Number One Fan ending explained: What happens to Lucy and Donna at the end of the Channel 5 thriller?
The Channel 5 psychological thriller has viewers hooked, but what happens at the end? We break it down
Channel 5 knows what viewers want when it comes to psychological thrillers, and they deliver the goods every time.
Adding to the likes of For Her Sins, Cold Call, The Rumour and a whole lot more, Number One Fan is the latest show on the channel to have fans on the edge of their seats.
Article continues belowNumber One Fan ending explained
The series reveals that Ben Hughes was actually Donna's brother. Struggling with gambling addiction, Ben had been getting a grasp back on his life when he appeared on Stewart Jones’ show The Verdict.
He didn't get the support he needed from the show, and was instead branded "Britain’s Biggest Loser." Left totally humiliated, Ben quickly left the set.
Working as a young assistant on The Verdict, Lucy was told to do anything she could to bring him back to the studio or face being fired.
Lucy ended up resorting to horrendous threats to encourage Ben back to the set, eventually telling him she'd tell everyone he was a paedophile if he didn't return quickly.
Following this threat, Ben made an exit from the studio and took his own life by throwing himself in front of a train.
The finale of Number One Fan begins with Lucy missing and everyone believing she has also taken her own life. In reality, she's been abducted and taken hostage by Donna, who had laid foundations for speculation Lucy had killed herself.
It was Donna's plan to make sure Stewart Jones got his comeuppance, and to have Lucy under her control for the rest of her life.
While held hostage, Lucy offers Donna the apology for Ben's death she always needed. The presenter admitted her actions had been "deeply wrong," explaining that she'd been so blinded by her ambition to become a TV star, she went too far and was remorseful for what happened.
Slightly appeased by Lucy’s apology, Donna unties her and reveals she has another plan to get revenge on Stewart Jones, and it could mean Lucy clearing her name and getting her career back.
Getting her plan underway, Donna phones Stewart and pretends to be a woman named Jemima Fox from "GB Now," suggesting she has a job offer for him.
Later watching Stewart's house and waiting for him to leave for his meeting with "Jemima," Donna and Lucy break into his home and leave Lucy there tied up, framing him for her abduction.
He is later arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Both women feel they have achieved the revenge against him that satisfies them, and there's a bond of sorts between them, however uncomfortable.
What happens to Lucy?
Six months down the line after framing Stewart for her kidnapping, Lucy has rebuilt her career and has returned to TV presenting - but it comes at cost.
Donna not only wanted revenge for her brother's death, she wanted a new job and a slice of fame, and she's landed herself a segment on Lucy Live called ‘Daily Dose of Donna’.
Very unhappy with this compromise, Lucy wants to get rid of Donna, who finds a way to get her own way once again.
It transpires that not only had Donna instigated her meeting and initial takedown of Lucy, she'd also targeted Lucy's son, Jacob.
Jacob's boyfriend Vince wasn't who he said he was. He was actually called Luke and is Donna's nephew - and Ben's son. Working in conjunction with his aunt, Luke had played the role of Vince to encourage Jacob into criminal activity that could be used against him.
Luke had encouraged Jacob to do more for climate activism by bombing a fuel depot, which had left a security guard seriously injured. Luke filmed the attack, to use against Jacob in the future.
Lucy now has no chance to get rid of Donna - if she tries, Donna and Luke only have to pull out their trump card of evidence and Lucy and Jacob's lives would be over. She is now beholden to Donna for ever, in the most hideous way.
What happens to Donna?
Donna perfectly executed her plan of revenge, and definitely comes out on top. She will forever have Lucy in a choke hold, and has a new, dream career.
While viewers are likely to sympathise with Donna when they find out about Lucy's role in Ben's death, that sympathy isn't going to last.
She wanted an apology, which she eventually got. However, in getting it, she destroyed lives and left innocent people injured.
Eventually turning into the bad guy, Number One Fan has the rare ending of the bad guy actually coming out on top, and Donna will always hold the power over Lucy and her family.
All episodes of Number One Fan are currently available to watch on 5.
