As an Auckland hairdresser for more than 40 years, Robbie Bell prides herself on being a trustworthy and loyal professional. In fact, when she moved to another hair salon in the suburb of Pukekohe last year, after spending 40 years cutting and styling hair in Ponsonby, she made a commitment to drive an hour one day a week so she can still cut the hair of her loyal client base in central Auckland.
“It was hard for me to say goodbye,” she explains.
So Robbie was shocked her loyalty came into question during her time as a contestant on the popular TV show The Traitors NZ.
Part reality competition and part murder-mystery, the Paul Henry-hosted series on Three pits 19 contestants, made up of celebrities and everyday people, in a situation where contestants dubbed “Faithfuls” have to figure out who among them are the “Traitors”, who are assigned to eliminate or “murder” the guests one by one with the chance of winning the $70,000 prize money.
From the very first day, the other contestants singled Robbie out, assuming she was a traitor. They were wrong.
“Traitor is such a treacherous word,” she says. “It’s very undesirable to be labelled a Traitor. To think someone was a Traitor amongst the others starts to play on your mind.”
Once there was a target on her back, other contestants would scrutinise Robbie’s every move.
“I once took a sip of water and someone said I was gulping it down like I had something to hide. I also remember going up to the bar and saying, ‘I’d kill for a drink.’ People were looking at me suspiciously.
The show’s lethal cocktail of skullduggery was not to Robbie’s taste.
“I felt like I was under the pump because I was not able to defend myself against a barrage of perceptions.”
Robbie was approached to compete on the show by one of her customers, who is a producer of the show. She accepted the invitation because she wanted a challenge and the chance to win the prize money to help support her four children, aged from 29 to 17.
“I used to work on TV and film sets behind the camera. I’ve been around this industry, but I’ve never initiated anything that would put me in front of the camera.
“When the opportunity came my way, it seemed like serendipity. It was a chance to put myself in a situation with a bunch of different people with no phones or contact from the outside world. It was an opportunity to come away from the experience being enriched mentally and physically.”
Competing on Traitors also challenged Robbie physically. In 2016, she was diagnosed with autoimmune arthritis and is being treated for the pain. On the show, Robbie had to compete in physical challenges and the fact she was able to partake and finish was a huge achievement.
“I was very positive about competing,” she tells. “The feel-good factor of achievement was a bonus.”
Robbie was eventually eliminated from the competition. Although she started the game as a Faithful, on her last day, she was invited to become a Traitor. She was eliminated soon after.
“I was tired of having to defend myself. Just imagine if this was real life and you have to convince people that you’re innocent. I felt really worn down having to do that.”
Robbie with her kids (from left) Francois, Lulu, daughter-in-law Eleanah, Jacques and Julius.
Despite the challenges, Robbie doesn’t regret her time on the show.
“I’m a 58-year-old woman with arthritis and I’m doing this. I just put my head down and ploughed through this to show people that it can be done. I did not get to the end, but I really wanted to.”
She did come away with lasting friendships with the other contestants. She especially bonded with stand-up comedian Sam Scott. Robbie has a daughter-in-law with multiple sclerosis, and Sam was also diagnosed with the condition, and is an ambassador for the MS Association.
“We often had conversations around MS and formed a connection,” she shares.
Her early exit from the show meant Robbie could return home to Auckland with her partner Mike and their four dogs.
The couple met three years ago at a dog park. They have a blended family of eight adult children. Robbie, who was a single mother for 10 years, says her kids are her pride and joy, and they’re very proud of her appearance on Traitors.
Robbie and Mike also have a passion for cars and they each have a project to restore a classic car – Mike is working on a 1955 Chevy Cavalier and Robbie is restoring a 1980 Ford panel van. She tells, “I hold things, move things around and pick out colours. It’s a really fun thing to do.”
Watch The Traitors NZ, Mondays and Tuesdays, 7.30pm on Three.
