THE FUSE

Spoiler warning: This article contains details of the ongoing series of The Traitors.

BBC Traitors star Jessie Stride says helping to raise awareness for those with a stammer "means more than any prize money".

The Hull hair stylist was a popular faithful on the BBC reality show, but became the sixth player to be murdered by the traitors last week – leaving fellow contestants and viewers gutted.

But representing people with speech conditions was always her bigger goal, and has seen her break down more barriers than she could have imagined.

The 28-year-old tells BBC Newsbeat she is "on a high" after being the first contestant to have a stammer.

"I've had lots of people with stammers reach out, which is just really nice," says Jessie.

"I'm just on a really big high. I love it. I'm so happy."

Ahead of entering the game, Jessie said having a stammer has helped her be "an authentic person" because she cannot hide it.

Stammering, also known as a stutter, is a difference in the way some people speak which can cause them to repeat sounds or words, according to the charity Stamma.

"I would just love to be able to push (awareness) out a bit more and to get people speaking about stammers and just to help educate those who don't understand it," Jessie explains.

Jessie won many viewers' hearts and contestants in the castle with her loyalty, good humour and bright red hair - but also her ability to observe the behaviour of others.

"I feel like having a stammer makes you a good listener and it kind of helps me to be able to just watch a little bit more," she says.

"And I would just watch how Stephen was and how he'd act and I just had an instinct that it could be him."

By the second week of the series, Jessie successfully identified that fellow contestant Stephen was a traitor after analysing numerous scenarios.

The hairdresser doesn't feel her game was impacted by her stammer as the other contestants would be patient and allow her to speak her mind.

"It helped that the whole cast would just wait and were all just really kind about it," she says.

"Yes, it would take me longer speech-wise because I would need more time to speak, but the whole cast let me have that, which did help a lot."

PA Media Jessie is shocked and has her hands over her face. She has bright orange hair. She is sat beside a fellow contestant who has dark brown hair and wearing a black hoodie. They are sat at a breakfast table.

Jessie says she has received messages from others with a stammer who have said the representation has helped them feel seen.

"I'm hoping that if people who have a stammer watch me that it does give them hope that, you know, we are able to do what we want and that it doesn't have to hold us back," she says.

When the next Traitors episode lands on Wednesday, many viewers will likely miss Jessie's yellow and orange energy, but she has plans to continue to knock down any challenges coming her way.

"I would love to do more BSL, I would love to work with kids, I'd love to work in TV," she says.

"I have an open mind, but I do hope this isn't it and that I could do more here."

And although she has not won the prize pot, Jessie says she will take away the "great" friendships and bonds she made in the Traitors castle.