Claudia Winkleman apologises to The Traitors contestant after agonising finale

Winkleman admitted that she has been inundated with messages about Alexander

The Traitors host Claudia Winkleman has apologised to fan-favourite Alexander Dragonetti following Friday’s (24 January) thrilling season three finale.

Warning: This article does contain major spoilers for The Traitors season three

The tense final episode saw Faithfuls Jake and Leanne crowned as the winners, sharing the prize money of £94,600 between them. However, there could have been more triumphant players as both Alexander and Frankie, who were also Faithfuls, were banished just moments before the winners were confirmed.

The outcome of the finale left some viewers unhappy, especially as many of them were rooting for Alexander. The 38-year-old former British diplomat has won over many fans thanks to his gentlemanly demeanour.

Speaking on Friday’s spin-off show The Traitors: Uncloaked, Winkleman apologised to Alexander for previously announcing that he was single, revealing that she’s been swamped with requests from her friends to “define how single” he is.

“I’m so sorry that I reported to the group that you were single. I’ve had more messages about you, you are... you’re king!” said Winkleman.

Turning to the cheering audience she asked: “He is right?”

Winkleman then added: “More messages from friends of mine who were like ‘define single’.”

Frankie then chimed in to add: “All my divorced friends have WhatsApped me like, ‘Can I have his number?’”

Winkleman also said that someone had asked “What does he smell like?” A bashful-looking Alexander replied, with a grin on his face: “Please don’t ask me that.”

Alexander on ‘The Traitors: Uncloaked’ (BBC)

Writing in The Independent, Hannah Ewens praised Alexander, calling him “the nicest man in England,” adding that he “was the only Faithful to have his wits about him and offer genuine analysis, even vaguely applying logic to situations, a foreign concept to the rest of them.

“After being informed by the ultimate wingwoman Winkleman that Alexander was single, audiences found his Hinge profile, which tells potential matches that his simple pleasures include ‘buying fruit I’ve never seen before’. This man is an angel!”

Alexander from ‘The Traitors’ (Cody Burridge/BBC/PA Wire)

Charlotte, who was the only remaining Traitor, was the first person eliminated from the final episode. If the remaining four contestants had trusted each other, they all could have shared the grand prize. However, new rules prevented anyone who was in the final from revealing if they were a Traitor or a Faithful as they left the show.