Reality Star Feud Erupts Ahead of Traitors Comeback

For veteran stars and C-list celebrities looking to revamp their career, on Peacock has served as a vehicle to win over millions of viewers' hearts, whether it's through clever gameplay or viral one-liners.

But for , who rose to fame on season 23 of in 2019, his stint on Season 4 of the NBC celebrity competition show has backfired, instead sparking a renewed interest into past allegations that he stalked and harassed ex-girlfriend .

It appears that Underwood, 34, would wish for the details of his sordid history to remain in the past, as a recent Entertainment Weekly interview included the disclaimer that they were banned from asking questions about his relationship with Randolph.

However, according to multiple insiders who spoke exclusively to the Daily Mail, it will take a lot more than just a positive PR spin for the 'most hated reality star on TV' to get back in the public's good graces.

Underwood, who began his career as a linebacker and tight end in the NFL, joined Bachelor Nation back in 2018 as a contestant on  Season 14.

While he didn't find love with then-Bachelorette star Becca Kufrin, he did return to Bachelor Nation one year later as 'The Virgin Bachelor' for Season 23, where his virginity played a major role throughout the series.

It was there he met speech pathologist Randolph, 30, who went on to date Underwood for a year and a half until their split in May 2020.

But it was just three months after their breakup that Randolph publicly accused Underwood of alleged harassment and stalking in a temporary restraining order filing.

In the filing, she claimed Underwood planted a tracking device on her car and admitted to planting the tracker.

In another alleged instance, Randolph claimed that Underwood had showed up unannounced to both her Los Angeles apartment and her parents' house in Huntington Beach, California.

She was granted a temporary restraining order in September 2020, which was then 'dismissed with prejudice' two months later after the former couple were 'able to reach a private agreement,' Underwood confirmed in a statement at the time.

The allegations of stalking and harassment against Underwood were also dropped.

In April 2021, Underwood came out as gay in an emotional interview with Good Morning America. He married 39-year-old political strategist Jordan C Brown in 2023 and they welcomed their son, Bishop, in September 2024 via surrogate.

Last month, he made his return to reality TV as a Faithful for Season 4 of The Traitors. 

But his intense gameplay and off-screen drama with co-star Lisa Rinna has seemingly overshadowed his return, and Underwood was ultimately murdered by the Traitors in Episode 8.

While some critics may describe Underwood's stint on The Traitors as an attempt at a redemption arc, insiders who spoke to the Daily Mail urged viewers not to be taken in by his so-called 'golden boy' persona and ability to play the 'victim.'

'With Colton, everything is vindicated and calculated,' one inside source claimed. 'He's very self-focused. Everything is calculated to what can make him look the best.

'Oftentimes having people's pity is comforting to him. That's why he likes to be the victim, but he just wants to be famous.'

Rinna has held Underwood's feet to the fire both on-screen and off throughout this season, which is still airing on Peacock.

The former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, who played the game as a Traitor, previously left a fiery comment for Underwood after learning about his temporary restraining order scandal.

'Let's talk about you being a stalker,' Rinna posted on Threads on January 23.

Page Six reported this month that Underwood stormed off the set of The Traitors reunion after being questioned by Rinna over his use of the word 'hostage' toward her during the season.

However, another source clarified to the outlet that it was a walk-off that happened during a planned break, and that he returned to the set after getting some air and drinking water. 

On February 26, Underwood denied rumors he stormed off The Traitors reunion set while appearing on the Boyfriend Material with Harry Jowsey podcast.

'I did not storm off of the set,' he said.

'There's planned - as you know, as reunions are filming, there's planned breaks and when they bring new people out and position them, you have 10 minutes of downtime. So everybody stayed in their seat and I just went out and my team was there, so I talked to them and had water.'

Following the taping, Rinna explained to Variety that she 'never meant any harm' by confronting Underwood at the reunion and said she hoped 'we can all have a kumbaya moment.'

She also told Entertainment Weekly that she 'knew nothing about his past' when they were filming, but admitted she was in Real Housewives-mode when she came after Underwood on the show.

'If you ask me to be a Housewife, I'm going to come at you however I'm going to come at you,' she said. 'And guess what? He got what he asked for because I definitely showed up as Lisa Rinna, the Housewife. But I didn't want it to further put gasoline on the fire.'

Still, our first insider said they were not surprised to learn Underwood was in the hot seat during the reunion taping.

'He has a very volatile side,' they claimed. 

'He really does want to be seen as this golden boy - the story of how he's overcome so much and now he wants to be admired. When he is not admired, I think it really bothers him. I think he's the type of person who would sell his soul to do anything that would get him famous.'

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Underwood acknowledged the backlash he received from appearing on The Traitors and the renewed interest in his relationship with Randolph.

'I would hope nobody would take one of the darkest and worst moments of my life and use that to define me,' he said about the temporary restraining order scandal.

'I hit rock bottom. Since all of that happened, I have said I'm sorry for the mistakes that I've made in my past - the accountability that I've taken, I try to move forward with the understanding of the growth and who I am in this part of my life.'

When approached by the Daily Mail, Underwood emphasized that he has apologized to Randolph and will continue to take accountability for his past actions.

'I'm the first one to acknowledge I made mistakes in the past, and I've apologized to everyone involved and taken accountability,' he told the Daily Mail.  

'I was in a really dark place - suicidal, blackmailed and dealing with substance abuse issues. Over the past six years I've worked to grow and move forward, and I'm fully owning every step of my journey.'

He also issued a public apology to Randolph in 2021 after coming out as gay on Good Morning America, telling anchor Robin Roberts: 'I would like to say sorry for how things ended. I messed up. I made a lot of bad choices.'

Demi Burnett, who appeared on Underwood's season of The Bachelor and has been an outspoken critic of the reality star, told the Daily Mail she believes Underwood simply joined The Traitors because 'he wants to be in the limelight.'

'There's a huge elephant in the room,' she said, referring to the temporary restraining order scandal. 'It makes me sick how he really thought that we were all just going to forget. The entitlement is crazy.'

Burnett, 31, publicly blasted Underwood's casting on the Peacock show in a viral TikTok posted in January. In her video, she went so far as to claim Underwood came out as gay to detract from attention the temporary restraining order scandal had received.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, a second source slammed Burnett's continued efforts to draw attention to Underwood's past.  

'Demi's campaign to be relevant again is becoming more and more unhinged. She has no idea what really happened between Colton and Cassie,' they said.

'Honestly, it's sad how Demi is proactively inserting herself into drama from many years ago in a desperate attempt to regain relevance.'

Although it has been six years since a private settlement was reached between the former couple and the temporary retraining order was dismissed, the first insider suggested that Underwood wants nothing more than for the scandal to go away entirely.

'It crushes his reputation to the core and he doesn't want to be defined by that,' they told the Daily Mail. 'It contradicts the narrative he's trying to put forth of him being this great guy.'

Following his appearance on The Traitors, Underwood revealed to Variety that he received a torrent of 'death threats' and online bullying.

That was only intensified when co-star Michael Rapaport made the comment to Underwood at the roundtable, 'Nobody in this room would be better at holding a secret than you,' which Underwood took as an insensitive reference to being a closeted gay man.

Speaking to Variety, Underwood said that he and Rapaport have since 'moved past' their drama. 

Referring to the online hate he received, he said: 'There were a few lines that got crossed with messages sent to me and things that were brought up lacking context and also lacking accuracy of my past - which, I will always and have taken accountability for.'

But according to Burnett, she believes that Underwood should take accountability even further, rather than make 'excuses' for his past behavior.

'He is the most hated reality star on TV,' she claimed.

The Traitors Season 4 finale and reunion premiere this Thursday on Peacock at 9pm ET.

If you are struggling, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on 988 for help and support