KELLEY Higgins has had a whirlwind year since winning The Traitors Ireland.
Last August, the Letterkenny native made her TV breakthrough as a contestant on the first Irish season of the popular reality gameshow.
Entering Slane Castle as a 23-year-old Business Graduate from Dublin City University, neither Kelley nor her fellow castmates knew what lay ahead.
How Irish audiences would react to the show was unknown. Ultimately, The Traitors Ireland was a ratings hit, amassing millions of viewers.
It had the whole country playing along and analysing the contestants’ every move.
The show’s premise centres around a cast of “faithfuls” and “traitors”. Each day, contestants take part in group challenges to build the prize pot of up to €50,000.
A roundtable discussion takes place every evening with the aim of uncovering and banishing a traitor.
The traitors are also able to eliminate faithfuls as they meet up in secret each night and choose who will be “murdered”.
Kelley entered the show as a faithful and used her focus and logic to get to the final, eventually winning along with fellow faithfuls Oyin Adeyemi and Vanessa Ogbonna.
Reflecting
Now, as the show returns to our screens later this month, Kelley is reflecting on her year.
In the months after The Traitors Ireland aired, Kelley had a hectic schedule with interviews and events.
Before going on the show, Kelley was working in ABC School Supplies, run by her parents Brian and Denise.
She moved to Belfast in January to take up a role with Rory’s Travel Club, and comes home to Donegal whenever she can.
Speaking to the Donegal News, Kelley admits that she’s glad to be back to normality.
“Those few months after the show aired were a bit mental,” says Kelley. “It was a bit weird, everyone knowing who you were, or people asking for photos, or asking questions about the show.
“That extended from like September to January and then as soon as I moved up to Belfast, normality set back in. Which was nice, because [the show] hadn’t actually been aired here, so no one here really knew what it was about or who I was.”
The Traitors Ireland has been a huge success.
Kelley is grateful for the many opportunities that being on The Traitors has given her.
“It was an amazing opportunity and I got so many great experiences and met so many lovely people through it,” she says.
“But I kind of knew that wasn’t really like a long-term thing for me. I knew I wanted to get back to normal. I didn’t really want to pursue anything more than being on the show.
“It was fun to live in that bubble for those first few months, but I definitely needed to just get back to normality then.”
Kelley highlights the Late Late Show New Year’s Eve special as a stand-out moment in the last year.
“Being able to be back on TV within the year was incredible and to do it on New Year’s Eve was so special as well,” she says.
Kelley took home a share of €14,300 for winning the Traitors and she has chosen to use her earnings wisely.
“It’s so boring,” she laughs. “I actually was speaking to Vanessa and Oyin only recently, and Vanessa was saying how she spent all the money nearly at once. But I have the majority of it put into a savings account, because it was one of those things where if I have money, I will just spend it, and I’ll spend it on pointless stuff.
“I put it straight into a savings account and I’m leaving it there for a rainy day. Say if I have any issues with my car, or I’m hoping to get to Australia next year to visit one of my friends who moved there.”
Friendships
Kelley formed close friendships with her fellow cast members and still speaks with them regularly.
“With the girls especially, I talk to them nearly every day, and even this weekend Amy and Linda from the show are coming up to visit me in Belfast,” she says.
“I’m up in Belfast, Amy, who I’m closest to, would be Dublin, then Linda’s in Mayo, Katelyn’s in Galway, Christine’s in Cork.
“We do try our best to see each other at least once a month, and if not that, maybe once every two or three months and just pick a place and find a date where we’re all free.”
A dedicated fan of The Traitors format, Kelley is looking forward to watching the upcoming series as a casual viewer with her family.
Kelley has some sound advice for contestants who will be coming into the public eye when the new season airs.
“At the end of the day, if people comment or say anything, they are just hiding behind a screen,” she says.
“And remind yourself, you went on the show for you. Don’t let what other people say about it take away from that. It’s your own experience at the end of the day, and people will say what they want to say regardless.
“The opportunities that come your way, especially in those first few months, if it’s something you’re interested in, grab it with both hands because it is such a unique experience.”
The second season of The Traitors Ireland premieres on Sunday, August 30 on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player, with Siobhán McSweeney returning as host.