There's a game called Mafia that Siobhán McSweeney is not allowed play with her friends, she tells Ray D’Arcy. Why not, he naturally enquires. Well, Siobhán says, the thing is she doesn’t like to lose:
"I get a bit too upset. I get very upset and there was an incident in the Lake District where I may have upturned a table and walked out, calling everybody bullies."
That’s next-level taking the game too seriously, in fairness. McSweeney, the actress and presenter who shot to everyone’s attention with her glorious turn as Sister Michael in Derry Girls, is, as you’ll know unless you’ve spent the last fortnight in that spot in Belmullet that doesn’t get any service, the host of The Traitors Ireland, the Irish version of the worldwide smash hit reality show.
The show originated in The Netherlands in 2021 and now features more than 30 international versions. How different will the Irish version be, Ray wants to know from, say, the UK version? Siobhán reckons she’s too close to the subject to really tell:
"I suppose because I’m such a fan of the show, I’m really nosy to find out what will be the difference. I agree there is a huge difference between us and the Brits. And I think fundamentally what makes this show a success is because the act of deceiving and the act of lying and the act of betrayal is incredibly universal. But the way each country will do it will be different, I think. And I’m really curious to see how the Irish will do it because I think we’re very good at deceiving. I think we’re very good at smiling and telling you what you want to hear."
Wow. Don’t beat around the bush there, Siobhán - give it to us straight. The Traitors presenter offers up the word plámás as an example of how the Irish "smile and smile and be a villain."
"Shakespeare took loads of words to say it and we just have it in one: plámásing. And how you sort of compliment somebody, and you wind them up, but it’s, there’s grit behind the smile. And I think that’ll be wonderful for the show."
Siobhán says that the reaction to the announcement that she’d be hosting the Irish version of the show has been very positive so far and she’s delighted that she gets to go home to work. Of course, Siobhán was home to work on three seasons of the phenomenal Derry Girls and Lisa McGee, the creator of that show was quick to get in touch when the Traitors news broke:
"Lisa was on to me yesterday when the announcement came and she was like, 'How did you not tell me?’ I’m like, ‘See? I can keep a secret.’ So she is very, very thrilled, which means an awful lot to me."
Ray suggests that Lisa McGee likely feels that she had some small part to play in Siobhán’s success, something the Traitors host feels is, well, fair:
"Oh, she owns us all. She owns us all. She’s still getting a cut. She’s getting 97% of my fee."
For The Traitors hosting gig, Siobhán sees herself playing a persona – she's an actor after all – and she’s really looking forward to having a good time with it:
"Like it’s the best side hustle ever, do you know what I mean? I'm an actor, that’s my profession, so I have nothing but fun when I present. Nothing but fun. It’s the best craic ever."
It certainly sounds like the audience will be having the best craic ever as well. You can hear Ray’s full chat with Siobhán by tapping or clicking above.
The Traitors Ireland will be on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player in 2025.