From Castle Conspiracies to Queer Countryside Realness: Scotland’s Sauciest Traitor Is Living His Best Life

If you thought reality TV villains clocked out when the cameras stopped rolling, think again. One of the most deliciously watchable faces from The Traitors UK has swapped scheming in a Highland castle for something far more wholesome — and somehow even more iconic.

Meet Matthew Hyndman: creative director, activist, occasional nude headstander, and now the fabulously outdoorsy mastermind behind a queer hiking revolution. Yes, darling — while the rest of us were still arguing about banishments and backstabbing over brunch, Matthew was busy building community, climbing hills, and serving body-positive performance art in the bracing Scottish air.

Welcome to the wonderfully named Wee Gay Hike Club — a joyful, glitter-dusted gathering of “gays, theys, and pals” who prefer their socialising with a side of summit views. Think less Grindr grid, more granite peaks. Less smoky bar, more misty glen. It’s hiking, but make it queer.

And not in a polite, pastel sort of way. Oh no. This is full-throttle, windswept, cheeks-flushed, laugh-echoing-across-the-valley energy. The club has quickly become a safe, affirming space where LGBTQ+ folk can stomp across the landscape without shrinking themselves — emotionally or sartorially.

Because here’s the twist: sometimes there isn’t much sartorial choice involved at all.

Matthew has developed something of a signature move — performing headstands in the wild, gloriously naked, in remote corners of Scotland. On craggy cliffs. On mossy outcrops. Against backdrops so cinematic they practically demand a slow-motion soundtrack.

Why the nudity? According to Matthew, stripping off is about stripping back. Clothing can signal era, class, tribe — all the little labels society loves to stick on us. Without it, there’s just body, breath, gravity, and the landscape. It’s vulnerability meets defiance, with a splash of “yes, I did just do a handstand on that mountain, thanks for asking.”

And honestly? In a world that still tries to police queer bodies, there’s something deliciously rebellious about planting yours upside down in the middle of the wilderness and saying, “Here I am.”

But beneath the camp spectacle is a spine of steel. Matthew’s commitment to queer wellbeing runs deep. Having survived the trauma of conversion practices earlier in life, he has channelled that experience into activism, pushing for meaningful change and protection for LGBTQ+ people. The glitter may sparkle, but the mission is serious: create spaces where queer folk can exist fully, safely, and loudly.

The hiking club is part of that bigger picture. For many LGBTQ+ people, especially outside major cities, the countryside hasn’t always felt welcoming. It can be isolating, traditional, even intimidating. The Wee Gay Hike Club flips that script. Suddenly the hills are filled with laughter, pronoun check-ins, shared snacks, and spontaneous photo shoots.

Imagine a gaggle of queers strutting through the rugged beauty of the Trossachs like it’s a runway. Boots muddy. Spirits high. Someone blasting pop from a tiny speaker. Someone else dramatically flinging themselves onto a rock for “candid” photos. It’s less survivalist expedition, more Pride parade with better views.

And let’s be clear — this isn’t about six-pack abs on summits (though, we’re not complaining). It’s about chosen family. About moving your body because it feels good, not because you’re trying to be desirable. About finding connection in places that once felt lonely.

Matthew may have played a traitor on TV, but in real life he’s building something radically loyal: community. He’s reminding us that queer joy doesn’t have to live under disco balls alone. It can echo across valleys. It can balance upside down on a cliff edge. It can hike, sweat, laugh, and — occasionally — bare it all.

And if that’s not peak gay excellence, we don’t know what is.