The Traitors star Ross has publicly clarified the nature of his relationship with fellow contestant Netty, after facing intense scrutiny for their 'suspicious' bond on the hit BBC show. The revelation came in a TikTok video posted on 7 January 2026, where the 37-year-old personal trainer set the record straight.
The Truth Behind the 'Suspicious' Bond
Ross explained that he and Netty, a nursery school teacher, know each other through a mutual friend named Dan, who is a photographer. Their connection stems from Dan's attendance at a Bradford basketball tournament, where he first met Netty. Ross stated he had seen Netty "a few times" socially in London afterwards.
The plot thickened when, on a separate occasion roughly a year later, Ross was out with another friend who expressed a romantic interest in Netty. "Basically he's like, 'Oh so I've seen that girl, I kind of like her'", Ross recounted. He then offered to introduce them, approaching Netty to reveal his friend's crush. However, Ross confirmed that the set-up ultimately led nowhere.
Game Plan Blown and Round Table Fallout
This real-world link became a major point of contention in the game. Ross's initial strategy was to pretend he didn't know Netty when they first locked eyes at Ardross Castle in Scotland. This plan was instantly ruined when Netty greeted him with an enthusiastic hug, forcing both to confess their prior friendship to the other players.
This decision to initially conceal their connection had serious consequences. During a tense round table discussion, Ross came under "serious heat" from other contestants, with some branding him a Traitor. His place in the competition was put in genuine jeopardy because of the perceived secrecy.
Production Insight and a Tragic End for Netty
The show's executive producer, Mike Cotton, provided insight into the casting. He confirmed that Ross and Netty were cast as individuals and their prior link was only discovered through lengthy background checks which revealed they followed each other on social media.
"We knew that there was a tenuous link, but we didn't know whether they'd recognise each other or how they would react," Cotton said. "We didn't want to exclude them because they knew each other – I just thought it was really interesting to see what it added to the game."
Despite the drama, Netty's journey in the fourth series was cut short. She had the unfortunate distinction of becoming the first player to be 'murdered' in the new series, which launched on New Year's Day with a shocking twist.
Ross concluded his TikTok explanation simply: "And that's your lot, all of it. There's nothing else, voila!" finally putting the rumours surrounding their friendship to bed.
