Myha'la has defended her Celebrity Traitors co-stars against claims they banished her from the castle due to unconscious bias.
The Industry star became the second person banished on season 2 of The Celebrity Traitors, following Richard E Grant, who was voted off following a disastrous moment where he admitted to being a Traitor.
Suspicion arose around the American actress when she winked at Grant before voting for him at the round table. The wink led the other celebrity contestants to believe she was also a Traitor herself and was trying to soften the blow when voting for her comrade.
Convinced they were about to catch two Traitors two nights in a row, the majority of Myha'la's co-stars then voted for her at the next round table only to discover upon her banishment that she was indeed a Faithful.
Now the 30-year-old has defended her co-stars in response to a fan who commented on Instagram: "You, my love, were banished because you are black."
Myha'la wrote: "I understand why you feel this way, and I may have agreed with you had I not winked at Richard effectively aligning myself with a known traitor, found and concealed then seemingly reluctantly revealed I had a shield, or (what you really don’t see much of) expressed my thoughts and feelings openly to literally everyone (which many people who get out early in this game do).
"I sealed my own fate! And that early in the game there is VERY little to grasp on to, and I gave them…a lot."
She continued: "However, I do agree that unconscious racial and cultural bias exists in this game where my authenticity or honesty or the ways in which I choose to express myself look suspicious to people who are unfamiliar with people like me.
"I had this fear coming into the game, as I am a BIG fan and also clocked right away how prevalent this is in this game. And I came in knowing I’d be the only American (apart from Honorary British National Treasure Jerry Hall).
"I’m not saying it’s right, I’m not saying racism doesn’t exist, but I do have to defend my dear friends on this show who in no way consciously put bias on me because of my race. That’s not a fair or complete assessment of what really happened in my case.
"And! I do think games like this should allow more conversation around unconscious bias and how, when under pressure, people (society) gravitate towards things they know and understand or subsequently push away from things they don’t. It’s all love, and I REALLY genuinely appreciate your support."
The topic of unconscious racial bias is a discourse that has long surrounded the Traitors format, with the first five Faithfuls either banished or murdered on season 4 of the non-celebrity season earlier this year all minority ethnic players.
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The Celebrity Traitors continues on Thursday 15 October at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
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