Traitors fans have flooded a charity with donations after contestant Alexander Dragonetti told of his family tragedy – amid claims he was robbed of his jackpot share at the show’s final hurdle.
Mencap, a charity that supports people with learning disabilities, has received around £17,000 since the finale of the hit BBC show aired, MailOnline can reveal.
The former British diplomat, 38, previously shared that his brother, who had global developmental delay and autism, passed away when he was just 17 years old.
In an emotional revelation, Alexander told his fellow contestants: ‘I would like to give some money to a charity that I really care about.
‘My brother had special needs and used to go to like a summer camp and I’d like to send some money their way to keep it going because it gives parents a break.’
However despite reaching the final four, Alexander, who was a faithful, was banished at the second-to-last hurdle.
He was voted out by fellow contestant Francesca ‘Frankie’ Rowan-Plowden and the eventual winners Jake Brown and Leanne Quigley.
Fans shared their heartbreak on social media with many pledging to donate to Mencap on Alexander’s behalf.
Traitors fans have flooded a charity with donations after contestant Alexander Dragonetti (pictured) told of his family tragedy
Contestants Leanne, Alexander, Francesca, Jake pictured during Friday night’s final episode
One person said: ‘Genuinely what… that Traitors ending was so awful.
‘All Alexander wanted was to win money for his brother’s charity and he was the only one that played the role of a faithful well.
‘Mencap is the charity if you have the means to donate please do!’
A second wrote: ‘Traitors UK is there a gofund me or link to the charity for Alexander – he was robbed!’
A third added: ‘Just made a donation in honour to Alexander. Would never have heard about Mancap if it wasn’t for him. Well done, Alexander. I think you’re amazing.’
A fourth person said: ‘The most genuine, selfless and critical thinking one of the group gets shafted due to the other players stupidity.
‘Poor Alexander he wanted the money for CHARITY.’
Following the outcry, Mencap told MailOnline that they had received ‘£17,000 in donations’ which is significantly more than what they would expect to receive over a similar period.
Mary O’Hagan, executive director of fundraising at Mencap said: ‘We are enormously grateful to Alexander for sharing his personal story about his brother, which has helped to raise awareness of people with a learning disability.
‘And we must give a heartfelt thank you to Alexander’s fans who have been so touched by his story that they have made generous donations to Mencap.
‘These donations are needed now more than ever as people with a learning disability continue to face extensive inequalities every day.
‘Every penny will help us ensure people with a learning disability can live happy and healthy lives.’
Alexander rejoined the third series of the Traitors around a week in after initially sacrificing himself in the first episode.
However, he quickly won hearts with his Milk Tray Man jumpers and ‘Bond vibes’, with one fan dubbing him ‘too sexy for this game’.
The public’s affection for him was in thanks to the show’s host, Claudia Winkleman, making a public broadcast during a challenge on Alexander’s relationship status – much to the delight of many viewers.
Alexander’s team had been tasked with repeating nursery rhymes sung backwards by dolls to the castle team, who would then decode them using a voice recorder to play them forwards.
Alexander’s backward singing was both enthusiastic and operatic, and initially left host Claudia unable to stifle her laughter.
As Alexander continued to belt out the butchered nursery rhymes, Claudia looked at the camera and told viewers: ‘Can I just say to anybody who is watching, Alexander is single.’
Alexander is seen singing nursery rhymes backwards as part of one of the challenges on the show
Alexander was voted out by fellow contestant Francesca ‘Frankie’ Rowan-Plowden and the eventual winners Jake Brown and Leanne Quigley
People’s princess: Fans delighted to hear that ex British Diplomat Alexander isn’t betrothed called Claudia their ‘wingwoman’
Bond vibes: Alexander’s Instagram portrays him as Bond-esque, with snaps of the 38-year-old in seaplanes and on speed boats among those pictured
Shortly after, social media began to erupt with gratitude for Claudia’s reveal, with one excitable soul on X declaring her the ‘wingwoman’ of those looking for love.
They wrote: ‘Claudia being wingwoman to us all by confirming Alexander is single.’
Another added: ‘Alexander is single Claudia doing THE LORD’S WORK’.
Elsewhere, one fan penned: ‘Alexander is single, and the nation cheered’.
‘Claudia looking straight to camera and confirming that Alexander is single! She really is the people’s princess.’
However, Alexander has also revealed that taking part in The Traitors has taught him to be ‘more vulnerable’ after ‘shutting off’ that side of himself following his brother’s death.
Describing the game as ‘fun but also incredibly intense’ he said: ‘I hoped I would get a community out of it with that shared experience and learn something about myself, and I did both of those.’
‘I’ve always struggled to be somebody who shows their emotions, not least because when my brother died, it was so overwhelming, so deeply emotional, that I just I struggled to go back there.
‘I try to shut all that off and I always think that if I make the best choices, I can avoid ever having to feel like that again.
‘I think the game has really taught me that being messy and human and vulnerable is how you actually connect with people, and it’s something I’ll try to do more of.’
Donations can be made to UK charity Mencap here.
