Why Rachel won’t win The Traitors 2026, even if she survives the Chests of Chance
'Even with the shield, the heat is really on Rachel,' viewers have predicted
Rachel Duffy will discover at the start of tonight’s episode of The Traitors if she’s still on track to win the 2026 prize fund – but fans and experts alike are predicting her fate isn’t looking good.
At the end of last night’s episode, the roundtable ended in a tie, and a second vote failed to break it. That left the decision to the Chests of Chance, where Rachel and James each picked a chest. The contestant with the shield would survive, while the one with the empty box would be banished – but the episode ended on a cliffhanger just as the boxes were opened.
Body language expert predicts Rachel’s exit
Speaking for Paddy Power Games, body language analyst Judi James says it’s bad news for Rachel ahead of tonight’s final.
“On a technical, episode-construction note… I would veer towards her not getting the shield,” Judi explained. “Their body language throws up minuscule clues. The only glimpse of James opening his box didn’t show any change in expression. Jade’s eyes were darting from side to side and seemed to settle on Rachel, which also signals risk.”
Stephen’s reaction gives the game away
Judi also points to fellow Traitor Stephen. “We saw the biggest reaction from Stephen. His eye direction seemed to be on Rachel. He closed his eyes in a long blink, then placed his hands over his face with his head jerked back. That micro-gesture suggests Rachel has gone, despite his acted look of shock.”
Viewers reckon Rachel is a goner either way
Even if Rachel does have the shield, fans think she won’t last to the end of the game. Trust for Rachel among the remaining contestants has now been broken, and many predict she’ll be banished at the final roundtable or during the last stages of the show.
One fan wrote: “Surely even if Rachel gets the shield she won’t get any money – there’s no trust anymore.” Another added: “Rachel will go even if she gets a shield. Stephen will win this year.” A third commented: “Even with the shield, the heat is really on her. Murdering Roxy over Faraaz was her downfall.”
Read more: Truth about why Roxy wasn’t seen discovering who The Traitors are ‘revealed’
