By Maeve McTaggart

Copyright independent

Tensions boiled over on Sunday night when confusion at the roundtable allowed both traitors to fly under the radar, leaving logistics specialist Joanna to face an emotional banishment.

When she stood up to reveal she was a faithful, she tearfully told her fellow players: “I said I’m not going to cry and the only reason I’m doing that is because my character was being attacked.

Today’s News in 90 Seconds – September 23rd

“I actually hope one of the guys will win it, because you are mean girls – and I’m a faithful.”

Her words caused a major stir, both within Slane Castle and on social media after the episode aired.

But Joanna (39) has said she holds “absolutely no grudges” as she looks back on her time on the show, describing all remaining contestants as “wonderful people” and urging viewers to keep negative comments to themselves.

While it felt “very real” in the moment, Joanna said she would like people to remember that it is a TV show and “real people with real feelings” are behind it.

I wouldn’t like this comment to hurt anybody

“I wouldn’t like this comment to hurt anybody. I am absolutely devastated seeing all the comments online. I’m heartbroken because I didn’t think that something that I said, that I felt at the moment, would have such an impact,” she said.

“To be fair, I can’t even imagine how all of the girls are feeling because even I’m getting so many messages and horrible comments, so I can’t even imagine what they are going through. When you are there, you’re just thinking about the present moment that you’re in.”

Yesterday afternoon, she shared a message to viewers on Instagram, reminding them that the show is “just a game” ahead of the penultimate episode.

“The majority of the female contestants that are still in the castle are very young, still on their path of self-discovery, finding their life,” she said on Instagram.

“Before sending any messages or comments to any of the contestants, please think twice. Is this something you would like to hear? Or is it something you would like your daughter to receive as a message?”

Speaking after her banishment, Joanna said she is “not very big on social media” but feels “lucky” that strangers’ comments do not impact her.

“I don’t really allow the strangers to dictate what I feel or how I feel, so I think I’m lucky enough that it doesn’t bother me as much,” she said.

“It’s not nice. I’m concerned about others probably more than myself, because I know I could deal with it, and I know I can distance myself from like opinions about me.”

The logistics specialist also admitted she did not expect to get emotional at the roundtable.

But at the moment, obviously, like I felt like my character was being attacked. That’s where the tears came from

“I was actually the one person that was always saying, ‘you’re not going to see the tears from me, because it’s just not who I am’,” she said. “But at the moment, obviously, like I felt like my character was being attacked. That’s where the tears came from.

“Because for me, the one thing that I do in life is since I came out to myself and to the world, and like living as a queer woman who wants to be true to herself, I said: ‘I will never lie.’

“And those are the things that I am saying to my girls, ‘Do not lie because it will always catch you.’ That being used against me, that felt like I was being attacked.

“That was it, that’s where all the emotion came out.”

She said she has “no regrets” about how she played the game – even about her decision to gift Kelley (23) a shield, despite the business graduate going on to vote her out of the show.

“She felt like she was being targeted, so for me, it’s just the mam inside that I was like, I just need to protect her. She’s closer in age to my daughter than to me.”

Amy (35), who was “murdered” by Nick and newly recruited traitor Ben the night before, said the real estate agent and member of the Defence Forces are playing “a very smart game”.

“I’m hoping that the girls sniff them out. Looking at it, it’s hard to see what avenue it would have to go down in order for that to happens. It’s anyone’s game. Things can turn on a dime in there, it’s insane. When you’re in the moment, you’re so fully immersed that you cannot see past that moment,” she said.

The final will all come down to whether the girls can “refocus” after a dramatic night at the roundtable, added Joanna.

‘The Traitors’ concludes tonight on RTÉ One at 9.35pm