The Traitors winner Rachel Duffy announces death of mother Anne
By Casey Cooper-Fiske, Press Association Senior Entertainment Reporter
The Traitors winner Rachel Duffy has announced the death of her mother, Anne, who she revealed during the BBC show had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and dementia.
Duffy, from Newry in Northern Ireland, had promised she would spend some of the winnings from the reality game show on her family, and said she was “heartbroken” in a post on Instagram.
She said: “We are heartbroken to share the passing of our beautiful wee mummy.
“We kindly ask for privacy as our family grieves during this difficult time.”
In an Instagram post earlier this month, the TV star said her mother had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the age of 47.
In the post, which was accompanied by a picture of her mother holding a T-shirt that read “My Daughter’s A Traitor”, Duffy said: “Words of wisdom from my wee mummy Anne who is not only my motivation on The Traitors but my inspiration in real life.
“Mummy was just 47 when she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s (four years older than I am now) and now faces dementia but still amazes me and my family every single day.
“Everything she has done for me and my four siblings is nothing short of incredible. Sharing caring responsibilities over the years for her has been a privilege and we are so proud to call her our mum.”
After winning the latest series of the show, alongside fellow traitor Stephen Libby, Duffy told the Press Association the reaction to the moment she told contestants about her mother at a dinner party on the programme had been “lovely”.
Duffy said: “There was a lot of messages on social media about people and their own experiences, saying thank you so much for raising awareness.
“It was the loveliest feeling to know that your story resonated with so many.
“I think if there’s anything positive that can come out of this is raising awareness of two very important illnesses that are very tough on the actual person and their family.”
The NHS website describes Parkinson’s as a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years, leading to slow movement and stiff muscles.
It describes dementia as a syndrome associated with an ongoing decline of brain functioning, including memory loss.
After winning, Duffy told BBC News: “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, let’s go do it’… so yeah, as long as I get to spoil my family, that’s all I care about.
“She didn’t get all the twists and the turns but she’s enjoyed watching it. She’s very proud.”
Following Duffy’s announcement, Dementia UK’s chief admiral nurse and chief executive Dr Hilda Hayo said: “We’re sorry to hear that Anne Duffy has died having lived with Parkinson’s and dementia.
“Everyone at Dementia UK sends our condolences to Anne’s family and hope they are receiving the support they need at this difficult time.
“Through her appearance on The Traitors, Anne’s daughter Rachel spoke candidly about her experience of dementia, helping to raise awareness for the condition and the way it affects families across the UK.
“We thank Rachel for her honesty – we know it is not easy to speak publicly about the impact dementia can have, but in doing so she will have encouraged others to reach out for the support they need.
“We urge families affected by dementia to reach out to our specialist helpline. Staffed by dementia specialist admiral nurses, our helpline offers support and guidance on all stages of dementia, including grieving for a loved one.
“Anyone affected by dementia can contact the helpline by calling 0800 888 6678 or emailing helpline@dementiauk.org.”
