The Traitors star Stephen Libby is dating actor and artist Daniel Quirke and counts comedian Lou Sanders among his famous friends

08:00, 17 Jan 2026

The latest series of The Traitors has been packed with surprises, as secret relationships and unexpected links between contestants have emerged.

Already, psychologist Ellie Buckley has disclosed that personal trainer Ross Garshong is her partner, while recruiter Roxy Wilson dropped the bombshell that child liaison officer Judy Wilson is her mother.

Ross’s longstanding friendship with fellow player Netty Osterberg was also exposed when the programme launched, prompting viewers to question whether further hidden ties exist amongst the participants.

Series two Traitor Paul Gorton has suggested that the presence of a family tree within the castle could indicate that “everyone is connected” through either bonds of friendship or kinship, leading some to theorise that Traitor Stephen Libby might be romantically involved with either creative director Matthew Hyndman or sweet shop worker Reece Ward.

Nevertheless, social media photographs have confirmed that 32-year-old Stephen is in fact in a relationship with actor and artist Daniel Quirke.

Prior to the debut episode of The Traitors airing on New Year’s Day, Daniel shared the news on X, stating: “Breaking my Twitter hiatus to post this. My amazing partner Stephen took a little trip to the Highlands. Tune in tonight for #TheTraitors at 8pm on @BBC.”

Their social media accounts reveal a shared passion for travel and beautiful things – Daniel frequently posts his artwork, which was recently displayed at a solo exhibition in Soho, London.

Meanwhile, Stephen, currently one of the show’s traitors alongside Rachel Duffy following Fiona Hughes’ banishment, regularly documents their adventures to places such as Vietnam, Japan and South Africa on his profile, reports the Mirror.

Whilst it remains unknown exactly when their relationship started, photographs of them together date back to 2022.

Since the BBC programme launched, Stephen and Daniel’s posts have attracted numerous comments from fans, with many pleading with the Traitors contestant to reveal more about his on-screen wardrobe choices.

Stephen, who lives in London but is originally from the Isle of Lewis, one of Scotland’s most isolated islands, appears to count some well-known faces amongst his circle.

This became apparent after he shared footage of his friends’ reactions at a viewing party when Claudia Winkleman tapped him on the shoulder to become a traitor.

The gathering erupted into screams and applause at the moment of selection. One woman beside Stephen could be heard exclaiming “oh my god” whilst clutching her chest in shock.

In the video shared on TikTok, which captures a joyful gathering of family and friends, eagle-eyed viewers spotted a familiar face in the crowd. Stand-up comedian, writer, and actress Lou Sanders was seen shielding her eyes as Stephen is initially chosen as a traitor, before joining in with applause.

Sanders has made a name for herself in the comedy world, regularly appearing on panel shows, performing on Live at the Apollo, and clinching victory in the eighth series of Taskmaster in 2019. More recently, she featured on Last One Laughing UK alongside Jimmy Carr, Bob Mortimer, and Harriet Kemsley.

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The unexpected cameo prompted comments from viewers, with one asking: “Why is Lou Sanders there please?” Another queried: “What’s the relation to Lou Sanders?”.

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