The Traitors: More than £80k now raised for faithful Alexander's charity
The donations are going up and up!
Last updated 4th Feb 2025
Fan-favourite, Alexander Dragonetti, may have missed out on a slice of The Traitors final prize pot, but the charity he was hoping to win the money for has still benefitted in a big way. Fans dug deep after hearing how the kind-hearted faithful lost his 17-year-old brother at just 24-years-of-age — and have donated more than £80k to the charity directly.
Telling his fellow contestants at the final dinner party that he was raising funds for Mencap, Alexander explained how his brother had Global Developmental Delay and autism. In an emotional speech, the faithful said: "He looked up to me, and thought I was great. I miss that a lot.
"He used to go to a summer camp. My parents did an incredible job with my brother. And for them to get a break for even a week a year. Looking after someone with special needs, it can be a challenging job. I just thought it was a brilliant thing for my brother and a brilliant thing for my family and I'd love to keep that kind of thing going."
And it turns out Alexander's brother wasn't the only person to think he was great, as fans who were gutted to see the 'people's winner' be eliminated in the final rallied around to donate to the charity directly.
Tens of thousands of people donated following the final on 24th January, with fans taking to social media to share their love for the former British diplomat. One fan wrote: 'I’ve just donated on behalf of Alexander, my son has a learning disability, the struggle is real, thankyou to Alex for shining a spotlight on this wonderful charity 🥰' (sic)
While another said: 'I donated about 10mins after the end of the show on Friday in his name. Because kindness counts ❤️.'
In a post on social media on Monday 3rd February, Mencap revealed the total raised had gone from £30,000 to a whopping £80,000!
Jon Sparkes OBE, Chief Executive of learning disability Mencap, said: “We are really grateful to Alexander for courageously sharing his personal story about his late brother who had a learning disability on The Traitors. Despite not winning on Friday night Alexander remained faithful to the end and captured the hearts of the nation – he is our champion!
"Telling his story has inspired a tremendous wave of generosity from the public. These donations are needed more now than ever as people with a learning disability continue to face extensive inequalities every day.
"We know that when the experiences of people with a learning disability, and their loved ones, are represented in the media, it helps to change attitudes and make our society more inclusive. We loved watching Alexander’s journey throughout the show and want to thank him for all that he’s done.”
Alexander made it to the final four, despite facing accusations of being a traitor throughout the series. But as predicted by many, Leanne, Jake and Francesca chose to eliminate the faithful in the final round.
Now check out who is rumoured to appear in a celebrity edition of The Traitors:
Alan Carr
According to reports in November 2024, comedian Alan Carr has signed up for the series. A source told the press: "Alan is an absolute national treasure and will be an incredible contestant - he'll make great telly as well as being a top player."
Kate Garraway
Good Morning Britain host Kate Garraway has reportedly 'signed her contract' to appear on the series.
Courteney Cox
Friends star Courteney Cox is great friends with The Traitors host Claudia Winkleman, so it's no surprise rumours are rife that she could be taking part in the celebrity series! As fans will know, Courteney even appeared in a promo video alongside Claudia to promote applications for series two last year.
Richard Osman
Reports in September 2024 suggested that TV host Richard Osman was the frontrunner to appear on Celebrity Traitors in 2025. A source told The Mirror: "Richard would be a terrific signing. He reckons he knows how to commit the perfect murder, so could surely spot a Traitor from 100 paces or outsmart the others if he needs to?"
Clare Balding
Despite turning down numerous offers to appear on other reality TV shows in the past, reports are rife that broadcaster Clare Balding will appear on the celebrity version of The Traitors.
Stephen Fry
According to reports, QI host Stephen Fry is one of the names at the top of lists for bosses, especially considering he's a huge fan of the show. Although nothing has been confirmed, reports are suggesting Stephen is very much up for taking part.
Paloma Faith
Singer Paloma Faith is another name heavily rumoured for the show. A source said: "Paloma is great fun and has a great personality for TV, as viewers saw on The Voice. She will relish the opportunity whatever side she is on - she should be able to spot people bluffing a mile off - and she will be great at playing innocent if she is a Traitor."
Tess Daly and Vernon Kay
According to reports, host Claudia has enlisted her Strictly co-host Tess Daly for the celeb series, alongside her husband Vernon Kay. Bosses reportedly want to create suspicion and paranoia amongst the contestants by including a well-known pair.
Tom Daley
As well as being rumoured for this year's I'm A Celeb, Olympic diver Tom Daley has also reportedly signed up for Celebrity Traitors. Tom announced his retirement at the age of 30 following the Paris Olympics in the Summer of 2024.
Liz Truss
Ever since her short stint as Prime Minister back in 2022, Liz Truss has been rumoured to take part in a number of reality TV shows, including I'm A Celeb and Strictly. Although she's not signed any contracts just yet, rumours are suggesting she's been named as a 'dream contestant' by bosses.
Joe Marler
Rugby Union pro Joe Marler has reportedly signed up to the show, and after retiring from the England national team last November, he's certainly got time to film!
Daisy May Cooper
Actress and writer Daisy May Cooper and her brother Charlie were reportedly all set to take part in the show, but recent reports suggests the pair have pulled out due to not wanting to be away from their young children.
Jennifer Saunders
After appearing in The Traitors parody sketch alongside Dawn French for Comic Relief in 2023, rumours are rife that Jennifer Saunders could take part for real!
Now read:
The Traitors series 3: Everything you need to know as winners revealed 🏰
Applications are now open for The Traitors series 4
The Traitors: Live Experience is opening in Spring 2025
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