Rachel Duffy, a strategic communications professional from Newry, has emerged victorious in the latest season of the hit BBC reality show “The Traitor.” Duffy, alongside her co-traitor Stephen, managed to outwit the competition and secure half of the £95,750 prize pot.
The news of Duffy’s triumph has sent shockwaves of excitement through her hometown, with over 100 of her family members gathering in Newry on Friday evening to watch the final episode. The room erupted in rapturous applause and tears of joy as her loved ones discovered that their “sister, friend and mum” had come out on top.
Duffy’s sister, Joanne, expressed a mix of emotions, from initially thinking her sibling would be eliminated before the final to feeling “absolute admiration” for her performance. She praised Duffy’s decision to use the prize money to create memories with her mother, who has dementia, saying it “showed her true character.”
Darren Mullen, Duffy’s brother, described her as “superb from the start,” praising her ability to play the role of a traitor brilliantly despite not being a “naturally deceptive person.” He also commended her co-winner, Stephen, for keeping their pact and promised him a pint whenever they next meet.
Duffy’s lifelong friend, Maria Keenan, described her as a “softie at heart” who “lights up every room,” despite her on-screen persona as the “green cloaked baddie.” Kathy McCaughey, Duffy’s best friend, said she had long been a fan of “The Traitor” but found it “so strange” to see her friend competing on the show, recalling Duffy’s love for party games and quizzes from a young age.
The excitement in Newry has been palpable, with Duffy’s former schoolmates, Orla, Caite and Iona, admitting to staying up past their bedtime to watch their “epic comeback kid” in action. Jewellery store manager Gemma Murphy and clothing boutique owner Gary Boyd expressed the town’s immense pride in Duffy’s achievement, with Boyd describing her as having “played an absolute blinder.”
Former “Traitor” contestant Diane Carson praised Duffy as a “very clever player” who had “swayed everybody” and had a strong chance of winning the competition. Duffy’s journey has undoubtedly captured the hearts of her hometown and beyond, solidifying her status as a true Newry hero.
