Rachel Duffy, the first female winner of the news show The Traitors, has shared the sad news of her mother’s death. Writing on Instagram, she described herself as “heartbroken” over the loss of her “beautiful wee mummy.”
A Prize Meant for Memories
During the show, Rachel often spoke about her mum’s struggle with Parkinson’s Disease and dementia. She had hoped to use her winnings to take her mum on holiday and create lasting memories.
After winning the show on Friday, Rachel told BBC News NI that she was excited to treat her family, especially her mum. “I rang my mummy this morning. I can’t wait to come home, give her a big hug and ask, ‘What shall we do?’ Anything you want, let’s go do it. As long as I get to spoil my family, that’s all I care about,” she said.
Her mother had watched the show and was very proud, even if she didn’t fully understand all the twists and turns of the competition.
Winning for Her Mum
Rachel, along with co-traitor Stephen, won the final episode, splitting the £95,750 prize pot. In the final, she became emotional talking about spending the money to create beautiful memories for her family.
Her sister Joanne praised Rachel’s intentions. “She wanted to win the money for our mum. What she planned to do with it meant so much more than the money itself,” Joanne said.
Raising Awareness About Dementia
Dementia UK CEO Hilda Hayo expressed condolences and praised Rachel for speaking openly about her mum’s condition. “Rachel has been honest about the impact of dementia. This will encourage others to seek support,” she said.
Rachel has asked for privacy as her family mourns.
