Traitors star Alexander ‘so pleased’ brother’s story inspired Mencap donations

Traitors finalist Alexander Dragonetti has said he is “so pleased” he opened up about his late brother’s story on the BBC show after it inspired fans to donate more than £60,000 to a learning disability charity.

The former British diplomat admitted it was a “tricky decision” to talk about his younger brother, who had global development delay and autism and died aged 17, when Dragonetti was 24.

During series three of the hit TV show, Dragonetti said if he won he would love to donate some of the prize money to Mencap because it had run summer camps which his brother and he attended together.

Appearing on STV’s Good Morning Britain on Thursday, Dragonetti said he was “hugely” moved when he told his brother’s story on the reality competition.

“It was quite a tricky decision whether to bring that up, but I’m so glad I did,” he added.

“It was treated really sensitively and the response to it is so important.

“I’ve been so grateful to people for donating, raising awareness. It’s just been fantastic, and I’m so pleased I did raise it.”

He said that if he had not reached the contestant dinner towards the end of the series he would have been unlikely to talk about his brother or his donation plans.

Dragonetti said the experience has taught him the importance of speaking out, adding: “The points I connected most with people in the castle was when I was more vulnerable, not less.

“Normally I come across as quite logical at times and it was at points where I broke and became more vulnerable, like talking about my brother, that I really connected with others. And I think there’s a bit of a lesson for me in there.”

Mencap, which supports people with learning disabilities as well as their families and carers, announced on Wednesday evening that over £61,000 had been donated by more than 4,000 people after hearing Dragonetti’s story.

He recalled how his brother “lit up rooms” and “everybody would collect around him” when they attended the Mencap summer camps together.

“My relationship with him was everything. He was just the happiest guy,” he said.

“That was one of the happiest periods of my life. I just so loved being there for him, and I could see, my whole life, I knew I would be his protector, that would be my job, and that was so important to me.

“And obviously, therefore, his loss was was equally really hard.”

Reflecting on their time at summer camp, Dragonetti said it was the week his brother looked forward to most as he could be “infinitely silly” and have “infinite attention” when the world was not always the “easiest place”.

“He could just be himself in that environment, and what it meant to my parents is that they got a break for a week and they could go and do some other stuff,” he added.

“And it’s funny to say, but that week, even in amongst a year, matters so much.”