Meryl Williams: Being nominated for a BAFTA 'surreal'

Meryl Williams left her role as a customer service agent with fashion retailer H&M after sharing the £101,050 prize for winning The Traitors.

Now, after success on the BBC programme, she has been named as one of six finalists, including Lewis Capaldi, Brian Cox and Hamza Yassin, for the BAFTA Scotland Audience Award.

Meryl said: “It is so surreal.

“I never even knew it was a thing you could be nominated for.

“It is completely unexpected and out of the blue.

“I am just so grateful, just very excited and I always say being nominated is such an amazing achievement.

“It is just really surreal and nice to be recognised. It is a really nice, warm, fuzzy feeling.”

'A complete and utter dream'

Members of the public have until 5pm on Monday to vote for their favourite Scot on screen.

A winner will then be announced at the BAFTA Scotland Awards on November 19.

Meryl, who attended Ross High School in Tranent, highlighted that the other nominees were “all established”, while she had found fame only at the beginning of the year.

The 27-year-old told the Courier: “It would be the first award I have won in my life!

“Apart from The Traitors, I never used to win anything.

“I always try and that is why I never go with expectations.

“It would be a dream, a complete and utter dream, to win.

“It would be so surreal and I am so grateful to even be nominated.

“It is just another pinch-me moment and fingers crossed!”

The Traitors was filmed in Ardross Castle in the Highlands last year and was hosted by Claudia Winkleman.

Each of the contestants on the show took on a series of missions while trying to detect who the traitors were or risk being eliminated.

In the end, Meryl, along with fellow contestants Aaron and Hannah, was declared the winner.

The finale was aired shortly before Christmas and Meryl described her life as having completely “flipped” since then.

Now, she is looking to the future and hopes to launch her own television career, including a talk show, Minutes With Meryl.

She added: “Getting back onto television, that would be my dream.

READ MORE: The Traitors winner Meryl Williams aiming for career in television

“I love to talk and I better put it to use!

“Ideally, just doing more social media stuff but ideally it would be getting back on television.”

Alongside Meryl, Brian Cox, Lewis Capaldi and Hamza Yassin, also in the running for the accolade are Tony Curran and Lauren Lyle.

Go to bafta.org/television/bafta-scotland-audience-award-favourite-scot-on-screen-2023 to cast your vote.