The Traitors Australia: Luke Packham reveals what Gretel Killeen was really like off camera
Luke Packham has lifted the lid on what Gretel Killeen was really like when the cameras stopped rolling on The Traitors Australia.
Speaking exclusively to Chattr, Luke revealed that he never actually had a conversation with the host away from the cameras, despite spending weeks on the show.
“Everything you see of Gretel is what I see. That’s it. If I’m completely honest, I’ve never had another conversation with Gretel. That’s my experience. Gretel’s an awesome professional,” Luke said.
According to Luke, Gretel would essentially disappear once her role on the show was finished.
“I didn’t see Gretel again. She just drops you out of the game, and then off she goes, just disappears into the shadows. I never see her again. It’s not like I have a drink with her or anything like that,” he explained.
Luke’s twin brother, Josh Packham, had a very similar experience with the host.
“Unfortunately, I haven’t actually spoken to Gretel outside the show at all. I haven’t had a one-on-one conversation with Gretel,” Josh told Chattr.
Josh believes Gretel’s distance was simply part of her professionalism. He suggested that she avoided developing personal relationships with contestants so she could maintain a clear boundary between herself and the game.
“That’s her professionalism coming to the front. Gretel doesn’t want to talk to anyone because then they’ve got a personal relationship,” Josh said.
“I think Gretel was very much thinking along those lines, so wouldn’t give anyone the time of day to chat to them when the cameras weren’t rolling.”
Tully Smyth reveals a different side of Gretel
Tully Smyth, who already had a Big Brother connection with Gretel from different network eras of the franchise, also praised the host for taking her role seriously.
“She really takes her job seriously. I’m sure she was offered many roles to come back on television, but she took this one, and she loved it, and we loved having her,” Tully said.
However, Tully admitted there was one moment when Gretel genuinely scared her.
A few episodes earlier, Rhys made the comment, “Oh, Mum’s mad”, before Gretel appeared to break from her usual character.
“She went off script. That was Gretel actually mad at us. That wasn’t her character. That wasn’t part of her lines,” Tully recalled.
“She was genuinely frustrated that she thought people were throwing votes away so close to the end.
“She was terrifying.”
Despite that intimidating moment, Tully said Gretel had also shown her a much softer side during their time together.
“She was very nice to me when I completely ruined that throwing challenge. She was very sweet to me,” Tully said.
Gretel even shed a tear for Tully
Tully also revealed an emotional moment between the pair that viewers never got to see.
During the first episode, Gretel asked the contestants whether they wanted to become a Traitor or a Faithful. Tully opened up about her mum and helping her dad, which apparently moved the usually composed host.
“I actually got a tear out of her in that first ep, when she asked everybody whether they want to be a Traitor or a Faithful,” Tully revealed.
“I talked about my mum again and helping my dad out. I actually got a tear from Gretel. But they didn’t show it because it goes against her character.”
While Luke and Josh rarely interacted with Gretel away from the cameras, Tully’s experience suggests there may be a warmer side to the famously stern host that viewers simply don’t get to see.
The Traitors Australia is available to stream on 10Play.