Reality stars Phaedra Parks and Chris ‘CT’ Tamburello are officially dating after first connecting on season 2 of Peacock’s The Traitors.
Phaedra Parks Confirms Relationship With Traitors Co-Star on Radio
The romance rumors that followed Peacock’s second season of The Traitors have finally been put to rest. During the Friday, September 4, broadcast of SiriusXM’s Jeff Lewis Live, reality television star Phaedra Parks confirmed she is dating co-star Chris “CT” Tamburello.
Host Jeff Lewis, 56, directly addressed the speculation during the broadcast, asking Phaedra, 52, Are you dating? ‘Cause I heard you were going to the Emmys with a date. Is this a platonic thing?
Phaedra coyly replied, “No, it’s not.”
While Parks told the radio host that she has “been out” with CT, 46, in the past, she declined to share how many dates the pair have enjoyed. The confirmation marks a significant shift from the dynamic between the two reality personalities during and immediately after their time filming the murder-mystery competition series that aired in 2024.
From On-Screen Strategy to Social Media Flirting
During their time inside the castle on The Traitors, Phaedra was tapped as a Traitor opposite CT’s role as a Faithful. Her cutthroat Traitor strategy was replete with sparkly eye shadow and sharp one-liners. The season ultimately concluded with the MTV’s The Challenge alliance of Trishelle Cannatella and CT Tamburello trouncing fellow Faithfuls MJ Javid and Sandra Diaz-Twine, as well as late-game Traitor Kate Chastain. CT eventually cast a vote to banish the Bravolebrity from the game before winning the entire show alongside Trishelle Cannatella, with the pair opting to split the cash prize.
It’s a really good [game]. I have to say, it takes working smarter not harder to a new level in this game,
CT told Entertainment Weekly of his Traitors participation. “I really enjoyed it because it was more of a political game. It wasn’t just who’s the fastest, or the strongest, or who could swim the deepest, or who has the guts to jump out of a perfectly good plane or get thrown off a cliff. It’s different. I did appreciate this game because … there was a lot more deeper strategy as time evolved.”
Though many faithful viewers and fellow contestants alike thought the pair had a certain amount of chemistry, Tamburello downplayed any romantic connection when the season wrapped. In March 2024, he maintained that their bond was sincere but strictly part of the game. Nothing real happened, I’ll be honest with you,
CT told Entertainment Weekly at the time, addressing the speculation. It was fun. I loved her because she’s a cornball. She was great. I would say there was a sense of sincerity, for sure. But it was also playing a game, you know?
He continued at the time, “Honestly I have too much respect for her to try to turn it into something it’s not, just to try to be a flash in the pan. I don’t think that would be fair, I don’t think that’s the right thing to do. I mean, what would I do, move to Atlanta? I can’t do that.”
That stance shifted in recent weeks as the pair engaged in public banter across social media platforms. The online interaction intensified when CT shared a photo of Parks and joked that he was still looking for a plus-one for the Emmy Awards. Parks responded, Baby I’m already yours.
Subsequent exchanges included CT posting a video of Parks with the caption, “She said yes,” prompting Parks to reply, “It’s a date.” She also referred to Tamburello as “my man” and described him as “claimed” in another social media exchange.
Heading to the Creative Arts Emmys and Managing Long Distance
The newly confirmed couple plan to make their red carpet appearance official this weekend. Parks shared their plans for the weekend, revealing that they will attend the Creative Arts Emmys — where CT is tasked with presenting — on Saturday, September 5, in Los Angeles.
Following the awards ceremony, the pair plan to head to New York together. It seems like they’re doing the long-distance thing for now as Parks handles obligations on Fire Island. Maybe he can pop up on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, which also just started shooting its new season.
Worth a look