Producers behind The Traitors have weighed in on cyberbullying against the cast of the show’s new season after yet another controversy has embroiled the castle.
While the height of conflict in the UK version of the game show is brief arguments with minimal tension, the US version of The Traitors has seen contestants far less afraid to go after one another.
This led to Michael Rappaport being banished from the show in disgrace after several of the other contestants accused him of being homophobic to Colton Underwood.
In the following episode however, Ron Funches was the next to be banished, and has since come forward to make major claims of ‘truly terrible’ comments made to him that were not able to be aired.
The Traitors release cryptic statement on ‘cyberbullying’ angering fans
The Traitors posted the statement on X, reminding fans that the cast are ‘real people’, saying: “What happens in the game should never lead to cyberbullying or harassment. There’s a difference between discussing a show and targeting individuals.”
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Ron has been subject to abuse both in and out of the show, but fans were angered by the assumption that the post was made in support of Colton Underwood. While Colton’s treatment from Rappaport gained him support, others pointed to prior allegations of stalking against a Bachelor alumnus.
The celebrity’s inclusion in the season has come under fire due to a previous restraining order against him from his relationship with Cassie Randolph, who he met on The Bachelor. Cassie was granted the restraining order against Colton after accusing him of stalking her and planting a tracking device on her vehicle.
She later dropped this order and, while Colton has not acknowledged the allegations, in a 2021 Good Morning America interview where he came out as gay, he admitted to causing ‘pain and emotional stress’.
One comment on Reddit about the post from The Traitors said: “Didn’t colton harass and stalk women? But they casted him anyway? Oh.”
Another comment referred to other contestants who received hate in previous seasons, saying: “I have zero respect that they put this out for Colton but completely blew it off when Dan and Dani R were receiving utterly horrific abuse without even doing something wrong. Or even Trishelle.”
Ron speaks out on ‘truly terrible’ comments made to him by Dorinda Medley
Others online felt it was odd of the show to make a comment in defence of Colton, but not to speak out about Ron's comments of how he was treated on the show.
Ron and Dorinda went toe-to-toe in a heated roundtable moment in the last episode, culminating in his banishment.
The comedian has been outspoken since the episode aired about his issues with her, with one fan posting on Threads about her ‘unconscious bias’ against him.
He responded saying: “Oh she has conscious bias. She said some truly terrible things to me but since they were deeply personal and outside of gameplay they were never shown.
“Just me blowing up at her ‘out of nowhere’.”
Ron has also called the TV show ‘traumatic’ and revealed it lead to a health diagnosis, saying in a post on Instagram: “Well the internet told me I was autistic and was right.
“You win this round. Still not gay. Yet.
“Thanks The Traitors US for helping me find out more about me through some type of cruel trauma.”
LADbible have contacted representatives of Colton Underwood and Dorinda Medley for comment.
Topics: The Traitors, TV and Film, TV, Celebrity
Michael Slavin