In another dramatic moment on The Traitors, Paul Gorton was banned after Thursday's roundtable, leaving viewers cheering as his “reign of terror” finally came to an end.
36-year-old CEO Paul became infamous on the show for his “Oscar-worthy” acting skills and fearless way of upsetting his fellow contestants. Many compared him to Big Brother legend Nasty Nick.
Even though he was finally discovered and banished perhaps a week before the finale, there's no denying that he's one of the best traitors the series has ever seen.
But Paul has revealed his success was no coincidence as he spent years honing skills that ultimately served him well on the show.
From studying psychopathic traits and behavior to sitting comfortably in front of the camera, Web reveals how Paul made himself the ultimate traitor.
How Paul became the ultimate traitor: With the star considered one of the series' best ever traitors, Web reveals how Paul prepared for the challenge
Viewers were shocked at Paul's ability to cry when necessary, but he insisted his feelings were real because he was thinking about his family (pictured with wife Kate).
On Thursday's episode of “The Traitors: Uncloaked,” Paul revealed that he needed to “get into character” in order to murder the faithful without guilt and get through the roundtables unscathed.
He explained that he spent every night reading the 1991 novel “American Psycho,” about a psychopathic investment banker who leads a double life as a serial killer to keep his emotions in check.
Paul shared: “I kept trying to get into the character, I read American Psycho, I tried to imagine Patrick Bateman. “I just thought I can't break character.
“When the other traitors went into the interviews, they talked like a normal person. I couldnt do that. As soon as I turned into a normal person, I started to break down, so I stayed in character.”
Viewers were shocked at Paul's ability to cry when necessary, but he insisted his feelings were real, just the context was different.
Asked by Uncloaked host Ed Gamble about his tears at the round table, Paul said: “The emotions were real, I promise, the son bit.” “My little boy, I missed him a lot.”
To which Ed quipped: “You took that real emotion for your son and channeled it into something else that is pure Patrick Bateman!”
Paul replied, “Yes, I rephrased it, I repositioned it.”
Paul revealed that in order to murder the faithful without feeling guilty, he had to “get into character”, so he studied Patrick Bateman in American Psycho (pictured: Christian Bale in the film adaptation).
Paul shares son Charlie, 21, with his wife Kate and said: “The emotions were real, I promise, the son bit. “My little boy, I missed him a lot. I redesigned it, I repositioned it'
Charlie and Kate were his driving force in running the show, as he previously revealed he wanted to win so he could buy a family home
Chloe works as a model and social media star and was a former Playboy Playmate (pictured with former TOWIE star Chloe Sims, left)
He shares his 21-month-old son Charlie with social media star and former Playboy Playmate wife Kate, whom he has been with for 11 years.
Charlie and Kate were his driving force in running the show, as he previously revealed he wanted to win so he could buy a family home.
When asked what he would do with the winnings, Paul replied: “It has to be a house.” For me, my partner, our little boy and our dog – I have to get us all a house.
“We are renting at the moment and the mortgage rates are just chaotic. So if I can win the show or be part of a group of people who win the show, then that changes our lives.”
While Paul may have portrayed the psychotic Patrick Bateman on the show, he was still considered one of the most popular contestants by his co-stars due to his likeable nature.
His work as an amateur comedian also contributed to this, having previously appeared as a stand-up performer at the Comedy Store in London.
Speaking about how his comedic skills could be helpful on the series, he mused: “If I can bring comedy into it, I think that's a really powerful tool to engage people and maybe defuse situations when they're like that are tense.”
“Maybe I can be some kind of comfort and distraction in this way.” I guess there wasn't anyone exactly like me there last year, which is good. Hopefully I can have my own little niche.'
Paul also believed that his work in sales would be a strength to him as a traitor.
He explained: “People think that with a poker face you always have to be strict and stoic and not show any emotion, I don't agree with that…”
Paul continued: I think if you can show happiness when you're really sad, or sadness when you're really happy, then those are better traits…
“Reading people is another strength I think I will bring with me because I think I can see it in people’s faces when something has changed.”
“I feel a little bit here. I work in the corporate world and this kind of environment happens quite often. where you sit in a room and you get grilled and you defend yourself.
“I've been in this situation a few times. So I think this is perfect.'
While Paul may have been channeling the psychotic Patrick Bateman, he was one of the most popular candidates due to his work as an amateur comedian
While many of the contestants were surrounded by cameras for the first time, this was not the case for Paul, who once hosted his own BMX TV show to achieve fame
Paul is also a regular guest on comedian Joe Wilkinson's Chatabix podcast, which he co-hosts with fellow comedian David Earl
He also appeared on Deal Or No Deal with Noel Edmonds in 2010, but only won 10p
While many of the contestants cracked under the pressure of constant scrutiny from their fellow stars, many of them also had to deal with being surrounded by cameras for the first time.
This wasn't the case with Paul, who once hosted his own TV show in order to become famous.
He began his long media career back in 2011 as the frontman of Quest for the Backflip on the Extreme Sports Channel.
The four-part series followed the amateur athlete as he attempted to master the art of the backflip on his BMX bike.
Paul is also a regular guest on comedian Joe Wilkinson's Chatabix podcast alongside comedian David Earl.
A clip of an episode was shared on TikTok showing Paul being told about the BBC series for the first time after its premiere in 2022 and being asked to apply after claiming “he would win the show”.
He also appeared in the 2010 series Deal Or No Deal with Noel Edmonds.
Paul was just 22 at the time of filming, unemployed and living with his girlfriend at his mother's house in Warrington.
He hoped the show would land him a modeling contract and possibly a £250,000 cash injection.
However, he emerged from the episode with a small fraction of the top prize, a paltry 10p.
While Paul had all the skills to be the perfect traitor and make it to the finals, he didn't expect his fellow traitor Harry to turn against him during Thursday's Round Table.
After Charlotte expressed her suspicions about Paul, Harry doubled down on his shocking betrayal and managed to convince the faithful to banish him.
Paul has insisted there is no bad blood with Harry, adding that he believes his downfall came weeks earlier when he decided to go to the dungeon with Ash, which put him in the spotlight.
He had nominated himself to go to the dungeon thinking that the believers would save him since he was voted the most popular, but instead they saved Andrew.
Ash was eventually sent home and Paul came under suspicion for the first time, but managed to evade the round table vote until Harry brought up the dungeon during his shocking banishment days later.
Of the dungeon decision, Paul said on Uncloaked: “What a mistake, I was way too cocky.” I played that act and that character and thought, “No, let's do that.” And I was convinced that it would happen that way would.”
While Paul had all the skills to be the perfect traitor and make it to the finals, he didn't expect his fellow traitor Harry to turn against him and seal his fate
However, he insisted he had no regrets and said that by the end of his time in the Scottish castle he had begun to “crumble” under the pressure of maintaining his traitorous act.
“Once I normalize, I start to crumble, so I stayed in character,” he said. '[On the show] I'm becoming more emotional and sensitive because I can't hold on anymore, while Harry almost replaced me.'
He added: “I have absolutely no regrets, I've grown very fond of people on the internet, but I've also experienced the opposite.”
“I'm happy with that because even watching it again I think, 'He's got to go, they've got to find him, we've got to get this guy out, he's so cocky!'”
The Traitors airs Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer