EditorSwansea’s Secret Traitor revealed as real‑life lifesaver who helped woman escape abuse and sex work
Fiona, 62, who was unmasked as the series’ first ever Secret Traitor, worked for Swansea Council as a Local Area Coordinator covering the Brynmill and Uplands area. Her role involved supporting people facing isolation, crisis or vulnerability — and one case in particular has resurfaced following her TV fame.
A chance meeting that changed a life
According to a Swansea Council case study published in 2018, Fiona first met a young woman known as Alice on a bench overlooking the lake at Brynmill Park. The pair had been introduced by a mutual acquaintance who believed Fiona could help.
Alice, then 25, was bright and articulate but struggling with isolation, low confidence and a violent relationship. During one of their regular “talk and walk” meetings in local parks and along the promenade, she disclosed that she had become trapped in sex work.
The council says Fiona spent months getting to know her, helping her identify her strengths and goals, and supporting her to imagine “what a good life looked like”.
A Swansea Council case study said:
“Fiona came into my life when I thought nobody could help me. I felt so ashamed and just didn’t want to go on. I’ll always be grateful for the time she spent with me and thank her from the bottom of my heart.”
Fiona introduced Alice to a Domestic Abuse Support worker, took her to the One Stop Shop in the city centre, and encouraged her to explore voluntary work and education.
By the end of 2018, Alice had left her abusive partner, stopped sex work and enrolled in college. The council says the pair remained in contact.
Fiona’s philosophy: ‘Walk alongside people’
The council’s profile of Fiona paints a picture of a community worker who believed in simple, human connection — often starting with a coffee and a walk.
A Swansea Council case study quoted Fiona saying:
“Sometimes going for a coffee with someone you don’t know — having the warmth and genuine interest from another person — can help you to see options.”
She described her role as “walking alongside people” as they rebuilt confidence, reconnected with their community and worked towards the life they wanted.
Councillor Mark Child, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing at the time, called Alice’s story “one of the most moving” examples of the Local Area Coordinator scheme.
Fiona Hughes at the centre of the round‑table discussion as tensions rise during her final episode of The Traitors.(Image: (Image: BBC/Studio Lambert)
From council worker to TV favourite
Fiona’s off‑screen work stands in stark contrast to her on‑screen persona as the red‑cloaked Secret Traitor — a twist that made her one of the most memorable players of the series.
Her dramatic confrontation with fellow Traitor Rachel Duffy and subsequent banishment drew huge attention, with more than seven million viewers watching the episode.
But Fiona has insisted the show was “just a bit of fun” compared with the real‑life challenges she faced supporting vulnerable people across Swansea.
She is now retiring from the council after working full‑time since she was 16, but says she will continue volunteering in the community, including with Swansea’s growing Men’s Sheds network.
Fiona Hughes seated in an armchair inside the Traitors castle, with bookcases and wood‑panelled walls behind her.(Image: BBC/Studio Lambert/Euan Cherry)
A brush with police over a ‘burner phone’
Fiona also revealed on the BBC’s Uncloaked aftershow that she was once approached by police after innocently asking a shop for a “burner phone” — having been advised to set up a separate mobile for social media after filming.
The Independent reported that officers later approached her to check the request, leaving the studio audience in stitches when she recounted the mix‑up.
‘You can change somebody’s life by reaching out’
Reflecting on Alice’s story, Fiona told national media she was proud of the young woman’s progress but emphasised that the credit belonged to her.
Fiona Hughes said:
“The lady is very settled now. She has children and is an amazing woman. It’s not my story to tell, but it’s important to remember so many people feel very vulnerable and isolated, but you can change somebody’s life by reaching out.”
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