everything because my father frequently lied,” he explains. “He was someone I admired greatly, but I couldn’t tell what was true from falsehood. It completely shifts your viewpoint. You understand that deceit and dishonesty truly exist in the world.

Of course, Singh didn’t actually win The Traitors, despite coming close. In the shocking final scenes, he failed to convince fellow faithful Molly that her best friend was working against them, and so it was 23-year-old ex-soldier Harry Clark who walked off with the prize pot. Singh says good-naturedly it’s “still a sore topic”.

In the grand finale, it wasn’t within my power to persuade Molly into joining me. However, if winning wasn’t supposed to happen that way, then so be it. What truly matters is that I can now leave this stage behind with pride, knowing I played according to my heart’s desire. I gave it my all, employing every strategy I knew to become the best version of myself possible.

Despite his loss, he’s managed quite well. Over the past year, he left his position as a national account manager at a distribution company and ventured into a full-time media career, hosting a weekly program on the BBC’s Asian Network, with more documentaries in the works.

He’s equally eager to find out what’s coming up for The Traitors, a show that kicked off on New Year’s Day with Claudia Winkleman introducing a fresh group of participants into the castle. “I can hardly wait!” he exclaims. “What makes this game unique is its adaptability. It will never be repetitive, keeping things interesting every single time. They should prepare themselves. It’s one of the toughest games out there. It’s terrible – yet incredibly exciting all at once.

1. Prepare

“I’ve worked for Samsung, Sony, all these glamorous, tech-y brands, where they give you this very expensive sales training to identify things like whether a client is going to take a deal or not. There’s been so much theory written about reading people that I thought, ‘Surely we can put this into practice.’ So, I did my own research on things like body language, and tried my absolute best to figure out, ‘OK, how do people feel when they do this? How do they act when they do that?’ I’ve also read books like How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie from an early age.”

2. Observe

In dealing with traitors, keep this in mind: You’ve got twice as much capacity to listen as you have to speak. Try to take a step back, observe more, and participate less. However, with numerous people present and multiple discussions ongoing, it can be extremely challenging. Always be ready to listen carefully during every chance you get, and watch closely too. Even while on the toilet in the castle, I found myself eavesdropping on conversations!

3. Decode

As a movie enthusiast, I’ve honed my knack for deciphering people’s feelings and reactions – even the subtle ones. It’s fascinating, really, as it’s almost like guessing what’s going on in their minds without them uttering a word. In the game we played, I spotted Paul and Harry with ease. Their self-assured demeanor gave them away – they stood tall, their chests puffed out, and they swung their arms with an air of control. It was clear they had everything under control, a trait that only Traitors could possess in this game.

4. Think

At night in my hotel room, instead of turning things off, I was trying to make sense of everything, generating various ideas in my mind. I’m always working on probabilities. For example, ‘This individual was 40% likely yesterday, but today they’re at 75% because…well, they coughed.’ Sometimes, it can get quite absurd. You might find yourself in an overly anxious state. The most important thing is to strive for calmness as much as possible.

5. Substantiate

As a passionate movie buff, I believe that when it’s my turn to express my thoughts, I should speak with confidence and deliver words that matter. It’s crucial to ensure that every statement I make is backed up by solid evidence, not just random ideas floating around. If I spout unsubstantiated claims, I might be undermining my own credibility.

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2024-12-23 19:34