Traitors Champion Rachel Duffy Reveals Unwavering Trust in Teammate After Historic BBC Victory
The triumphant champion of BBC's hit reality series The Traitors has opened up about the complete trust she placed in her teammate throughout the competition, following their dramatic victory in the show's fourth series finale. Rachel Duffy, 42, described the winning moment as "a feeling like nothing else" after she and Stephen Libby became the first pair of traitors to win the game together.
The Tense Finale and Unbreakable Pact
In an exclusive interview with the Press Association, Duffy revealed the intense pressure of the final episode, where her fate rested entirely in Libby's hands. The tense conclusion saw Libby faced with a crucial decision: eliminate his teammate to claim the entire £95,750 prize pot alone, or remain loyal to their alliance and split the winnings.
Duffy recounted the nerve-wracking moments around the firepit: "When it came to the next vote, [Stephen] wouldn't look at me, and he wouldn't look me in the eye. I just thought, 'Oh no, I'm in trouble'. So, I really, really thought he put my name down."
Despite this uncertainty, Libby chose to vote for faithful contestant Jack instead, securing their joint victory and splitting the prize money equally at £47,875 each. Duffy expressed her overwhelming relief: "When he turned [the slate] around and it was Jack's name on it, it was a feeling like nothing else."
An Unshakeable Alliance
The victorious duo had formed a pact early in the competition, promising never to vote against each other. Duffy, a head of communications from Newry in Northern Ireland, maintained absolute commitment to this agreement throughout the entire series.
"I never wobbled once," she declared. "I knew once I made [the pact] that night, I never, ever was going to break it."
Libby, originally from the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides but now living in London, admitted to experiencing more doubt during the final moments. The cyber security consultant revealed: "I think I'm naturally like a very trusting person, and I do just take people at their word. I was terrified that I had done exactly that with Rachel and that she was going to have my name on her slate at the end."
He described his internal struggle: "That's what was making me question myself at the very end. I honestly didn't know what name I was going to write on that slate until the chalk hit the slate. It was genuinely that close to the wire for me."
Values Over Victory
Ultimately, Libby's decision to share the prize rather than claim it all came down to personal principles. He explained: "In the end, I knew that an extra £50,000 wasn't worth the guilt that I would have felt if I had left with everything, and Rachel left with nothing."
Reflecting on their achievement, Libby expressed pride in their demonstration of trust and perseverance: "I'm so proud that we managed to prove that if you just hold your nerve and really trust each other, then you can have the result that we had last night."
Personal Stories and Public Response
During their time on the show, Duffy shared a deeply personal story with fellow contestants about her mother's health challenges. She revealed that her mother has been diagnosed with both Parkinson's disease and dementia, conditions that significantly impact brain function and daily living.
The NHS describes Parkinson's as a condition where parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years, leading to slow movement and stiff muscles. Dementia is characterized as a syndrome associated with ongoing decline in brain functioning, including memory loss.
Duffy expressed gratitude for the public's response to her disclosure: "There was a lot of messages on social media about people and their own experiences, saying thank you so much for raising awareness. It was the loveliest feeling to know that your story resonated with so many and that so many other people, or carers for their family members."
She added: "I think if there's anything positive that can come out of this is raising awareness of two very important illnesses that are very tough on the actual person and their family."
Plans for the Prize Money
Both winners have revealed thoughtful plans for their £47,875 shares of the prize pot. Duffy intends to focus on family experiences, particularly creating special memories with her children and mother.
"I promised the kids, because they've never been on an airplane, that in the next few weeks, we'll go over [to England] and we'll visit some friends," she shared. "But I'll just go to mum and just say, 'right, what do you want? Anything at all. What can we do?' So I think we're going to have some fun."
Meanwhile, Libby plans to take his partner on holiday, acknowledging their support throughout the competition. The former cyber security consultant also revealed he has quit his job earlier this year to take some well-deserved time off.
He explained his decision: "It's not because I've got any grand plans to do anything with that free time. I don't think I'm going to be the next kind of big superstar or anything. It's really because I have been in work since I was 15. I've worked two jobs all throughout university, I have never taken a gap year, never done anything like that."
Libby concluded: "My main goal is just to take a couple of months off and really just see if I am in a fortunate enough position now to do something I'm really passionate about."
The fourth series of The Traitors concluded on Friday night with this historic dual victory, demonstrating that trust and loyalty can indeed triumph in the high-stakes world of reality television competition.
