NEW Year’s Day doesn’t usually top my list of favourite occasions.

The festive sparkle of Christmas has faded, the decorations seem more like chaotic clutter, and the prospect of starting a brand-new year feels overwhelming.

But then Claudia Winkleman appears on my screen.

Fresh off Strictly Come Dancing, armed with her dramatic flair, she ushers in a new season of The Traitors. Suddenly, the New Year is looking brighter.

The hit television series has returned, featuring 22 contestants competing for a jaw-dropping cash prize of up to £120,000.

Among them, three are secretly chosen as “Traitors,” tasked with “murdering” their unsuspecting counterparts, the “faithfuls,” while avoiding detection.

The faithfuls, must work together to expose and banish the Traitors before the final episode, or risk losing the prize money to their cunning adversaries.

It is the ultimate game of detection, backstabbing and trust.

I’ll admit, the bar was set high after last season – think iconic lines like “Paul is not my son... but Ross is,” and Harry’s masterful deception at the finale.

Yet, this season has already promised its own surprises and intrigue.

This year’s contestants are bringing a mix of mystery and unexpected twists.

A secret member of the clergy. A veteran masquerading as a nail technician. A Londoner convincingly posing as a local from Abergavenny? Yes, you read that right.

Enter Charlotte, 32, whose backstory has already raised eyebrows.

During a conversation with Elen, 24, from North Wales, Charlotte claimed to hail from Abergavenny in Monmouthshire.

“Where are you from?” asked Elen, her Welsh accent unmistakable. “Wales,” Charlotte replied. “Where?” “Abergavenny,” Charlotte said confidently.

Charlotte further explained to viewers that in previous seasons of The Traitors, there was typically only one Welsh contestant.

This year, there are two—or so the other players believe. In reality, Charlotte is a born-and-bred Londoner.

She confessed to viewers that she’s been faking a Welsh accent, believing it to be one of the “most trustworthy” in Britain.

“In a game where trust is everything, I need an accent people can rely on,” Charlotte revealed.

She even created a tale about attending university in London and returning to Wales, only to have her “friends” comment on her fading accent.

Elen, somewhat convinced, remarked that she could “hear” a trace of London in Charlotte’s voice – a moment Charlotte brushed off with a wry smile.

But Charlotte’s gambit may already be unraveling, with it being 4/5 that she will be banished at the next seated meeting.

Her ill-judged comment that she was relaxed after Claudia's Traitor selection has stayed in many of her fellow players' minds, while the Traitors tactic of eliminating Keith to draw attention to her could still pick up some traction.

For now, the question of her nationality may no longer be under the magnifying glass, as the true Welsh native, Elen, has been banished; leaving it uncertain whether Charlotte’s Aber backstory will face further scrutiny.

As secrets unfold and alliances form, the stakes are higher than ever.

Will Charlotte’s faux accent be her undoing?