DJ and television presenter Tyler West has shared harrowing details about witnessing a fatal stabbing when he was just 14 years old, describing it as one of the most horrific moments of his life and revealing the profound 'knock-on effect' it had on his mental wellbeing.
The Childhood Trauma
The 29-year-old, who is from south London, opened up about the traumatic event while appearing on the BBC One programme Celebrity Race Across The World with his girlfriend, EastEnders actress Molly Rainford. He explained that the experience created deep-seated issues with control, which were triggered by the unpredictable nature of the reality show's 3,670-mile race through Central America.
Speaking to Rainford, West confessed, "I didn't know this would be this much outside of my comfort zone. I always like to be in control of things or know what I'm getting myself into." He elaborated that this need for control is a direct response to the helplessness he felt as a teenager. "If I can control it, I feel like I can then look after the situation the best I possibly can. When I compare it to when I was a teenager, it was on another level."
Recalling the Horrific Incident
In a later confessional segment filmed for the show on Thursday 27 November 2025, West recounted the specific details of the day that changed his life. "I was coming home from school one day, and there were these three men having an argument outside my house," he recalled.
The situation escalated violently. "One of the two men threw a really weak punch to the man that was on his own, and then one of the men had a 12-inch kitchen knife in his hand." West described the terrifying scene from his bedroom window. "All of a sudden... it was like me standing there at my bedroom window at 14 and just seeing this man get stabbed to death. It was one of the most horrific moments of my life."
The Lasting Impact and Aftermath
The aftermath of the stabbing was just as traumatic for the young West, who was required to testify in court. "I just remember being there at the Old Bailey, just being petrified of so many factors, like will all these people be able to see me? Will they know that I'm testifying?" he shared.
He admitted that he didn't know how to process the event, and it severely impacted his mental health. "It had such a knock-on effect to my mental health. I was indoors for like two years," West revealed. He concluded by stating that the tragic event forced him to grow up prematurely, saying, "It matured me really quick, and it… it was just really hard."
During the latest episode of the reality competition, the celebrities, including West and Rainford who began their relationship after meeting on Strictly Come Dancing in 2022, faced a sudden change of plans. They were instructed to fly to Liberia in Costa Rica after permission to film in Nicaragua was denied. The couple ultimately reached the checkpoint at Bocas del Toro in Panama in fourth place, following Derry Girls actor Dylan Llewellyn and his mother, radio presenter Roman Kemp and his sister, and presenter Anita Rani with her father.
