Rachel Duffy, the victorious contestant from the UK edition of The Traitors, has spoken publicly for the first time since the tragic death of her mother, Anne. In a heartfelt interview on Morning Live, the mother-of-three described enduring "a rough couple of weeks" following the loss.
Emotional Highs and Lows After Traitors Victory
Duffy, who became the first female Traitor to win the British version of the hit reality show in January, shared the £95,750 prize pot with fellow winner Stephen Libbey. Her triumph was swiftly overshadowed by personal tragedy, as her mother passed away mere days after the finale broadcast.
The 42-year-old had originally intended to use her portion of the winnings to create lasting memories with Anne, who battled dementia and Parkinson's disease. "Mummy was just 47 when she was diagnosed with Parkinson's, four years older than I am now, and faces dementia, but still amazes me and my family every single day," Duffy revealed during her time on the show.
Mother's Pride and Unfulfilled Plans
Reflecting on her mother's reaction to the program, Duffy recounted: "Sometimes we'd go visit her in the nursing home and she'd be re-watching the episodes. She was really, really proud." She shared an amusing anecdote about her mother's curiosity, saying, "She'd ring me and be like, 'Who did you murder?' and I was like, 'Mum, I can't tell you!'. She loved it, I spoke to her after I won and she was really proud."
Despite not yet receiving her winnings at the time of her mother's passing, Duffy remains committed to honoring her memory. "I can't get to make them with mummy, but I'm going to make them with my family," she stated. "I think being able to do nice things with them is an absolute blessing. So I think we're going to have a fun 2026."
Record-Breaking Success of The Traitors
The latest series of The Traitors achieved unprecedented viewership, with 9.4 million viewers tuning in for the tense conclusion. This made it the most-watched finale in the history of the civilian version of the program, which launched in 2022.
Production executives are currently securing participants for a new celebrity series, building on the success of last autumn's inaugural celebrity edition. Numerous high-profile figures have expressed interest in participating. A fifth regular series is scheduled to follow next year.
Duffy concluded her interview by emphasizing the importance of family support during difficult times: "It's been a rough couple of weeks, it's been a big high, and then a dip down low, but thankfully I have the best family in the world so I'm getting through it."
