A local teacher made waves on the latest season of a hit reality competition show.
Laurie McIntosh is a kindergarten teacher in Lethbridge. She appeared on season two of The Traitors Canada, placing fourth and appearing in all 10 episodes of the season.
The show features contestants living together, with each of them divided into different groups: ‘traitors’ and ‘faithfuls’. The goal of the ‘faithfuls’ is to successfully identify the ‘traitors’ during roundtable discussions held at the end of each episode.
Meanwhile, the mission for the ‘traitors’ is to go undetected and blend in pretending to be ‘faithfuls’. Following the roundtable, a contestant is banished from the house and must reveal if they were a ‘faithful’ or a ‘traitor’.
The show also includes physical competitions and challenges contestants to practice their social skills and abilities in manipulating and deceiving their housemates. Contestants are vying to win a share of a $100,000 prize pot.
McIntosh says it was an incredible experience. “I just have such immense gratitude and appreciation for the game and for anybody who has played a reality TV game.”
“In today’s society, things can be so fleeting, and this will fleet away for many, but for me, it’s always going to be a part of my story, and it has changed me for the better,” she adds.
McIntosh notes the show helped her learn more about herself.
“I shattered goals that I never thought I could shatter, and I think I found a new appreciation for my voice in a space that I haven’t had before, so I think I am forever changed by the experience and the game itself.”
FAMILY CONNECTION
Being on the show was extra special for McIntosh, as the franchise provided a sense of comfort for her and her family following the death of her father on December 7, 2023.
“To find the show, find the comfort and really be able to immerse ourselves in it – to get a call a couple of weeks later [after her father’s passing] saying ‘hey, would you like to be a part of this’, to sneaking away to film the show, to keeping the secret that you’ve made the final four and then to know that it was actually his [her father] and my mom’s anniversary on the finale day – it’s just wrapped up in more emotion than just the game,” she says.
KEEPING SECRETS
McIntosh says when she initially prepared to be on the show, she thought she could be a ‘traitor’, but when the selection process was underway during the first episode, she changed her focus and hoped to be named a ‘faithful’.
She adds because the show was pre-taped, she knew what would happen each week, and keeping that secret from her family and friends was a challenge.
“The cool part is I could not believe how many family and friends thought I would win,” she notes with a laugh.
McIntosh says being on the show and seeing the outpouring of support she received was heartwarming and helped strengthen her bond with the local community. While competing on the show, there were moments when the local teacher doubted her abilities.
Her kids told her that making it on the show was a win in itself, something she had to remind herself of quite often. “The toughest part was believing you could win it.”
She notes that during the first night of the competition, she wrote in her journal that she felt the game was not for her and that she did not fit in with her competition, but decided she would stick it out for her children.
McIntosh was up against not only individuals who were fans of the show, but some that had prior experience with reality television, including the eventual season two winner Neda Kalantar, a former contestant of Big Brother Canada.
FORMING NEW BONDS
McIntosh says a special bond is created with castmates, even if they are competing against one another to win the game.
“I love hearing from Dillon [Waldron] who was somebody who kept reminding me, ‘you deserve to be here, don’t ever doubt that. I’m so glad I met you.’”
She adds her kids were cheering loudly for her, but also showed support to other contestants, lending itself to a family atmosphere created by the show.
“We still have conversations of how great it’s going to be to get our families together one day and make new memories together,” McIntosh says, referring to talks she had with fellow contestant Kevin Wendt.
Another way McIntosh stayed motivated while filming the show was thinking that she was “chosen to do this for a reason”.
“You really have to hang on to that – you really have to believe in that, through the process, through the exhaustion, through the immersion in the game,” she says. “You really need to lean into the appreciation you have for just being a part of the experience at all.”
SECOND TIME AROUND?
My Lethbridge Now asked McIntosh if she would compete on the show again or try her hand at another reality-based competition series.
“This was the thing for me,” she says. “I think I’m a one and done kind of girl. I mean, I try and take those nudges from the universe that come my way. I guess you never know.”
She does say playing The Traitors again “would be a dream”, but it might not be something she will do in the near future.
“I think you learn so much. I mean, anybody that got a chance to play a second time, which I’m sure some of our all-stars from our season will, and I hope they do because I’ll be cheering them on,” she states.
“But you know, I’m in my happy place right now. I’m in my kindergarten classroom where I feel really good [about] what I do. I’m very secure in who I am here. I know I’m good at this and it brings me so much joy, so I think I’m going to stick to teaching for now. It’s kind of my dream – just in another way.”
McIntosh says she is proud of herself for competing on the show, and “It’s just an extra bonus to make Lethbridge proud.”
