In a gripping revelation from the hit BBC series, Traitors champion Rachel Duffy has opened up about the heart-stopping moment she believed her teammate Stephen Libby was about to betray her in the show's dramatic finale. The 42-year-old communications head from Newry described the victory as an unparalleled feeling after making history as the first pair of traitors to win the game together.
A Pact Tested In The Final Showdown
The tense fourth series conclusion saw Duffy's fate resting entirely in Libby's hands during the crucial endgame. Speaking exclusively to the Press Association, Duffy recalled the pivotal moment around the firepit before discovering her triumph. "When it came to the next vote, Stephen wouldn't look at me, and he wouldn't look me in the eye," she revealed. "I just thought, 'Oh no, I'm in trouble'. So, I really, really thought he put my name down."
Loyalty Prevails Against All Odds
Despite having the opportunity to eliminate his fellow traitor and claim the entire £95,750 prize pot for himself, Libby remained faithful to their early alliance. The cyber security consultant from the Isle of Lewis chose instead to vote for faithful contestant Jack, securing their joint victory and splitting the winnings equally at £47,875 each. "When he turned the slate around and it was Jack's name on it, it was a feeling like nothing else," Duffy expressed with evident relief.
The treacherous duo had formed a binding pact from the outset, vowing never to vote against each other - a promise they maintained throughout the competition. "I never wobbled once," Duffy asserted. "I knew once I made that pact that night, I never, ever was going to break it." This unwavering commitment proved crucial to their unprecedented success as the first traitor partnership to emerge victorious in the show's history.
Behind The Scenes Of A Historic Win
Libby, who now resides in London, admitted to experiencing significant doubts despite their agreement. "I think I'm naturally a very trusting person, and I do just take people at their word," he confessed. "I was terrified that I had done exactly that with Rachel and that she was going to have my name on her slate at the end. That's what was making me question myself at the very end."
The decision proved agonisingly close for the cyber security expert. "I honestly didn't know what name I was going to write on that slate until the chalk hit the slate. It was genuinely that close to the wire for me," Libby revealed. Ultimately, ethical considerations outweighed financial temptation. "In the end, I knew that an extra £50,000 wasn't worth the guilt that I would have felt if I had left with everything, and Rachel left with nothing."
Personal Stories Resonate Beyond The Game
During their time on the popular reality programme, Duffy shared deeply personal information with fellow contestants about her mother's diagnoses of Parkinson's disease and dementia. The response to this revelation has been overwhelmingly positive, with the communications professional noting: "There was a lot of messages on social media about people and their own experiences, saying thank you so much for raising awareness."
She continued: "It was the loveliest feeling to know that your story resonated with so many people. I think if there's anything positive that can come out of this, it's raising awareness of two very important illnesses that are very tough on the actual person and their family." The NHS describes Parkinson's as a condition causing progressive brain damage leading to slow movement and stiff muscles, while dementia involves ongoing decline in brain function including memory loss.
Life After The Traitors
Regarding their substantial winnings, both champions have heartwarming plans for the prize money. Duffy intends to treat her family, promising her children their first airplane journey to visit friends in England. "I'll just go to mum and say, 'right, what do you want? Anything at all. What can we do?' So I think we're going to have some fun," she shared affectionately.
Meanwhile, Libby plans to take his partner on holiday, acknowledging their crucial support throughout the experience. In a surprising career move, the Traitors star revealed he has quit his cyber security job earlier this year to take some well-deserved time off. "I have been in work since I was 15," he explained. "I've worked two jobs all throughout university, I have never taken a gap year, never done anything like that. My main goal is just to take a couple of months off and really just see if I am in a fortunate enough position now to do something I'm really passionate about."
Reflecting on their extraordinary achievement, Libby expressed pride in their demonstration of trust and perseverance. "I'm so proud that we managed to prove that if you just hold your nerve and really trust each other, then you can have the result that we had last night." Their historic victory serves as a testament to the power of loyalty in one of television's most psychologically demanding competitions.
