The Traitors star Jessie ‘shows those with stammers are not stupid’

Spoiler warning: This article contains details of the ongoing series of The Traitors.

The new series of The Traitors has had more than its fair share of twists and turns – plus a secret traitor to top it off.

But while tactics and deceit are dominating conversations about the show, it is contestant Jessie Stride who has got others talking.

The 28-year-old has a stammer and in episode one said introducing herself was “one of the biggest tests ever”.

For people like Hayley Rawlings, from Newport, who has had a stammer since she was four, this is a familiar feeling.

She said the representation goes a long way, particularly for young women who she feels are often overlooked.

“I think people at home will watch that and think, ‘oh, actually, they’re not going to laugh or think I’m stupid’,” said Hayley.

Stammering, or stuttering, is a type of speech disorder where the flow of spoken words is altered by repetitions or prolonged sounds.

It affects 8% of children and at least 1% of adults, according to stammer charity STAMMA, with some people not declaring it or realising they have one.

Stammers or stutters are also thought to affect more males than females.

The second week of the new series showed Jessie, a hairdresser from Hull, successfully identifying Stephen as a traitor and leading during challenges.

Hayley, 34, said Jessie being good at the game and her stammer not being the focus gave people “something to relate to”.

“It was really good to see her say her name is the hardest thing, which if you spoke to 99% of people who stammer that is the case,” said Hayley, who believes that might be because it is not a word you can swap out.

Hayley said people’s reactions to Jessie showed how much progress was being made.

“It wasn’t a big deal,” she said.

“It’s just really nice to see that everybody there is just giving her time to talk and they’re doing the right things, probably without even knowing that they’re are.”

Hayley said people with stammers were often mocked or villainised in the media and sometimes portrayed as having them as a result of trauma.

“I think it’s going to teach people a lot about what [stammering] is and that it’s normal,” she said.

“Also as a female who stammers, it’s amazing to see, because we are a minority in a minority.

“In the past I’ve done a lot of work for charities and it was often older men and no disrespect but I just didn’t relate to them.

“So it’s so nice to see a young female and think the people can relate to her.”

As for Jessie’s game, Hayley wants to see her under some pressure, adding it would be “quite interesting to see”.

“I’ve thought in the past I wonder what a stammer would be like on [the show] because people naturally stumble over their words when they lie,” said Hayley.

“I want her to get accused to see how they [the other contestants] take it.”

Joe Dilling, a physiotherapy technical instructor from St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan, has had a stammer since he was six-years-old.

Now 26, he said it had been “quite up and down” adding he also related to Jessie.

“The worst thing for most people is introducing themselves.

“That must have been one of the more anxiety inducing things for her,” he said.

“People who have got a stammer are underrepresented in TV and most of the time if you see someone who has got one it’s the main focal point, so its good to see no-one has made a point of it and Jessie is just shown to be a normal person.

“It is good to see noone is making an issue because it’s not – it just might take her longer to talk at times.”

Joe has not watched The Traitors before, but is tuning in to see Jessie.

“I do think people who have got a stammer are better at picking [social cues] up,” he said.

“Raising awareness is the most important thing because there’s still quite a lot of people who don’t really understand it and you do get awkward situations sometimes.

“I just think it’s good to see someone represented but that’s not the only thing about them.

“People have a perception that people with a stammer are not capable and that’s obviously the case.”

The Traitors continues on BBC One and iPlayer on 14 January at 8pm.