‘The Traitors’s Tara Lipinski Admits She Nearly Said No to Show Before Johnny Weir Stepped In

Barb Oates 54 seconds ago

NAGANO, JAPAN - FEB 20: Tara Lipinski of USA standing on the podium after receiving her Gold medal for winning the Olympic Women's Ice Skating at The Winter Olympics on February 20th, 1998 in Nagano, Japan. (Photo by Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images) — Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images

What To Know

Tara Lipinski described her experience on Season 4 of The Traitors as one of the wildest and most challenging rides of her career.
Lipinski and her friend Johnny Weir stayed loyal to each other and ultimately figured out the game’s strategy.
Lipinski is set to embark on her next adventure as the host of Big Bargain Holiday Showdown.

We first fell in love with Tara Lipinski as a 15-year-old figure skater during the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan, when she became the youngest individual gold medal winner in Winter Olympics history. Then, we fell in love all over again when Lipinski and her skating BFF Johnny Weir showed their solidarity during The Traitors, a role she almost passed up.

If there’s one thing figure skating best buddies Lipinski and Weir proved on the fourth season of Peacock’s hit reality competition series The Traitors, it’s that they will remain true faithfuls to one another until the bitter end.

“The Traitors was such an incredible experience. I initially said no, but I finally agreed after Johnny convinced me,” she tells us. “I’m so glad I did, because it was one of the wildest rides of my career and also one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.”

Lipinski revisits what she learned most on The Traitors’ cutthroat game of strategy.

“It was psychologically very difficult for me. The challenges and the physical aspect were fine. It was making friends with everyone in the castle and then starting to lose touch with reality. When you’re there for a month, things start to feel real,” she shares. “You don’t want to disappoint your friends; everyone is taking it so seriously, and there’s yelling and tears. You look around and think, ‘I’m actually in a castle, and someone’s getting murdered tonight!’ Obviously, I say that in jest, but it was such a fun ride.”

Euan Cherry/PEACOCK

Along the way, she learned plenty about herself. “Both Johnny and I thought we were so bad at the game. We talk about it all the time. We lost a little confidence and doubted ourselves because we felt like we weren’t keeping up with everyone else in the castle.

“Then we were really proud of ourselves because, essentially, we were the two who figured it out at the end. A little too late, but we did it!”

Weir and Lipinski were banished back-to-back, respectfully, with Lipinski making it to the final four, before Rob Rausch won it all. You can stream their season on Peacock.

As for her next wild ride, it’s Big Bargain Holiday Showdown (airing Tuesdays on HGTV beginning Nov. 10). The show sees two teams of friends, family and/or neighbors getting serious as they have 48 hours (little sleep) and $500 to transform their homes into a Christmas wonderland.

HGTV

“I was so excited when I got the call about this project,” Lipinski tells us. “I am a Christmas fanatic and a Christmas decorating fanatic!”

At the start of each episode, she learns each of the competitors’ backstories. “A lot of them are family members or friends, and you see the rivalries grow a bit. They become more and more competitive as the challenges progress. You also see how seriously they’re taking the competition and how little they’re sleeping, so you’re really rooting for them by the end. I loved that part of it.”

As for judging the winner, that’s one thing the Olympian was happy she didn’t have to make the call.

“I’m so glad I didn’t have to judge this competition!”