Tom Elderfield

**Tom Leslie Elderfield** is a contestant from *The Traitors (UK)/Series 1*.

## Profile

*Retrieved from BBC:*

**Name:** Tom

**Age:** 24

**Job title:** Magician

**Location:** Buckinghamshire

**Why did you apply to be on this brand-new reality series? What interested you about the concept?**
I’m a magician and I love fooling and tricking people. I get great satisfaction out of spending hours upon hours building up anticipation for this one moment. When it came to this show I loved the idea that I'd possibly build up a fake character of myself to try and deceive people just for that payoff of knowing that I could deceive them. I liked the challenge of it all, making my magic tricks real almost.

**What is your motivation for taking part in the show?**
I want to make a load of new friends if anything, and I'm all for taking a challenge and I love having a go at the unknown. My motivation is mainly because I love to be challenged and pushed out of my comfort zone, and this is beyond my comfort zone. I'm going to give it my best shot and do it with a smile on my face.

**What do you think you'll bring to the game?**
I think I'll bring a unique form of thinking. I think of everything quite literally, I don't let my emotions get the better of me. I would much rather not make it to the final, than make it to the final and the Traitors still be there. My ego would say ‘You've failed Tom!’ I'll bring a relaxed and less emotional form of thinking.

**Do you have a game plan?**
Yes and no. I don’t think it’s going to be possible to get into so many people's heads. All it takes is one person to point the finger at me and I'm screwed. I did have a form of a gameplan, sitting back and trying to read people, try and point out the lies because I've very good at picking up when people are lying. However, I'm well aware that if I'm too quiet, then people will get rid of me anyway and that's out of my control. I'm going to go in there with good energy and have fun.

**If you are a Traitor, how will you feel? How good is your poker face? How good do you think you'll be at deceiving your fellow players?**
I feel completely comfortable with it. I'll be in the mindset that if I'm told I'm a Traitor, then I'm not worried. I'm not going to purposely screw people over as it’s just a game. My poker face is just going to be me. Although magicians have been known for being sort of professional liars, I'm also the most honest person you've ever met, because I'm promising to deceive you. So, in a way, I'm not lying, because you know about it.

**If you're a Faithful, what will your game plan be? How good are you at spotting a liar?**
I'd like to think I read people pretty well. If I'm not a Traitor, those Traitors will probably be very scared of me because I'll point them out very quickly. I pick up on the way people are acting, how their energy changes, even the subtlest of things, when their palms get clammy, or their neck goes a bit cold. I'll be picking up on that as well as how everyone else reacts when someone gets accused of being a Traitor.

**If you’re a Faithful, what qualities do you think you’d need to make it through to the final?**
Ironically, despite being a professional liar, I think it is to be open, honest and authentic. A lot of people may not like that I am magician like it, they may hate it. But if they hate it, I'll be out of the game very early on.

**If you win the prize money, what will you spend it on?**
Experiences. I'm not a materialistic boy, I just want to see the world. I love the world. There are so many incredible places and people out there. I want to meet and make friends with all of them. I’d love to create a show and tour the world doing that show.

## Trivia

* Tom and his girlfriend Alex Gray were the first contestants in the franchise's history to ever enter the game with a secret pre-existing relationship.

## References

1. ↑ The Traitors - Meet the contestants | BBC Media Centre — November 25, 2022