Survivor winner and The Traitors Season 3 player Jeremy Collins is shedding some light on his time in the Scottish Highlands castle.
**Spoiler Warning: This article contains spoilers for the first four episodes of The Traitors Season 3**
Sadly, after just a few roundtables and cash-earning competitions, Collins was murdered by Season 3’s four Traitors (Danielle Reyes, Rob Mariano, Carolyn Wiger, and Bob the Drag Queen) and done so in the most dramatic way possible, as the group of devious castle-dwellers hammered nails into his coffin. It was a bittersweet end to his short-lived time in the game, especially since after his exit, his fellow Faithfuls banished their first Traitor, Bob the Drag Queen, to the excitement of the entire roundtable.
“I wanted that reaction. I wanted to be there to see everybody lose their mind when we caught a Traitor,” Collins told Decider, adding that it hurt to see it happen immediately after his exit. “It was cool to watch on TV, but I wish I was there.”
Even though he did lose out on the chance at the $250,000 and the opportunity to suss out the other Traitors in the bunch — he was onto Danielle’s scent just before his exit, part of the reason he was sent home — he did still get to experience some of the biggest moments of the season thus far. Highlights include the introduction of three new players, the messy murders of two Real Housewives (R.I.P. Dorinda Medley and Chanel Ayan), and the internet’s obsession with Tom Sandoval’s nervous pit stains. That one, we had to ask about.
“I think that Tom was just nervous. Tom’s crazy,” Collins joked. “When you see it on TV, that’s legit. He really yanked off his mask [after Traitors’ selection] and he’s looking at me. And then he was following me. He was following me around the castle. I walk in a room, I turn around and I’m like, ‘Yo, someone put a bell on Tom so I know when he’s coming.’”
All in all, Collins said his time on The Traitors, while fleeting, was a memorable experience and something he would not mind doing again in the future if the opportunity were to arise (hear that, producers?!). And if not him, he does have a list of fellow Survivor players he would love to see enter the castle for Season 4, including one person who he thinks would feed on the paranoia of the games.
“She would lose her mind, and it would be great television,” he said of a fellow island-alum who would also “burn that place down.”
Keep reading for Decider’s full interview with Collins after his elimination, including his list of Survivor alums who should play the game next and why he is rooting for Carolyn to win it all.
DECIDER: Let’s start at the beginning. You just arrived in the trader’s castle. What was your gameplay? How were you feeling going in? And how does that differ from how you’re feeling now?
Going in, I felt good. I felt comfortable. I felt like if I can gain everybody’s trust…I have a good reputation on Survivor. So I was hoping that people there in the castle would all know my reputation and just gain everybody’s trust that way. And then whether I’m a Traitor or not, kind of just navigate through the craziness. It was good going in. I feel good now.
Now, just towards the end, right before your sad elimination, you made a bold proclamation that you would work with the Traitors if you were to live. What was the reasoning behind that? Where was your mind at in that moment?
I don’t know. I was just like, “Let me stay in the game. If you guys keep me, I’ll help you out. I’ll do anything you guys want just to keep me in.” I knew going back, if I did survive, a lot of conversations needed to be had because everybody would be like, “You’re done.” You know what I mean? Derek said he sold his soul to the devil, and I did. I was like, “Yo, just keep me in.” But I think I could have navigated through that. I think all the work that I did leading up to that with gaining everybody’s trust and everything, I think that I could have rebounded from that. But I don’t know, it was just a Hail Mary. I just tried to try to stay in the game as much as I could.
Just before you left, you started to suspect Danielle and were catching some hints. Did it give you any closure to know you were targeted for a reason?
I mean, it’s fine. I guess, yeah, she did a little bit too much. I talked to her a lot in the first couple of days, and watching her mannerisms and watching some things she did, I was like, “She’s a Traitor.” But looking back at the other three Traitors, we all had really good relationships. When they went after Bob the Drag Queen, I said, “Bob, they’re coming after you. I got your back, though, but they’re coming after you.” Carolyn, we had to sit down and I said, “Carolyn, you have a beautiful soul. Don’t let anybody change who you are. We are good. We’re on the same team, this and that.” Me and Rob, we had a good relationship. We had a good conversation. So the other three should have had my back. But whatever. Danielle was too powerful, I guess.
Carolyn got emotional after you left. What was that like watching that? Because she really did shed some tears and honestly, in the Turret, she was emotional because she was being steamrolled. Did you see that? And how did you feel watching her get emotional like that that day?
I thought it was cool to see her a little emotional about it. We did have a really good relationship, but out there, nobody was listening to her. So I could see why when they’re in the Turret and they’re not listening to her, I could see why she’s getting frustrated and stuff. But that’s how it was out there. I didn’t think she was…I would never, ever suspect Carolyn to be a Traitor, ever.
As of when you left the game or to the episode that we’re at right now, is there someone you’ve been watching that you think is playing the game really well that you would put on a pedestal and say, if anyone else going into this game is looking for advice or any kind of guidance, look at this person?
No one can play the way Carolyn’s playing except Carolyn. She’s just playing a great game because there’s no expectations on her. She’s kind of crazy. So she’s playing a wonderful game. Other than that, everybody’s all up in the air, and it changes from minute to minute, hour to hour. People are everywhere. So the Traitors are doing a good job sewing discourse and causing confusion. But yeah, it’s a tough game.
So it only took four episodes. They finally got a Traitor. I’m sure you probably wish…I mean, a lot of us wish it was Danielle. What was your reaction to seeing them finally find one?
I wanted that reaction. I wanted to be there to see everybody lose their mind when we caught a Traitor. That was my main thing. I wanted to see the excitement. And then I wanted to see how the game would change afterward. I only got to see the beginning parts of the game. There’s so much more to this game that I wanted to be involved in and experience. It was cool to watch on TV, but I wish I was there. I was one-off. I just needed one more day.
Well, that was my next question. Is there anyone from the Survivor universe that you would love to see cast in Season 4?
I would love to see Michelle Fitzgerald. I know [Stephen] Fishbach wants to do it. Tyson [Apostol] would be great. I think he would love it. But I will say the person that I think that I say she should be on every season of Survivor and if you put her in the castle, but she has to be faithful…if you put Abi-Maria [Gomes} in there, she will burn that place down. She would think everybody’s a Traitor. She would go after everybody at one point. She would lose her mind, and it would be great television.
I think so many fans watch the show and don’t realize how much of it is real, and it’s probably because there are so many reality shows where it’s not built like that. Nobody’s actually in a coffin. Nobody’s waiting to find out their fate. But what about The Traitors do you think is the most real? Is it maybe suspecting everyone or not ever knowing who you can trust? What felt the most real from watching previous seasons for you as a player?
It’s a lot of paranoia. The roundtable itself is a lot. The music comes on, and it’s so quiet, and all you hear are music and heartbeats. And so it’s a lot, very stressful. I didn’t sleep much. I do remember I did not sleep much during Traitors. I would be up. I don’t know if it was jetlag or a mixture of jetlag and stress, but I’d had an hour, two hours of sleep, and I was losing my mind. So it’s a lot. It’s a tough game to play.
Just before you went home, Tony went home and he got very emotional as well. Were you surprised to see him get emotional? Did Rob’s behavior at the roundtable signal to you at all that he couldn’t be trusted?
Tony, I’ve seen him cry before. Tony’s a big baby. I hope he sees this, too. But I know Rob. This is how Rob plays. Rob is all about Rob, his self-preservation. He doesn’t play well with others. I wanted to play with Rob. And now I’m like, “Alright, now you’re in the castle. Let’s work together. Let’s do this.” And we could never get on the same page. So it doesn’t surprise me how Rob’s playing. I’m disappointed. I wish he would play with me. I mean, come on. We could do things together. We could work this out. But I’m not surprised at all.
One final question for you. The internet is aflame with theories about Tom. And particularly, I don’t know if you’ve seen the memes about his pit stains at breakfast.
I did see that.
Was it cold in the castle? Was it too hot in the castle? What was that about? What do you think?
I don’t know. I think that Tom was just nervous. Tom’s crazy. This dude pulled off…when you see it on TV, that’s legit. He really yanked off his mask, and he’s looking at me. And then he was following me. He was following me around the castle. I walk in a room, I turn around and I’m like, “Yo, someone put a bell on Tom so I know when he’s coming.” I’m like, Tom, “I’m not a Traitor, man. Stop following me.” You know what he said? I said, “Why do you think I’m a Traitor?” He said, “Because you said you were nervous.” I said, “Yeah, because I could be killed at any moment now. Of course. You’re not nervous? You should be scared too.” I’m not a Traitor, dude, stop it.”
Is there anyone you’re particularly pulling for? I’m assuming you don’t know the results.
I would never suspect Carolyn to be a Traitor, so I’m hoping Carolyn does well. Nikki’s my homegirl. I hope she does well. Derek’s my guy. Derek needs to go all the way to the end.
The first four episodes of The Traitors Season 3 are streaming on Peacock. New episodes release on Thursday nights.
