As The Traitors came to an explosive end on Friday night, Claudia Winkleman broke down in tears as she announced the winners of this year’s series.
Stephen and Rachel made show history as they became the first Traitors to take home the cash together in one of the most nail-biting finals the show has ever had.
As Claudia declared them as the winners, she struggled to get her words out: ‘You did it. You have each got £47,875,’ she said.
Rachel Duffy, 43, a communications manager, played a textbook game as a Traitor from week one with viewers unsure if she would turn on fellow traitor Stephen Libby at the very last minute and take home the huge £95,750 prize pot herself.
However, they remained loyal to the agreement and stayed together until the very end, kicking out Faithful Faraaz Noor and Jack Butler at the firepit.
Claudia held back tears as she told the duo to ‘cuddle each other’ before covering her face with emotion.
As The Traitors came to an explosive end on Friday night, Claudia Winkleman broke down in tears as she announced the winners of this year’s series
Stephen and Rachel made show history as they became the first Traitors to take home the cash together in one of the most nail-biting finals the show has ever had
She continued: ‘Two Traitors but totally faithful to each other. You did it, you absolutely did it. Congratulations.’
Earlier in the series, Stephen had expressed doubts over whether Rachel would keep her side of the pact they made never to write each other’s names on their slates at the roundtable.
But speaking after their win, the pair explained why they remained loyal to the agreement, despite moments of uncertainty.
Rachel said: ‘I knew from the minute it came out of my mouth I wouldn’t break the pact and I thought this is a new game for me I’m not breaking it.’
Stephen added: ‘It’s so hard to trust someone in there whose job it is to lie and so I was really struggling to see how Rachel could hold onto that pact for the whole game which is why to the end I was wobbling.’
Rachel continued: ‘It is 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, then win.’
During Friday night’s instalment of spin-off show, The Traitors: Uncloaked, the duo reunited with their fellow contestants to relive the nail-biting finale.
Asked how it felt watching the final episode back, Rachel admitted the experience left her emotional.
As Claudia declared them as the winners, she struggled to get her words out: ‘You did it. You have each got £47,875,’ she said
She continued: ‘Two Traitors but totally faithful to each other. You did it, you absolutely did it. Congratulations’
She said: ‘I was so nervous for Stephen, so watching it back, it made me cry.’
Stephen added: ‘I didn’t know what I was going to do, watching it back, I can see in my face. I’m just so proud of the decision that I made, proud of myself and Rachel.’
In one of the most tense finales the show has ever seen, Stephen and Rachel became the first duo of Traitors to triumph, despite fans being convinced Rachel would betray her friend to secure the entire prize pot.
Our five finalists were Jack Butler, a personal trainer, Faraaz Noor, an auditor, Jade Scott, a PHD student and fellow traitors Rachel and Stephen.
The final round table led to faithful Jade being banished, leaving Ardross Castle in floods of tears after her friend Stephen voted her out.
Then came the ‘end game’ where the remaining four had to decide if they all trusted each other. They didn’t. Faithful Faraaz was the next to be booted.
That left just Rachel, Stephen and Jack – who had been fairly anonymous in the series until last week – standing around the firepit.
The pair remained loyal, with Stephen making a selfless decision at the final hurdle despite knowing Jack Butler would vote Rachel out. Instead, both stuck to a pact they made at the family tree not to turn on each other.
The Traitors season four finale is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.
