Cat Burns: Smashing Autism Stereotypes on The Traitors

Copyright - BBC / Studio Lambert / Euan Cherry

Cat Burns: Smashing Autism Stereotypes on The Traitors

This season of The Celebrity Traitors has been full of twists and tense stand offs, but one of the most fascinating stories to come out of the castle is Cat Burns’. At just twenty five, she’s already a Brit nominated artist with a chart topping single under her belt, yet it’s her role on the show that’s giving people a new way to see her - and, importantly, to see autism.

So often, autistic people are boxed in by stereotypes: the idea that they can’t pick up on social cues, that they’ll struggle to read people, that subtle communication is beyond them. And here comes Cat, calmly navigating one of the most socially complex game formats on television. A show built entirely on bluffing, suspicion, alliances, and second guessing what others are really thinking. Far from being out of her depth, she’s playing a brilliant game.

It matters that she’s a woman, too. For years, autism in women and girls has been under recognised, partly because so many learn to mask their traits and partly because diagnostic criteria were written around male presentations of autism. Cat has spoken openly about how her diagnosis finally gave her clarity, helping her understand why her brain works the way it does. Now, in front of millions of viewers, she’s showing that autism doesn’t look one way.

What makes Cat’s presence so refreshing is the way she embraces her neurodivergence rather than hiding it. She’s spoken about how ADHD fuels her creativity, helping her generate ideas quickly, and how her autism gives her a different perspective on the world. Those very differences are part of what make her music so easy to emotionally connect with - and, as it turns out, part of what makes her such a compelling Traitor, too.

Watching her play the game is a reminder that neurodivergence isn’t about deficits, it’s about differences. Cat shows us that those differences can be strengths - whether that’s seeing patterns others miss, trusting intuition, or approaching social dynamics in a unique way. She’s dismantling the idea that autistic people can’t thrive in these environments, and doing it with a calm confidence that’s incredibly inspiring.

Representation like this matters. Cat is a young, Black, queer, autistic woman standing tall in a high pressure, mainstream TV format that many would say she ‘shouldn’t’ be able to navigate. And yet, here she is: thriving, strategising, and winning fans both for her gameplay and for the authenticity she brings to everything she does.

Cat Burns is more than just a contestant or a singer songwriter - she’s proof that stereotypes about autism don’t hold up in the real world. And maybe that’s the real power of her role on The Traitors: showing millions of people that autistic women can be intuitive, socially savvy, and brilliantly strategic. She’s not just playing the game - she’s changing it.

As Claudia Winkleman would say: the time for talk is over.

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On The Traitors, success depends on understanding people - noticing the small things, reading between the lines, and seeing strengths where others might miss them. At Grace Consulting, we take the same approach to neurodiversity in the real world. Our neurodiversity advice services give employers, schools, and families the tools to recognise, support, and celebrate different ways of thinking. When people feel valued and understood, they can thrive - not just in a game, but in life.