Stephen Libby, the triumphant winner of the BBC's hit reality show The Traitors, marked a significant career milestone on Thursday morning by making his television presenting debut. The 32-year-old reality star joined seasoned hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley on ITV's flagship breakfast programme, This Morning, where he took charge of the fashion segment, a role typically reserved for resident expert Lisa Snowdon.
A Stylish Debut with 1970s Flair
Stephen, who rose to fame on the most recent series of The Traitors, showcased his signature vintage style as he guided viewers through a segment focused on drawing inspiration from 1970s fashion. This look became iconic for him during his time on the BBC One gameshow. Dressed in a chic, tight-fitting outfit, he shared his top tips with fans, accompanied by models adorned in 1970s-inspired and authentic vintage clothing, who posed elegantly in front of the hosts.
Mixed Reactions from Viewers on Social Media
Fans at home were taken aback to see the BBC star gracing breakfast television, and they quickly took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to voice their opinions. While some praised Stephen's presenting skills, others directed their criticism towards the fashion choices rather than his performance.
One viewer expressed their disapproval, writing: 'High waisted trousers with tucked in shirt gives me the ick, and tbh I didn't get that "fashion" segment at all. Just so random, and hosted by a game show contestant.' Another added: 'Please don’t do this segment again,' while a third commented on the styling: 'Good grief mate. These outfits are grim.'
Further critiques included remarks such as: 'FFS. They finally have men's fashion on the show and it's f**king fancy dress,' and 'They only want to do fashion for men when it’s a f**king 70s cosplay and Peaky Blinders cosplay.' A fifth viewer bluntly stated: 'Christ, the 70s can keep its s**te,' with a sixth simply saying: 'It's a no from me.' One person humorously questioned: 'So if you win The Traitors you have to present a fashion segment on This Morning?'
However, not all feedback was negative. Some viewers rallied to support Stephen, with one writing: 'I'm loving Stephen on the fashion segment. So much better than the usual presenters!' This highlights the divisive nature of the segment, though luckily for Stephen, much of the criticism was aimed at the fashion style rather than his presenting abilities.
A Surprise Appearance and Reflections on The Traitors
Later in the segment, Stephen received a delightful surprise when TV presenter Anneka Rice made an appearance, wearing a tight-fitting jumpsuit reminiscent of one Stephen famously wore during The Traitors. Gushing over the reality TV star, Anneka exclaimed: 'Stephen! It's so lovely to meet you! You rocked that jumpsuit look! We must get together. You're just a little too good at presenting, you've just gone right into it!'
This appearance comes after Stephen recently opened up about his experience on The Traitors, where he and fellow Traitor Rachel Duffy split the impressive £95,750 prize in January. Speaking on This Morning, he reflected on the intense pressure of the show, admitting to making key 'mistakes' that left him 'shocked' to emerge victorious.
Stephen revealed: 'It's very stressful in there, like at breakfast I knew who isn't coming but you've got to act shocked. I made so many mistakes in there, I was embroiled in so many dramas and theories... when Jessie pulled me up on the final five theory, it's the first time I'd realised I'd made a catastrophic error as a Traitor.' He added that he often felt unprepared, saying: 'I was making a lot of mistakes in the beginning, and I think I had so many moments where I thought I'm not cut out for it.'
Despite his self-doubt, Stephen's consistent demeanor—characterised by a perpetually shocked expression, sweating, and red face—ultimately helped him blend in. He joked: 'I don't think I looked like a skilled liar, my face was perpetually shocked, I was always sweating, I was always red, the big eyes, but consistency is key. I was consistently shocked and looking scared so I don't think anyone thought there was anything weird about it.'
Life After The Traitors and Future Plans
The win has allowed Stephen to leave his job and focus on enjoying life. He shared: '[The money] is not in [my account] yet, but I'm not checking because I want to get a nice surprise when it comes in. I've left my job so really it's just allowing me to just survive for the next wee while as well.' Ben Shephard chimed in with encouragement: 'Just enjoy life!'
Stephen, known for his love of vintage fashion, also joked about planning a shopping spree with his winnings. He explained that his wardrobe on the show was largely composed of his everyday clothes, saying: 'I do love clothes - these clothes are what I wear on a day-to-day basis. It's not like I curated a wardrobe for The Traitors specifically and 90% of what I wore on the show I already owned.' He recounted the challenge of packing for the show, noting: 'I took two suitcases and a hope and a prayer, because I was shoving my foot into the case trying to sit on it and close it, there was a limit and I had to stick to that limit. I went to the nth degree of the limit as well.'
In the final moments of The Traitors, Stephen and Rachel chose to banish Jack, sticking together to win as Traitors—a move Stephen humorously described as making them 'Faithful'. He expressed gratitude towards his fellow contestants, saying: 'We all get on so well, all of us - the [Faithful] were just so supportive and were so proud of me and Rachel. Because of the way it ended, the Faithful's kind of felt like it was almost like a Faithful win because [Rachel and I] stuck together, it was amazing.' He emphasised his integrity, adding: 'At the end of the day, I was only standing at the final fire pit because of Rachel. I didn't deserve that money any more than she did, I was never going to take all the money for myself. I wanted to be able to leave with my head held high, I had stuck to my promise.'
This Morning continues to air weekdays at 10am on ITV1 and ITVX, offering viewers a mix of entertainment, lifestyle segments, and celebrity interviews.
