Lawson Mahoney has revealed how he deliberately played the fool on The Traitors Australia — and was shocked when his closest ally helped send him home.
The model and Made in Bondi personality said he entered the Network 10 reality series believing that appearing unintelligent would help him survive. He had studied previous seasons and concluded that contestants who attracted attention by playing aggressively or showing too much intelligence were often eliminated early.
“I thought I could use that to my advantage,” Mahoney said, explaining that he was the youngest and one of the least-known contestants in the cast.
His strategy was to remain underestimated for as long as possible. “I played dumb,” he said, admitting that he may have waited too long before showing more of his thinking at the round table.
Mahoney also disclosed that he is a strong chess player, although he kept that hidden from the other contestants. He said he was baffled that Keira Maguire appeared to suspect he had a strategic mind, despite him never telling her about his ability.
His eventual banishment came as a particular surprise because Josh Packham had been one of his closest allies in the manor. Mahoney said he had “zero suspicion” that Packham genuinely believed he was a Traitor, describing the vote as the biggest shock of the series.
Although Mahoney secured a shield during one of the final challenges, it did not save him at the round table. Five of the seven remaining contestants voted for him, before he revealed that he was a Faithful.
He also contrasted the experience with his time on Made in Bondi, saying he was pleased that viewers had seen more of his real personality on The Traitors. Mahoney said the programme’s edit felt more authentic and that the response from viewers had been overwhelmingly positive.
