Spoiler warning: This story contains details of the winner(s) of The Traitors UK
After three weeks of murder, betrayal and some blazing rows, the latest series of The Traitors came to a typically nail-biting climax in Friday’s finale.
With three players left in the final vote, traitor Stephen Libby had a choice between breaking a promise to fellow traitor Rachel Duffy and dumping her, or eliminating the last remaining faithful, Jack Butler, who had become his good friend.
“I couldn’t go back on my word to you,” Stephen told Rachel after voting for Jack – meaning the pair stormed to victory after going undetected together through the series, sharing the £95,750 prize.
More than nine million people tuned in, making it the most-watched episode of the civilian version of the show.
Peaking at 9.6m viewers during the dramatic final moments, it was also the UK’s biggest overnight audience since the Celebrity Traitors final in November, which attracted an average audience of 11.1m people.
Host Claudia Winkleman remarked: “Two traitors, but totally faithful to each other.”
Rachel, the first female traitor to win the UK show, said: “It’s the best feeling in the world.
“I really thought it was such a big achievement to be the first female traitor to make it to the final, and then to win. I think it will be a very long time until you get the smile off my face.
“I’m really looking forward to not having to lie.”
She said she would use the prize money to go on holiday and make memories with her children and mother, who has dementia.
“When you know her memories are going and you have an opportunity to help her create the nicest ones ever, I think that’s very precious,” she said.
Rachel and Stephen were both chosen as traitors at the outset, and soon formed an alliance to stick together.
After sailing virtually unscathed through most of the series, Rachel in particular gave a masterclass in deception by continually and subtly nudging the hapless faithfuls off the scent.
Despite the best efforts of secret traitor Fiona Hughes and faithful Harriet Tyce, who launched outspoken attacks on her earlier in the series, the 42-year-old head of communications from County Down, Northern Ireland, only really came under serious suspicion in the last two episodes.
Although her persona as a cool, calm killer divided viewers, she played one of the smartest games the show has seen.
“Rachel, watching you though the whole series has just been fantastic,” her one-time nemesis Harriet told spin-off show Uncloaked. “So calm and collected. Completely outplayed all of us. Brilliant.”
It would now be little surprise if Rachel gets an open-top bus parade through the streets of Newry.
Stephen, a 32-year-old cyber security consultant, will also get a hero’s welcome in Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides.
“I’m just a wee boy from the Isle of Lewis, this kind of stuff doesn’t happen to me,” he exclaimed after winning.
Rachel’s alliance with Stephen had its wobbles towards the end, but they kept their promise never to vote for each other.
While he also played a shrewd game, unlike Rachel he struggled to keep a calm demeanour, regularly going viral for his shocked facial expressions and sweaty, red-faced looks that showed his stress levels.
‘What a curveball’
The pair will receive £47,875 each. Stephen said he would use the money to give something back to his parents after they “gave up a lot” to put him through university, and would help his father, a butcher, pursue his passion for art.
Stephen now lives in London and also said he wants to get on the property ladder.
Jack had put his trust in Stephen, and only realised he was misguided when it was too late.
“It’s so frustrating,” the 29-year-old personal trainer from Essex said after being banished. “That’s completely unexpected, what a curveball, I’ve been totally played.”
The final had opened with viewers discovering the outcome of a cliffhanger from the end of Thursday’s episode about whether Rachel or James Baker would be banished after two ties in a roundtable vote.
That meant the decision was left to the “chest of chance”. Rachel received the chest containing a shield, which saved her and eliminated James.
After that, Jade was banished at the final roundtable – partly thanks to Rachel’s quiet persuasion to selected other players. Jade Scott, 25, who had previously said continued suspicion upon her had led her to emotionally “crack”, departed in tears.
That left four. Faraaz Noor, the youngest of the group at 22, was the first to be voted out around the firepit during the endgame, leaving Rachel and Steven to team up to knock out Jack.
The final brought to an end an eventful series, which has seen several twists, including the introduction of a “secret traitor”, whose identity was initially unknown to both viewers and the other traitors.
It was revealed to be Fiona, who quickly turned on fellow traitor Rachel in some explosive scenes in the castle. But Rachel soon sent her packing, as she did when crime author Harriet then also launched her vocal attack.
That drama all contributed to the success of the fourth regular series of the show’s UK version, which has been attracting more than 12 million viewers.
