The Traitors stars provide drama in nail-biting final

Spoiler alert: This story contains details of the winner(s) of The Traitors UK

After three weeks of murder, betrayal and some heated fights, the latest series of Traitors reached a typically thrilling climax in Friday’s finale.

With three players remaining in the final vote, the traitorous Stephen Libby had to choose between breaking his promise to his traitorous friend Rachel Duffy and abandoning her, or eliminating her close friend, the last loyal Jack Butler.

“I can’t break my promise to you,” Stephen tells Rachel after she votes for Jack; The treacherous pair raced to victory undetected throughout the series and shared the £95,750 prize.

Presenter Claudia Winkleman said: “They are two traitors but completely loyal to each other.”

Rachel, the first female villain to win the UK competition, said: “It’s the best feeling in the world.

“I thought it was a really great achievement to be the first female traitor to reach the final and then win. I think it’ll be a long time before I can wipe the smile off my face.”

“I’m really looking forward to not having to lie.”

He said he would use the prize money to make memories with his children and his mother, who has dementia.

“When you know his memories are gone and you have the opportunity to help him create the best memories he’s ever had, I think it’s so valuable,” he said.

Rachel and Stephen were initially singled out as traitors and soon formed an alliance to stick together.

After getting through most of the series virtually unscathed, Rachel has become a masterclass in deception by constantly and expertly throwing particularly hapless loyalists off the scent.

Despite the best efforts of faithful Fiona and Harriet, who launched outspoken attacks on him early in the series, it was only in the final two episodes that the 42-year-old communications chief from County Down, Northern Ireland, faced truly serious doubts.

Even though he divided the audience as a cool, calm killer, he played one of the smartest games the series has ever seen.

“Rachel, it’s been amazing watching you throughout the whole series,” her onetime nemesis Harriet told spin-off show Uncloaked. “He’s so calm and collected. He totally left us all behind. It’s amazing.”

It wouldn’t be much of a surprise now if Rachel paraded through the streets of Newry in an open-top bus.

Cyber ​​security consultant Stephen, 32, will also receive a hero’s welcome in Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides.

“I’m a little boy from the Isle of Lewis, these things don’t happen to me,” he shouted after winning.

Rachel’s alliance with Stephen faltered towards the end, but they kept their promise to never vote for each other.

While he was also playing a cunning game, he struggled to maintain a calm demeanor, unlike Rachel; He regularly went viral for his shocked facial expressions and sweaty, red-faced looks that showed his stress levels.

The couple will receive £47,875 each. Stephen said he would use the money to give back to his parents, who “gave up so much” to put him through university, and to help his father, a butcher, pursue his passion for art.

Stephen currently lives in London and has also said he would like to get on the property ladder.

Jack had trusted Stephen and only realized he had gone down the wrong path when it was too late.

“It’s very frustrating,” the 29-year-old personal trainer from Essex said after being exiled. “This is completely unexpected, what a turnaround, I’m completely tricked.”

The finale had kicked off with viewers discovering a cliffhanger at the end of Thursday’s episode over whether Rachel or James would be expelled after two ties in the roundtable vote.

This meant that the decision was left to the “lucky chest”. Rachel retrieved the chest containing a shield, which saved her and eliminated James.

After this, Jade was removed from the final roundtable, thanks in part to Rachel’s quiet persuasion of the other selected players. 25-year-old Jade, who previously said she was emotionally “cracking” due to continued suspicions against her, left in tears.

There are four left. Faraaz, the youngest of the group at 22, was the first to be voted out of the fire pit in the endgame, and Rachel and Steven teamed up to take down Jack.

The finale concluded an eventful series that featured several developments, including the emergence of a “secret traitor” whose identity was initially unknown to both viewers and other traitors.

It is soon revealed that it was Fiona who attacked the treacherous Rachel in some explosive scenes in the castle. However, Rachel emerged unscathed, as did Harriet later launching a vocal attack.

This drama contributed to the success of the fourth regular series of the UK version of the show, which attracted more than 12 million viewers.