The Traitors star Nicky Wilding fundraising for bionic hand with adventurous challenges after missing out on life-changing £120,000 prize-Emily Bashforth-Entertainment – Metro

Nicky Wilding wanted the prize fund for a life-changing procedure (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert Associates/Ma)

Nicky Wilding’s early exit from The Traitors left viewers both flabbergasted and furious.

But missing out on that £120,000 prize isn’t going to stop her, as the accounts supervisor is continuing to fundraise for a new hand.

Nicky, 45, joined 21 other strangers for the experience of a lifetime in a Scottish castle.

The Traitors has been hailed the ultimate test of trust, as Faithfuls must suss out who’s sabotaging the game before they themselves are banished or, worse still, murdered in the dead of night.

Sadly, Nicky never got chance to confront her fellow players or properly raise her suspicions, as the Faithfuls banished her in episode 2, wrongly believing her to be on the Traitors team.

Nicky was incredibly honest about wanting to use the money for a bionic hand after losing hers in an accident and suffering with phantom limb pain for two decades, which she says made her banishment all the more devastating.

The accounts supervisor threw herself into all the challenges (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert Associates/Llara Plaza)

Nicky admits she wears her heart on her sleeve (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert Associates/Llara Plaza)

Speaking to Metro.co.uk, she began: ‘I felt like I wasn’t given the chance to show people what I can do and to show the public what you can do, regardless of what happens to you. I felt it was cut short, very prematurely.’

While Nicky accepts that the gameshow is just that, a game, she was left ‘flabbergasted’ when she was eliminated.

‘It was a shock that they picked me. The reasons for which they picked me I thought were really weak, and I suppose that’s what irked me a bit because it was a real nonsensical reason, and it was herd mentality, but that’s how it works, isn’t it?’

The 45-year-old was gutted to be banished so early on (Picture: BBC)

But, she’s powering on with her fundraising and aiming to garner £80,000 to pay for both further amputation to reduce her pain, as well as a £30,000 ground-breaking myoelectric model, which would allow Nicky to control her prosthetic hand’s movements via thought.

‘I’ve been fundraising for quite some time now. It’s a lot to keep asking the same pool of people for money and it’s hard and it’s a large sum of money I need to raise, but I’m continuing on with my fundraising, whether that be with triathlons or running events or general adventuring, anything outdoors and anything a little bit out there, if I can challenge and push myself and it makes people think, actually, she deserves this fiver or tenner, or whatever, people wanna help people who wanna help themselves.’

Seeds were planted when Nicky didn’t cheers her glass after the Traitors were chosen (Picture: BBC)

Traitor Alyssa quickly picked up on it (Picture: BBC)

She was also keen to be a positive figure while on the BBC reality show, especially for her son, whom she raised alone.

‘Things happen in life and you have no control over them and I don’t tend to dwell on things that I can’t chance, especially with regards to my arm,’ she shared.

‘It was a matter of going forwards, onwards and upwards, your life’s not over so I thought I’d better just adjust and be a good role model for my son.’

Despite her optimistic outlook, Nicky admits that she was definitely ‘wronged’ to have been axed early doors in scenes which she describes as very ‘tense’ and ‘horrible’ to be part of.

The reality star hoped to be a positive role model on the show (Picture: Nicky Wilding)

She also praises social media for reassuring her that her reaction was justified, as Twitter users especially have been outraged that she was shown the door.

‘It was really lovely to see everyone getting the support and it’s almost a justification that you were wronged and you’re not overthinking the situation,’ she said. ‘Some of the comments are absolutely lovely and I watched Gogglebox on Friday as well, and they were all like, “Nicky! Nicky!”, and I was like, “I know!”, but it is just a game at the end of the day and there are injustices and yes, I was voted out and that’s not fair but hey, that’s the way it is.’

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As for her regrets, there’s one thing Nicky might have done differently…

‘Maybe I would’ve drunk the water, maybe I should’ve crossed against me and picked up the glass!’, she joked, as Traitor Alyssa planted the seed amongst the Faithfuls that not picking up her glass for a cheers made Nicky look dodgy.

She reckons she gave a ‘good impression’, though, after wearing her heart on her sleeve and allowing audiences to see ‘me for me’.

‘I hope whatever comes from it is positive and it so far has been, people are sharing, people are donating, the money’s going up, and I couldn’t be happier with the way it’s turned out – apart from being kicked out early!’

The Traitors is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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