How The Traitors star Harriet Tyce overcame alcohol addiction and her close friend’s death to pursue her dream career as she enjoys £15 million fortune with city trader husband

by

I was so impressed when Harriet finally shared her background on The Traitors! It turns out she used to be a barrister – a lawyer – and now she writes crime novels. It totally makes sense why she’s so good at reading people and spotting the lies – she’s lived it! I felt like everyone else was a bit shocked, but I was just admiring her cleverness.

Harriet’s attempt to turn others against Rachel failed spectacularly. Despite her efforts, she couldn’t win over her allies and was ultimately exiled.

Yet away from the BBC reality show, Harriet has life of twists and turns of her own.

Harriet, the daughter of a Lord and a famous judge, studied at Oxford University and went on to become a lawyer, just like her father.

After a decade working as a lawyer, she decided to leave the profession. She explained that she struggled with alcohol abuse, which made her feel she wasn’t a good barrister, and she wanted to prioritize raising her children.

In 2021, Harriet experienced a deeply personal loss when her close friend and journalist, Sarah Hughes, passed away from breast cancer. This heartbreaking event inspired Harriet to commit to sobriety and focus on achieving her lifelong goal of becoming a published author.

Harriet’s difficult personal life likely explains why she didn’t seem upset about being eliminated on Wednesday’s show.

Unlike the other contestants who were eager to win the prize money, Harriet didn’t need it.

The couple, a former criminal lawyer and her husband, are thought to be worth around £15 million. Her husband earns approximately £3.5 million annually as a trader in the financial district.

The couple lives in a spacious townhouse on a lovely, tree-lined street in Highbury, North London – a neighborhood known for its residents who enjoy a comfortable lifestyle and progressive views.

Nathaniel Tyce reportedly makes about £3.5 million annually as head of global markets for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at Nomura, a Japanese bank.

I’ve known Nathaniel and Harriet for years – they’ve been happily married for 25! He spent so much of his career at Barclays, but recently changed things up. Everyone I’ve spoken to says they’re doing incredibly well financially – seriously, they’re loaded!

They almost had enough money to buy Ardross Castle, the location where the TV show is filmed. Harriet had always intended to give any winnings to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, in memory of Sarah, who passed away in 2021.

Harriet earned an English degree from Oxford University in 1994 and then became a lawyer, practicing as a barrister for nearly a decade.

Following in her father’s distinguished path, she continued the family legacy. Her father, Lord William Nimmo Smith, had a prominent career as a Senator of the College of Justice.

He was educated at Eton and Oxford University before becoming a judge in Scotland’s highest courts, including the Supreme Courts and the High Court of Justiciary.

Harriet decided to leave her career after having her children, Freddie and Eloise, finding it difficult to balance motherhood with the demands of working in law. She then followed her lifelong love of Agatha Christie and began writing.

She was accepted into the University of East Anglia’s creative writing Master’s program in 2017 and graduated with honors.

She’s now written four mystery novels, and her first book, Blood Orange, was chosen for the popular book club hosted by Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan.

Harriet is celebrating three years of sobriety, having stopped drinking in June 2022 after a 34-year struggle with alcohol. This milestone comes alongside her professional achievements.

In a 2024 article for The Observer, she stated that her drinking had made her a poor lawyer.

Harriet’s Instagram account is frequently an ode to her recovery, with a host of images showing her image transformation thanks to her retirement from drinking – with her huge weight loss shown in a number of before and after images.

Although she often presented herself as capable on television, in a 2024 article detailing her struggles with alcohol, she admitted to self-destructive behavior, including stumbling in court before experienced lawyers and arriving to work late and hungover.

She admitted she’d stopped hindering her own progress and acknowledged she hadn’t been a very good lawyer. She felt writing crime novels was a more suitable career for someone with her struggles, but she still found alcohol consumed a lot of her thoughts.

Harriet related to something Ozzy Osbourne once said: that people in the music industry either stop performing around age 50 or don’t live to be 60.

She went on to explain that when Ozzy Osbourne talks about ‘sniper’s alley,’ he’s referring to the feeling many people experience in their early 50s – the sense that it’s the final opportunity to make significant life changes before facing the inevitable challenges of aging.

I’ve lost a couple of friends to addiction, and it was heartbreaking to witness. I worry I’ve waited too long to address the harm I’ve caused to my own well-being.

I’m really trying to get in shape. I’ve been doing yoga, lifting weights, and going for runs. I’m even thinking about trying cold water swimming!

She recently shared in an interview that she’s had enough personal struggles. She spoke about the loss of a close friend to cancer in April 2021, emphasizing that it was a heartbreaking situation completely unrelated to alcohol.

We were born just two weeks apart, so when she unexpectedly passed away, it really made me think about my own life. It was a wake-up call – I realized I needed to prioritize my own health and well-being.

She’s expressed immense gratitude for being alive and has stated that if she wins Traitors, she plans to donate her winnings to a breast cancer charity.

‘That’s the perfect way for Harriet to remember her friend,’ says a companion.

Oh my gosh, you guys, her fifth book, Witch Trial, is coming out next month and I’m already counting down the days! And honestly, ever since she was on that show – it was such a brilliant move, honestly – her books are just flying off the shelves. I knew everyone would fall in love with her writing like I did!

Since appearing on screen, sales have jumped by an amazing 95.6%, as reported by The Book Seller.

Sales of the publication have more than doubled, jumping from a typical 181 copies to 354. This increase is largely due to the popularity of her latest novel, ‘A Lesson in Cruelty’.

During the first week of January, sales of The Lies You Told jumped significantly, reaching 263 copies – a 93.4% increase from the week before.

One friend mentioned that Harriet’s husband is very successful financially, but Harriet is doing well too. They suggested that despite any criticism, she’s benefiting – her sales are proving that. They also emphasized that she’s a smart person.

Model Abbey Clancy, who is married to ex-footballer Peter Crouch, raved about Blood Orange to Grazia magazine, saying she found the book unputdownable.

Harriet has connected with former BBC Breakfast host Louise Minchin, who praised her upcoming appearance on Traitors, calling it ‘brilliant.’ Now, Harriet is gaining popularity with many new viewers.

The author was dismissed from the castle on Wednesday after a heated discussion. Her attempt to criticize Rachel ended up backfiring, and others described her behavior as rude and unpredictable.

After being removed from the competition, Harriet told The Sun she was disappointed not to have lasted longer.

‘I haven’t won therefore I’ve lost so it’s hard not to see it that way.

Despite everything, I’m happy with how things ended. I was able to finish on my own terms, fighting my own fight, which isn’t something everyone gets to do in this situation.

I’d rather have a brief moment of success, even if it doesn’t last, than make it to the end only to be tricked or deceived.

Read More

2026-01-15 22:35