For Olympic Analysts Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir, ‘The Traitors’ Was the Easy Part

The best friend duo spoke to SI about their bond, the 2026 Winter Olympics and the rip-roaring fun that was Peacock’s ‘The Traitors.’

Although they are known best friends, Lipinski and Weir intentionally downplayed their dynamic during their time on 'The Traitors.' | Euan Cherry/PEACOCK)

When best friends Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir first arrived on the set of hit Peacock reality show The Traitors, they were banking on the rest of the cast not realizing they were best friends—at least, not at first.

“Tara and I were afraid to be too close to each other too often, or to even to make eye contact too often, in case it made us suspect,” Weir told Sports Illustrated in an interview conducted both over the phone and via email. “It was so strange being in the same room but not holding hands. Anyone who has watched us for a long time knows we always sit close enough to whisper, so it was very strange to be apart. We are lucky none of the players knew how close we were.”

Of course, all their ex-castmates would have to do now is tune into the year's Winter Olympics—for which both Lipinski and Weir are on the call for the figure skating slate—to see that long-running dynamic on full, no-holds-barred display.

“We know each other so well that a tap of the hand or a facial expression is quickly understood,” Lipsinki said of her bond with Weir. "At this point, we are telepathic!”

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As two of the show’s so-called “faithfuls,” the former competitive skaters were tasked with snuffing out which of their Traitors compatriots were plotting murders in the turret every night ... and which were innocent bystanders, beholden to the traitors' whims. Of course, all this detective work had to be done under the radar, lest either ex-athlete unintentionally turn suspicion onto themselves.

“We had many moments we stole away together, though, that no one saw,” Lipsinki revealed. “To quickly speak and plot or sneak in a hug. We also had eye movements we would do at the round table to communicate.”

Watching the show back now has afforded both analysts a unique opportunity to relive the moments where their ruse almost went south, as well as review the interactions in which they seemed to miss an obvious and game-changing clue.

“There are so many situations and conversations I wasn’t aware of,” Weir explained, “so even though I lived it, I feel like I’m seeing everything for the first time. I can see my mistakes and moments I should have paid more attention to, but it is such good fun and one of the most compelling shows around.”

Added Lipinski: “It’s a lot of fun to see it all play out, what was happening in rooms I wasn’t in or how the traitors played their game.”

As is evident in the show, the prodigious ex-Olympian bonded specifically with Candiace Dillard Bassett, a former member of the Real Housewives of Potomac and a Season 4 traitor. Now, it “blows my mind to see her traitorous ways” up close, Lipinski said.

“Watching it and knowing the traitors makes it so easy to see their missteps,” she went on, “but in the castle, it’s extremely hard. You don’t see every single person’s reaction up close like you do on TV, you’re constantly surveying everyone, and many things start to seem suspicious about everyone.”

Interestingly enough, both Lipinski and Weir—a 1998 gold medalist and a three-time U.S. figure skating champion, respectively—insist that their time gliding on the ice proved crucial in such a high-stakes, reality gaming environment.

“Whenever it comes to anything that could even be remotely seen as a game or competitive or something where you strive to be your best, our athletic backgrounds will always be our secret weapon,” Weir said. “There’s such a good education that you get in learning about yourself when you involve yourself in a sport, especially in a sport as competitive as ours. You learn a lot about yourself very quickly.”

The longtime analysts are now pulling from a different set of skills in the booth at this year’s Winter Olympics, which on Sunday saw the U.S. win Gold in the figure skating team event. And unlike their time on The Traitors, which relied on guesswork, pretense, and subterfuge, Weir and Lipinski prepared for this prestigious assignment with hours upon hours of intense planning.

“We prepare long before anyone ever hears us on TV,” Weir explained of the pair's process. That way, “we have a solid foundation of facts and biographical information, so while we are watching live with everyone at home, we can let emotion and our reactions ice the cake we baked in advance.”

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As for whether they took anything away from their time hoodwinking in the Scottish highlands—aside from the fun they had, of course—both broadcasters and former athletes were initially skeptical; what is there to glean from a game centered around deception and trickery?

Well, at least one thing, it turns out.

“I do think our bond became even stronger, if that’s possible, just going through a different experience like that and being away from home and in sort of an environment that we’re not completely used to,” Lipinski mused. "I trust him with my life.”

You can catch both analysts on the call in Italy and on new episodes of The Traitors, streaming every Thursday on Peacock.

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