The triumphant winners of The Traitors, Stephen Libby and Rachel Duffy, have finally been awarded their share of the prize funds, totaling £47,000 each, after making history on the hit BBC show. The duo became the first two traitors to ever clinch victory in a heart-stopping finale, bagging a combined £95,750.
Delayed Payout Due to Show Rules
Although the suspenseful scenes aired for viewers last month, the series was actually filmed several months prior, with the cast descending on a Scottish castle last summer. However, due to the rules of the show, Stephen and Rachel had to patiently wait until the entire series concluded broadcasting before they could access their winnings, which were evenly divided between them.
Stephen's Practical Approach to the Prize
Now, ex-cyber security worker Stephen – who resigned from his job post-show – reveals that the money has finally landed in his bank account, but he is not planning any extravagant spending sprees just yet. "I have got it now yes, but I've not spent it!" he disclosed to The Sun.
Speaking on the red carpet at Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club's Gala Night, which starred Matt Willis, Stephen confessed that he needs to use the money to stay afloat after quitting his day job. He added: "Obviously, I've left my job, so right now it's going fully on survival. Things like London rent and things like that, so no grand plans to splurge it – no jumpsuits!"
Rachel's Tragic Circumstances
On the show, his co-winner, Rachel, expressed her desire to use her prize money to treat her mum, Anne, who was battling dementia, to a holiday. Tragically, Rachel was unable to spend the money on Anne, whose condition had deteriorated since filming, and she sadly passed away last month, before Rachel had received her share of the money.
Stephen's New Career in Showbiz
Whilst Stephen might be careful with his spending, he is already off to a great start in carving out a new career in showbiz. The star gained recognition for his unique fashion sense during his time on the Claudia Winkleman-hosted show, and has become a star in his own right in the weeks since the show ended.
Landing a primetime TV gig shortly after, Stephen made his presenting debut on This Morning last week as he led the show's fashion segment. "I was nervous for it," Stephen admitted when discussing his time on the show. "It's one thing asking questions and things like that, but it's another leading a segment like that. It was so much fun," he confirmed. Since the show aired, he has already gained over 450,000 followers on the photo-sharing site, Instagram.
Fashion Segment Highlights
Throughout his segment on the show, Stephen showcased a string of outfits he had found in both vintage stores and on the high street. And Stephen, known for his flamboyant jumpsuits, had Ben get involved, with the broadcaster stepping out in a full jumpsuit.
But Stephen's fashion icon, Anneka Rice, also popped in to surprise Stephen, leaving him completely speechless. "We've all been talking about your jumpsuits in the castle," Ben said, adding, "Of course, everyone started reminiscing about Anneka Rice. In fact, Anneka was watching, and she tweeted about it, didn't she?"
Stephen explained that Anneka tweeted while the show was airing, with her tweet reading: "Wait... What! Steven [sic] is actually wearing one of my jumpsuits #TraitorsUK." Ben explained that he and Cat were "thrilled" he was on the show before revealing the big surprise.
"Is this a joke?!" a shocked Stephen quipped as Anneka made her way into the studio. He asked: "Are you kidding?! What is going on?! Look at this, you look phenomenal!" Anneka explained that she later deleted her tweet as she was "overwhelmed" by how many people had interacted with it.
