Confirmation on ‘Jeff Lewis Live’

Phaedra Parks, known for her role on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” has confirmed that she is dating fellow reality star Chris “CT” Tamburello, her co-star from the second season of “The Traitors.” Parks made the revelation during a recent broadcast of SiriusXM’s “Jeff Lewis Live,” according to a report from Us Weekly. The report noted that Parks, 52, and Tamburello, 46, have been on a few dates, though she playfully declined to specify the exact number.

Host Jeff Lewis pressed Parks about her dating life after hearing she would attend the Emmys with a date. “Are you dating? ’Cause I heard you were going to the Emmys with a date. Is this a platonic thing?” Lewis asked, as quoted by Us Weekly. Parks replied coyly, “No, it’s not.” She went on to confirm that Tamburello would be presenting at the Creative Arts Emmys and that she would be his date.

Page Six also reported the confirmation, describing Parks’ remarks on the same radio show. According to Page Six, when a fan called in to question whether Parks and Tamburello were dating, Lewis interjected, “I can confirm it because I see him right outside the studio.” Tamburello later shared a behind-the-scenes video of Parks on the show to his Instagram Story, captioning an upload of his van, “…’bout to leave to pick up bae,” referring to Parks.

The two are scheduled to attend the Creative Arts Emmys on Saturday, September 5, in Los Angeles, and then travel together to New York, as reported by both outlets.

Romance Rumors and Public Signals

The pair met while filming “The Traitors” Season 2, which aired in 2024, and quickly became fan favorites for their flirty banter and close bond, according to Page Six. Us Weekly noted that many viewers and fellow contestants remarked on their chemistry. “I ship it,” co-star Peter Weber told Us Weekly at the time, adding, “I think they’re really cute together. They had some good chemistry. Who knows what the future holds with them?”

Tamburello, however, previously downplayed any romantic connection. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, as cited by Us Weekly, he said, “Nothing real happened, I’ll be honest with you. 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, “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.”

The recent confirmation follows a public Instagram exchange last month. Tamburello reposted a picture of Parks at the “RHOA” Season 17 reunion, writing, “Anyone want to throw in a good word for me!? Still looking for a +1 to the Emmy’s. A man can dream 😏,” according to Page Six. Parks commented, “Baby I’m already yours 😍🔥😘.”

Their Paths to ‘The Traitors’

Tamburello, a longtime star of MTV’s “The Challenge,” won “The Traitors” Season 2 alongside Trishelle Cannatella, with the pair opting to split the cash prize, as reported by Us Weekly. Parks, meanwhile, was one of the secret traitors in the season and was banished by their castmates, according to Page Six.

Both reality stars have had notable personal histories. Parks was married to Apollo Nida from 2009 to 2015, and they share two sons, Ayden and Dylan, according to Page Six. Nida pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail, wire and bank fraud in May 2014 and completed his prison sentence in June 2019, the outlet reported. Parks later dated Medina Islam from 2019 until their 2021 split.

Tamburello shared an on-again, off-again romance with his “Challenge” co-star Diem Brown from 2006 until her passing in 2014 after a cancer battle, and he proposed to her five days before her death in her hospital room at NYU Langone Medical Center, according to Page Six. He later welcomed his son Christopher “C.J.” with Lilianet “Lili” Solares in 2016, and the couple married in 2018, Us Weekly reported. They split in 2022. In 2024, Tamburello married OnlyFans model Catalina Hager, but she filed for divorce in April, stating in the filing that their marriage was “irretrievably broken,” according to Us Weekly.

As Parks and Tamburello head to the Emmys together, their public confirmation marks a shift from Tamburello’s earlier denials, leaving fans to watch how their relationship unfolds beyond the reality TV spotlight.