Throughout January, the second series of hit gameshow The Traitors aired on BBC One.

The show’s premise is simple: a group of strangers must work together throughout a series of challenges to build a prize fund of up to £120,000.

The twist, however, is that among the regular players – known as “faithfuls” – there are traitors, looking to steal the prize fund from the group to share among their secret cabal.

At the end of each episode, the players must vote out a person they believe is a traitor. If they’re right and remove a traitor, they take one more step toward winning the money together – but accidentally voting out faithfuls strengthens the traitors’ position, making it even more likely that those conspiring against the faithfuls will walk away with all the money.

The show was hugely popular, with Deadline.com reporting that 8 million people watched the finale on 26 January.

Naturally, a game based on lies and deceit contains many insights into trust, including how to gain it, and why it matters. And, when it comes to finding someone to manage your money, trust is a core tenet of that relationship.

Read on to discover what you can learn from the show about trust and working with a financial planner. And don’t worry – if you haven’t watched the latest series, we won’t reveal any spoilers.

You need to work with someone who has the same ambitions as you

When it comes to managing your wealth, you need someone in your corner who understands your goals and has a shared ambition to help you achieve them.

The reason that The Traitors works so well as a concept is because it pits faithfuls and traitors against each other. While their primary goal is the same – to win the jackpot – they ultimately have different targets and motivations.

If you work with someone who doesn’t share the same impetus as you – be it because they’re more interested in their own bottom line, or even that they’re trying to scam you into parting with your wealth – then you open yourself up to the disappointment of not accomplishing what you want.

As financial planners at Cordiner Wealth, our primary function is to help you organise your money so that you can use it to live your desired lifestyle. We’ll always start with your goals and what you want to achieve first, before then making recommendations and suggestions that could help you get there.

We’re on your team the whole way, working with you throughout your life to offer support and guidance in how you manage your money so you can live your desired lifestyle.

You can learn a lot by listening to the people around you

22 people arrived in Scotland for the second series of The Traitors. From the start, 19 of them played the role of faithfuls, meaning there were 19 different voices and opinions all contributing to finding the three traitors.

It’s undoubtedly true that sometimes the herd mentality takes over in The Traitors. Certain individuals can find themselves voted out on the basis that everyone is gunning for them, an unfortunate form of groupthink that this individual couldn’t have avoided.

But equally, those who aren’t willing to listen to others can find themselves outcast as they refuse to listen to the thoughts and opinions of those around them.

There’s a balance to strike here when it comes to financial professionals, because it’s certainly worth listening to and considering the wisdom of others from trusted sources.

For example, choosing a financial planner who has the seal of approval from someone you know can give you the confidence that you’re working with a trustworthy, professional firm that will provide you with a high-quality service.

At Cordiner Wealth, many of our new clients contact us through a personal recommendation from someone else we’ve helped to achieve their goals. Those existing clients are often so satisfied with the work we do that they want their friends and family to contact us so we can help them realise their ambitions, too.

Similarly, our clients regularly leave us positive reviews on VouchedFor, a review website specifically for financial advice. As of February 2024, we have a ranking of 4.9 out of 5 stars from 218 reviews from many of our highly satisfied clients.

By looking at the positive experiences our other clients have had, you can be reassured that the work we do truly adds value.

Beware a stranger trying to befriend you

Another benefit of working with someone you trust is that it decreases your chances of falling victim to a scammer.

One of the main tactics in a traitor’s toolkit is to befriend a faithful ahead of the vote in the evening. Knowing that they’ll be able to rely on votes from unsuspecting faithfuls means a traitor can be confident that there’s less chance of them being banished by the end of the night.

Among other methods, scammers will often employ this strategy, too, trying to create a bond between you so that you mistakenly place your trust in them. If they manage to do this successfully, they might then be able to access your wealth and steal your hard-earned savings.

This underlines the importance of working with a professional you know you can trust, doing your due diligence to check that they meet the strict requirements that financial professionals are held to in the UK.

For example, at Cordiner Wealth, we are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, the UK’s financial services regulator. We have the necessary qualifications and accreditations to provide advice, and will always act in your best interests.

We can help you shield your wealth from fraud, and provide guidance if you ever receive an offer from an individual who may be illegitimate.

By building a genuinely trusting relationship with us, you’ll have access to a financial confidant who can help you make choices that keep your money safe.

Get in touch

If you’d like support managing your wealth from a trustworthy professional, we can help at Cordiner Wealth.

Email hello@cordinerwealth.co.uk or call 0113 262 1242 to speak to us today.

Please note

This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.