Phaedra Parks has a new plus-one for awards season — and this time it's not just for the cameras. The former "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star confirmed on Friday, September 4, during an appearance on Jeff Lewis's SiriusXM radio show, that she is romantically involved with "The Challenge" veteran CT Tamburello, ending months of fan speculation sparked by flirty exchanges between the two on social media.

Asked point-blank whether her date to this weekend's Creative Arts Emmy Awards was strictly platonic, Parks didn't hedge. "No, it's not," she told Lewis, confirming she'll be on Tamburello's arm at the Peacock Theater ceremony, where he is scheduled to serve as a presenter, according to TMZ and Yahoo Entertainment.

"No, it's not," Parks said when asked if her Emmys date with CT Tamburello was platonic.

An Unlikely Pair Born on "The Traitors"

The two reality veterans first crossed paths filming Season 2 of NBC's "The Traitors" in 2023 — a season that didn't air until early 2024, by which point viewers had already started clocking an easy chemistry between the Atlanta attorney-turned-television personality and the tattooed "Challenge" grinder. Parks, 52, and Tamburello, 46, kept things ambiguous for nearly two years before Friday's on-air confirmation.

Per both outlets, Parks said she and Tamburello have been on multiple dates but declined to say how many, or exactly when the romance turned physical, offering only that it developed sometime since her last visit to Los Angeles. Logistics have lined up publicly in recent days: Parks landed in LA on September 2, with Tamburello arriving a day later on September 3, ahead of the two-night Creative Arts Emmys. When Lewis needled her about whether the trip would include "some sleepovers," Parks demurred rather than answer directly. The pair reportedly plan to fly to New York together once the Emmys wrap, with Parks citing unspecified business on Fire Island.

The timing has raised eyebrows given Tamburello's own relationship history. He married OnlyFans personality Catalina White in October 2024, but the couple separated in January 2026, and divorce proceedings were still described as ongoing as of the Parks confirmation.

Reaction and What's Next

Reality-TV outlets moved fast on the news: TVInsider and fan-focused sites framed the pairing as one of the more unexpected crossovers between the Bravo and MTV reality universes, while outlets covering "The Challenge" beat noted Tamburello has said little publicly about his marital status since the separation. Neither Parks nor Tamburello has posted an official confirmation on their own social accounts as of Friday night; both appearances so far have come through Parks's radio interview and the wave of outlets reporting on it.

For now, the relationship's next real-world test arrives fast: the two are expected to walk the Creative Arts Emmys red carpet together this weekend, which would mark their first joint public appearance since the confirmation. Whether Tamburello addresses his own divorce timeline, or either star says more about how serious things have become, is likely to play out in real time under the flashbulbs in Los Angeles.