Sebastian Croft’s £41,500 donation to Choose Love sparks emotional reaction after his Celebrity Traitors win, with the charity saying the money can extend support for refugees and displaced people. Croft gave the full half of the £83,000 prize pot awarded to him and Romesh Ranganathan.

The pair won as Faithfuls in Friday night’s (October 30) final after identifying the remaining Traitor, King Kenny. Ranganathan also donated his £41,500 share, choosing the Refugee Council, which supports people who have escaped war, violence and persecution and are seeking safety in the UK.

Why Croft’s Donation Sparks Emotional Reaction

Choose Love said it was “absolutely thrilled and deeply grateful” that Croft selected the organization as his charity. Emma Stevenson, its acting chief executive officer, said Croft had been a long-time friend and dedicated supporter of its work.

Stevenson said the funding would “quite literally change and save lives.” She said it would allow the organization to extend critical support to refugees and displaced people, especially LGBTQ+ individuals facing displacement, violence and persecution because of who they are.

Choose Love is a global humanitarian organization providing emergency assistance and longer-term support. Previously known as Help Refugees, it works with people forced to leave their homes because of conflict, persecution and other humanitarian crises.

Ranganathan Also Gives His Winnings

Ranganathan directed his share to the Refugee Council. Chief executive Katie Ghose said the charity had enjoyed following his competition journey and cheering him on from the sidelines.

Ghose called his win “the icing on the cake” and described him as a brilliant champion for the cause. She said his public appeal, warmth and humanity, along with his comedy, made him a distinctive supporter.

She said Ranganathan’s contribution would help the council continue frontline services for refugees and people in the asylum system who come to Britain seeking safety and a chance to rebuild their lives. The two winners therefore selected separate organizations serving refugees and displaced communities.

A Finale With A Large Audience

The final ended a series in which 21 famous faces entered the castle and contestants were eliminated through murders, banishments and round table showdowns. Earlier in the week, Joanne McNally and Sharon Rooney left the competition before James Acaster revealed he was a Traitor.

Acaster said he had originally wanted to play as a Faithful but had been recruited as a Traitor. His confession ended his time in the castle. In the final, Maya Jama and King Kenny were the remaining Traitors until Kenny turned against Jama at the final round table, voting to banish her and leaving her visibly stunned.

The episode drew an average overnight viewership of 11.2 million and peaked at 11.6 million on BBC One. It was the second series’ highest-rated episode and the most-watched installment of the celebrity spin-off so far.

Related reading includes the site’s coverage of trust among the show’s contestants, its report on the supporting acting races, and its story about Evangeline Lilly’s career decision.

For the winners, the immediate outcome was that each directed £41,500 to a charity supporting refugees. Choose Love and the Refugee Council each described how the contribution would support their work, while the final’s audience figures marked a high point for this celebrity edition.

The original report on the winners’ donations detailed both charities’ response and the events of the final.