Jade Scott has proven herself adept at keeping secrets on The Traitors, but while millions of viewers watch her navigate deception and suspicion on the BBC One hit series, the PhD student has been quietly carrying a deeply personal tragedy that shaped her life from a young age.
The 26-year-old contestant, who is studying at the University of Warwick, lost her mother, Maggie Fung, and her seven-year-old half-sister in a murder-suicide in August 2018. The incident occurred at their home in the Tai Kok Tsui area of Kowloon, Hong Kong, and left Scott devastated as a teenager.
Emergency services were called to the apartment after a domestic worker raised concerns. Firefighters forced entry into the flat, where they discovered Ms Fung, 44, and her young daughter unconscious in each other’s arms on a bed. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. Police later found a suicide note inside the apartment.
At the time, reports indicated that Ms Fung had recently separated from her boyfriend and may have been overwhelmed by the emotional toll of the breakup. She worked at a medical clinic and had arranged for her domestic worker to return home for a holiday, as she and her daughter were expected to travel overseas. When the worker returned earlier than planned and could not reach Ms Fung, concerns were raised. Paramedics later confirmed that the pair had likely been dead for several days.
Scott spoke publicly about the loss for the first time during Friday’s episode of The Traitors, when host Claudia Winkleman hosted a dinner for the final eight contestants. Asked how she would spend the prize money, Scott shared her story with fellow players.
“I would like to buy my own home,” she said. “My parents got divorced when I was seven. My mum moved back to Hong Kong. She had a kid, and then in 2018, they were both found dead. I’ve had to really rebuild myself from that point onwards, and I’m proud of myself for getting this far. I’d just like somewhere I can call my own.”
Scott later explained how the tragedy reshaped her sense of identity and her relationships with others.
“I was very close with her, so it was a shock to the system,” she said. “Our parents form a part of our own identity. I had to rebuild myself. It takes me time to let people in, because I need time to feel comfortable. I think it comes across as standoffish at first.”
Scott is conducting doctoral research into women’s health and pregnancy and has continued to build her life and career despite the loss. She is also in a relationship with Sam Brown Light, a business owner who funds a women-focused nutrition company, FEM. The couple frequently share photos together on social media.
Her father, Stuart Scott, is a former head of currency trading at HSBC. In 2016, he was accused in the United States of using inside information to profit from a multibillion-dollar currency deal. He denied the allegations and, after a lengthy legal battle, was cleared when U.S. prosecutors dropped the case in August 2023.
On The Traitors, Scott remains a Faithful contestant but has faced repeated suspicion from other players. During the most recent roundtable, her name was raised once again, though it was ultimately Dr Ellie Buckley, 33, who was banished from the competition. Buckley stunned fellow contestants by revealing in her exit speech that she had entered the game alongside her boyfriend, Ross Garshong, who had already been voted out.
Elsewhere in the episode, contestant Jessie Roux was “murdered” by the Traitors, narrowing the field to eight players. The episode ended with Traitors Stephen Libby and Mrs Duffy tasked with selecting a Faithful to receive the ceremonial dagger, as the competition continues to intensify.
Despite the scrutiny and strategy, Scott’s emotional revelation offered viewers a rare glimpse behind the game, highlighting the resilience behind the calm exterior that has kept her in the running.
