How to unmask a Traitor (and why the Faithful are terrible at spotting lies)

Everyone is talking about The Traitors — the hit reality TV series where deception is currency and trust is constantly under threat. But what happens when lying moves from the gameshow roundtable to a Garda interview room? In real life, spotting deception isn’t a parlour trick. It can mean the difference between conviction and acquittal. In today’s podcast, Ciara Doherty is joined by former investigator and forensic psychologist Geraldine Noone, who spent decades in policing and helped bring killer Graham Dwyer to justice. Together they explore why humans are so bad at spotting lies, whether body language really gives the game away, and how detectives actually uncover the truth when the stakes are at their highest. From poker-style “tells” to the myths about shifty eyes, Geraldine explains what science really says about lying, and why elaborate stories often trip people up. Along the way, she compares the chaotic decision-making of the Faithful on The Traitors with the careful, evidence-driven strategies used inside police interview rooms. If you’ve ever wondered whether you could survive in The Traitors castle - or whether you’d spot a liar in real life - this conversation has the answers. 🔍 Want more from Geraldine? Revisit our earlier episode 🎭 Unmasking Graham Dwyer, where she explains how careful investigative work exposed one of Ireland’s most infamous killers.