Last week, when Phaedra Parks of Real Housewives of Atlanta and CT Tamburello from The Challenge attended the Creative Arts Emmys arm in arm, I was all for their blossoming romance. Phaedra met her “Castle Daddy,” CT, while filming season 2 of The Traitors and developed a kinship that many like me grew to root for, even though she was hiding a damning secret. (Spoiler alert: She was a traitor.) But it looks like that betrayal wore off.
After the Emmys, Phaedra posted a relationship hard launch to Instagram, writing, “Some came for the awards. I came for the prize. Thank you to the real trophy for making the beautiful night even better.”
Then, they were spotted “packing on the PDA” in Fire Island at the Hot Tub Games, which is self-described as “a game show where reality TV icons & gay adult stars face off in a series of very unserious challenges.” According to Us Weekly, CT was seen kissing her on the cheek. (Heavens!) But seriously—is this a PR relationship? I’ve been fooled too many times to just believe it. Plus, Angelina Pivarnick from Jersey Shore certainly believes something more is at play…Angelina commented on E! News’ Instagram post of Phaedra and CT with some subtle shade:
“Soo much I could say right now because I know what really happened lol,” she wrote. Well, pray tell. What happened?
According to Deuxmoi, “CT was allegedly seeing both Angelina and Phaedra around the same time before ultimately ending things with Angelina and choosing to pursue a relationship with Phaedra.” It’s the kind of Atlanta-Jersey-Boston love triangle that would make Andy Cohen salivate at the mouth over the idea of getting it on camera. Meanwhile, CT’s soon-to-be ex-wife claims he is prolonging their divorce…Messy, messy. Seriously, where is Cohen with the cameras?
Then, an actual human man called Johnny Bananas (CT’s co-contestant on The Challenge and an early knockout on The Traitors) went on the record with TMZ to say, “I ship it.” And, “I’ll be jumping out of the cake at the wedding.”
Phaedra first hinted at her romance with CT during a radio spot on Jeff Lewis Live last week and confirmed that what they have is NOT platonic. However, when asked how many dates they’d been on, she responded in melodramatic fashion: “I can’t give that to you. I have to save it… for the world.” Or for the cameras? (Second spoiler alert: she wasn’t a very good traitor, so now we can all tell when she’s lying.)
Phaedra confirms that she’s dating Chris “CT” Tamburello! #RHOA
Source: Jeff Lewis Live pic.twitter.com/6Xs6CosStb
— The RHOA Talk (@TheRhoaTalk) September 4, 2026
Coincidentally, production on season 18 of The Real Housewives of Atlanta began this month, which will set up Phaedra and the producers with some material for her storyline as she returns from an eight-year hiatus. But what the hell, sure! Let’s throw CT into season 18 of RHOA and watch how he handles the shade.
