Traitors' Sheree Whitfield Saved Phaedra Parks for Strategy

The Housewives had numbers on their side during season 2 of The Traitors. Shereé Whitfield not only played the game as a faithful, but she stayed loyal to her Real Housewives of Atlanta costar Phaedra Parks. Shereé exclusively reveals to In Touch that keeping her longtime friend in the game was her “strategy to stay in the castle as long as possible.”

“I knew early on that Phaedra was a traitor. I knew we had four housewives in the castle and that one of us had to be a traitor,” the Bravo star, 54, admits. “At first, I was suspecting Larsa [Pippen], but then knew it wasn’t her once Marcus [Jordan] was murdered since those two are inseparable.”

Phaedra, 50, was a traitor from day one alongside Big Brother’s Dan Gheesling. The faithfuls didn’t sniff out the Married to Medicine star as a deceiving murderer at first. However, her nonchalant attitude put a huge target on her back. Not to mention, Dan voted Phaedra as a traitor before he was banished from the castle.

“Every time I wanted to talk game with Phaedra, she always deflected. She never went for a shield, and she never ever seemed worried,” Shereé tells In Touch. “I never let Phaedra know I was onto her because I knew she would keep me around. In fact, I was always trying to convince others that I didn’t think she was a Traitor!”

The She by Shereé founder saved Phaedra from elimination multiple times. During midseason, host Alan Cummings canceled the Roundtable vote. Instead, the cast headed to the Scottish Highlands to save one costar by lighting their torch. Survivor legend Sandra Diaz-Twine and Kevin Kreider from Bling Empire kicked off the ceremony by saving Shereé, who then spared Phaedra from elimination, leading her to tears.

“I picked Phaedra because I don’t feel like people should be targeting people because of the show that we’re on. I believe that she’s faithful,” Shereé told the group.

The attorney, for her part, shared her gratitude in a confessional interview.

“I’ve known Shereé for well over 20 years. We’ve got a history that none of these people will understand,” Phaedra explained. “So, my emotion is about life coming around full circle and bringing us here [to] this moment.”

However, as the game drew closer to the finale, Shereé voted Phaedra as a traitor during the February 29 episode. The Bravo star’s decision came after she had a one-on-one conversation with Phaedra, who denied being a traitor. “I’m so happy to have had this experience with you. I do love you. I don’t want to get emotional, I’ve enjoyed our time in this game, but I think you’re a traitor.”

Phaedra was banished from the castle, leaving Below Deck’s Kate Chastain as the final traitor in the game.

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As for Shereé, she may have remained completely under the radar all season, but her tactics led her to the finale!

“The biggest lesson I learned from The Traitors was to keep my friends close but to also keep my enemies closer. Once I came to the conclusion that Phaedra was a Traitor, I knew I had to remain loyal to her in order to keep myself alive in this game,” Shereé tells In Touch. “Even though we may not all trust each other, there was a great sense of teamwork and sisterhood in the game. I hope these same feelings could fall over to some of the RHOA ladies.”