Stephen Libby, a 32-year-old cyber security consultant from the Isle of Lewis, has won the BBC's The Traitors alongside fellow traitor Rachel Duffy, 42, from Newry, Northern Ireland. The pair split a £95,750 prize after a tense final episode aired on Friday night (January 24).
Made traitors by host Claudia Winkleman in the first episode, Stephen and Rachel formed a pact to never vote for each other to be banished. Their partnership held throughout the series, earning them each £47,875. They are the first pair of traitors to win the show.
Islanders on Lewis have expressed pride in Stephen, with Jayne Macritchie, owner of the Blue Lobster café in Stornoway, calling him a 'happy chappy' and a 'genuine person'. She said his honest nature likely made it 'quite difficult' for him to deceive fellow contestants. The café displayed Stephen's father Donald's driftwood artwork and shared a video of Stephen winking while drinking coffee.
Eilidh Laing, vice-chairwoman of the HebCelt festival, noted Stephen's 'internal moral conflict' was visible throughout the series. She said the close-knit community was 'completely behind him' and that islanders are 'incredibly resilient people'. Other local businesses, including Sandwick Bay Candles and tour company Heb360, also celebrated his win.
