Maya Jama gifts £83,000 Traitors pot to charity despite elimination

Maya Jama donated the full £83,000 prize pot from the BBC’s Celebrity Traitors to Action for Children after losing the final episode. The money was intended for the charity she represented during the competition, despite her elimination as a traitor in the finale.

Jama, a former student at Cotham School in Bristol, was identified by Welsh actor Michael Sheen in the series’ concluding episode. She had selected Action for Children, formerly the National Children’s Home, as the cause she would support if she won. The organization provides services including children’s centers and food banks across the United Kingdom.

Comedian Romesh Ranganathan and actor Sebastian Croft won the title as faithfuls. They split the £83,000 prize between them. Jama later announced via social media that she would give her share to the charity, calling it an amazing cause.

Katherine Woods, director of fundraising at Action for Children, confirmed the donation. She stated that the charity was incredibly thankful for the gift. Woods noted that Jama held her nerve until the end of the game and proved herself to be the star of the show.

Woods highlighted that four million children in the UK currently live in poverty. She said Jama’s own experiences with food insecurity made the support particularly meaningful. The charity’s frontline staff see the impact of hardship on families daily, including parents fleeing domestic abuse or struggling to buy food.

Jama left Bristol at age 16 to pursue a television career in London. The donation will help the charity support children in care and those living in poverty during the colder months. Woods said donations like this allow the organization to be there for young people when they need it most.