- The Traitors shared an official statement denouncing the cyberbullying and harassment of its season 4 cast members.
- The statement arrived after cast member Colton Underwood started receiving death threats online due to a heated exchange he had on the show with Lisa Rinna.
- Rob Funches also recently revealed his autism diagnosis days prior to the show's statement.
The Traitors is taking a stand against bullies online, and is urging fans of the show to keep their comments respectful of its cast members, in light of recent online events pertaining to the show.
“We are committed to making our casts feel safe, respected, and supported — on screen and off,” the statement, shared to the show's official Instagram account on Saturday, read. “The cast of The Traitors are real people, and what happens in the game should never lead to cyberbullying or harassment.
“There’s a difference between discussing a show and targeting individuals. Let’s not ruin the passion for this show with unwarranted negativity and personal attacks. We appreciate your support,” the statement concluded.
The statement arrived after cast member Lisa Rinna took to Instagram on Saturday to stop fans from sending hateful messages to Faithful Colton Underwood, which stemmed from a heated round table discussion that took place in season four, episode six, aired on Thursday (not to mention Colton's reported stalking of ex-girlfriend Cassie Randolph coming to light again).
“It’s come to my attention that my post that I responded to in my housewife mode is taking on a life of its own, and it’s causing real problems for Colton. And I do not want this, because Colton and I are great,” she said. “He was a great and is a great nemesis for me on the show in the game. Now, as you know, if you asked me to be a housewife, I’ll bring it to you, right? That’s what I was doing, all in the name of the game.”
“The fact that the backlash is happening, I feel horrible about because I don’t want to hurt anybody,” Lisa added, noting that fans should watch The Traitors “as a game” or “a sporting event.”
In addition to the hate directed towards Colton, Rob Funches also came forward and revealed he has autism after fans of the show speculated about him being on the spectrum in comments online.
“Well the internet told me I was autistic and was right. You win this round. Still not gay yet. Thanks @thetraitorsus for helping me find out more about me through some type of cruel trauma,” he shared on Instagram.
“I honestly didn’t know I myself had Autism I thought I was just an ally and parent of an autistic child,” he wrote, in part, on Threads. “But the way I felt I wasn’t being comprehended or understood while I thought I was being direct and seeing some of my own mannerisms made start the process of going to get a diagnosis but I won’t be comfortable calling myself autistic until my diagnosis is done.”
