Playing Mafia with my family in Newry helped me | UK News

Spoiler warning: This article contains details about what happened in The Traitors final.

“I’ve to go home now and tell my children: ‘By the way it’s not nice to lie’.”

Nonetheless, lying as part of the hit series The Traitors helped Newry woman Rachel Duffy last 12 episodes and become the only female traitor to win the show and take home £47,875.

From a poker straight to genuine shock, Rachel’s game face was on par to get her through some serious heat amongst fellow competitors.

“When it comes to a game… the competitive side comes out,” she told News NI.

Rachel managed to deceive and conquer throughout the game with her right-hand man, fellow traitor and fellow winner Stephen, who was someone she trusted from the start.

“From the minute he dropped his hood… I thought aw he’s lovely, really nice person. I felt relaxed,” said Rachel.

The element of the finale that struck the audience was more than likely the cliff-hanger of whether either traitor would betray each other to take home the £97,750 prize, or would they split it?

But both stayed true to each other and restored our faith in humanity – by one promise, to never write each others names on the black slate at the round table.

“As we made our promise, I just fell in love with him in the castle. We have a really nice friendship.”

Apparently, it’s playing the game Mafia, where a group of people are split into two groups, with one group being killers that can kill during a so-called ‘night-phase’ and the other group can debate and vote to eliminate a player during ‘day-phase’.

“I played Mafia growing up… I played that for 15 years. I became very good at any game where I had to play a straight face.”

Rachel’s fate was sealed in a small chest, after the round table had voted for her and James in a tie that led to sudden death, Rachel had one chance to stay in the game.

By what some would say was luck, Rachel found herself in the final, to the dismay of anyone backing the faithfuls.

“I’m alright with that. I’ve 47 grand. I think I can take that one on the chin… I’ll be alright.”

But Rachel said she did notice watching back that the lying was taking its toll.

“I can see watching the episodes… the bags under my eyes getting a little heavier.”

Rachel said she had to push the energy to stay in the game but finding the energy was “exhausting” as a traitor.

“You’re lying to people you like…staying up late in the turret… we had less sleep than anyone else.”

Rachel’s family watched the Traitors finale biting their nails.

She watched the video of her family’s reaction:

“I cried my eyes out, it’s lovely to have a lot of support.”

The filming of the season happened months ago but the secret had to be kept until the final moment of the show.

“They kept saying… just tell me tonight (before the finale). My brother… he had to go for a walk every round table and kept asking me what happened and I said ‘but I can’t tell you’.

“None of the cast knew the ending. None of my family knew the ending.”

Rachel woke up after the finale feeling like the weight of all those lies had been lifted.

“A sense of relief, it’s been so many secrets. Forget the lies, it’s the secrets, holding on to that… I feel lighter, I feel I’ve no secrets. No more lies!”

She laughed about how she’ll have to be a hypocrite now:

“I’ve to go home now and tell my children by the way its not nice to lie.”

When the last players got a chance to take down their cloaks, daggers and suspicions they had the opportunity to ask each other what they wanted to do if they won.

For Rachel, it was all for her family and her mother in particular, who suffers from Parkinson’s Disease and also dementia.

“I rang my mummy this morning… I can’t wait to come home and give her a big hug and say what will we do? Anything you want lets go do it.. so yeah as long as I get to spoil my family that’s all I care about.

“She (Rachel’s mum) didn’t get all the twists and the turns but she’s enjoyed watching it. She’s very proud.”

Rachel will spend the money on her family but before all that she said there’s one thing she needs to do first.

“Sleep. I’m gonna put my feet up and relax… January has been crazy… I just want to get home. In February we can think about what we want to do with the money.”