In a groundbreaking moment for British television, Rachel and Stephen have etched their names into the annals of reality TV history by becoming the first pair of traitors to jointly triumph in the BBC's hit gameshow, The Traitors. The duo secured their unprecedented victory during a tense and emotionally charged finale on Friday night, outmanoeuvring every faithful contestant to claim the entire prize fund.
A Historic Alliance Forged in Deception
The fourth series of the popular BBC programme concluded with Rachel, a communications director from Newry in Northern Ireland, and Stephen, a cyber security consultant originally from the Isle of Lewis but now residing in London, being crowned as dual-winners. Their success marks a series first, as no previous traitors have managed to maintain their alliance through to the final and split the prize pot.
Selected as traitors by host Claudia Winkleman from the very outset of the competition, Rachel and Stephen formed an early pact, vowing never to vote against one another. Remarkably, they adhered to this agreement throughout the entire series, demonstrating unwavering loyalty in a game fundamentally built on betrayal and deceit.
The Nail-Biting Finale Unfolds
The climactic episode began with high drama as gardener James faced banishment following a deadlocked roundtable vote with Rachel. Their fate was decided by chance, with both contestants given a chest. Rachel narrowly avoided elimination after winning a shield, forcing James to depart the castle.
The final five contestants – Rachel, Stephen, Faraaz, James, and Jade – then embarked on a perilous final mission, which involved scaling down the side of a dam and taking a helicopter ride over the breathtaking Scottish highlands. Upon returning to the castle, the decisive roundtables commenced.
PhD student Jade was the first to be eliminated in the finale, betrayed by her supposed friend Stephen. She left the room in tears, without revealing her true identity as a faithful. Auditor Faraaz was banished next around the firepit during the endgame, followed by personal trainer Jack, whose elimination by both Rachel and Stephen secured the historic victory for the traitorous pair.
Emotional Reactions and Life-Changing Winnings
As the reality of their win sank in, both champions shared heartfelt reactions. Stephen, visibly moved, told Rachel: “I’ll be honest, I had moments where I was doubting what I was going to do tonight, but I couldn’t go back on my word to you.” He later reflected on his humble beginnings, stating: “I’m just a wee boy from the Isle of Lewis, this kind of stuff doesn’t really happen to me. This isn’t the kind of money that me and my family deal with. It’s going to make such a difference. And I just know they’re going to be so proud.”
Rachel expressed her elation, saying: “It’s the best feeling in the world. I really thought it was such a big achievement to be the first female traitor to make it to the final. And then to win. I think it will be a very long time until you get the smile off my face. I’m really looking forward to not having to lie.”
The pair split the prize pot of £95,750 equally, each taking home £47,875 – a life-changing sum that promises to impact their futures significantly.
Host and Spin-Show Commentary
Claudia Winkleman, appearing emotional at the conclusion, praised the winners, telling them: “Two traitors but totally faithful to each other. You did it. You absolutely did it.” On the spin-off series, The Traitors: Uncloaked, she further commended their unique alliance, noting: “We’ve never seen that before. Lots of people make alliances and they last, you know, an episode or five minutes, but they decided, and not Romeo and Juliet, because that ended badly, but Bonnie and Clyde.”
Discussing their pact on the companion show, Rachel revealed: “I knew from the minute it came out of my mouth I wouldn’t break it.” Stephen added a more cautious perspective: “That is not what I was thinking. It’s so hard to trust someone in there whose job it is to lie. I was really struggling to see how Rachel could hold onto that pact for the whole game, which is why at the end I was wobbling big time. I’m just so glad she’s a woman of her word.”
This historic victory not only provides a thrilling conclusion to the fourth series but also sets a new benchmark for strategic gameplay within the reality television genre, proving that even in a world of deception, loyalty can indeed prevail.
