Colton Underwood did not receive much sympathy from American Traitors US viewers after his explosive clash with Michael Rapaport and there is one major reason why.
While UK fans watching episode 5 may be firmly on Colton’s side, many viewers in the US had a very different reaction when the series first aired.
Michael spends much of the episode convinced the former Bachelor star is a Traitor and repeatedly targets him in front of the group.
The tension finally boils over at the Round Table when Michael appears to make a pointed remark about Colton’s past.
He tells the openly gay reality star: “Nobody in this room would be better at holding a secret than you.”
Colton immediately bites back: “There it is. You think it was fun for 29 years of my life?”
Michael insists he was not referring to Colton’s sexuality.
“Oh no, no, no. It’s nothing to do with that. I think you came into this game loving to be a Traitor,” he replies.
For many British viewers, it looked like a brutal exchange. But across the Atlantic, plenty of fans rushed to defend Michael instead.
The reason goes back to a highly publicised chapter of Colton’s life that continues to divide opinion.
The Traitors US: Colton Underwood’s ‘stalking’ past revealed
When the episode originally aired in the US, social media quickly lit up with criticism of Colton.
One Reddit user wrote: “Colton is exhausting and clearly twisted what Michael said to get sympathy points.”
Another added: “Colton is %1000 percent playing the victim.”
Over on X, one viewer posted: “Colton is a TERRIBLE person so he shouldn’t be on my tv anyway.”
A fourth fumed: “OKAY, get Colton out of here. What a cocky manipulator. I’m no fan of Michael at all but are you kidding me?”
If those reactions seem extreme, here’s why many viewers still have strong feelings about Colton.
Colton first found fame on The Bachelorette before landing the lead role on The Bachelor in 2018.
Nicknamed “The Virgin Bachelor”, he dated 30 women during the series before choosing Cassie Randolph as his winner.
Fans watched their romance unfold in dramatic fashion.
Cassie quit the show shortly before the final after admitting she was unsure about an engagement.
Colton famously jumped a fence and ran off from producers after learning she had left.
He later ended things with the remaining contestants and persuaded Cassie to continue their relationship away from the cameras.
For a while, it looked like a reality TV fairytale.
But the relationship later ended amid serious allegations that would dominate headlines.
Colton served with restraining order for ‘stalking’
In September 2020, Cassie was granted a temporary restraining order against Colton.
According to court documents reported by the Los Angeles Times, Colton was ordered not to “harass, surveil or contact” Cassie either directly or indirectly.
TMZ also reported allegations that Colton had stalked and harassed his former girlfriend with text messages.
Cassie allegedly claimed Colton had placed a tracking device underneath her car.
He was also accused of appearing uninvited at her Los Angeles apartment and at her parents’ beach house.
At the time, a representative for Colton told the Los Angeles Times: “As this is a legal matter, we cannot provide further comment at this time.”
When did Cassie discover Colton was gay?
The temporary restraining order was later dismissed in November 2020.
Following the decision, Colton released a statement saying: “Today Cassie asked the court to dismiss the temporary restraining order against me. The two of us were able to reach a private agreement to address any of Cassie’s concerns.
“I do not believe Cassie did anything wrong in filing for the restraining orders and also believe she acted in good faith. I appreciate everyone’s respect for privacy regarding this matter.”
Five months later, Colton came out as gay during an emotional interview on Good Morning America.
He has since said he had intimate experiences with men before appearing on The Bachelor.
Speaking on a podcast, Cassie revealed she learned about Colton’s announcement when the rest of the world did.
She said: “I found out at the same time as everyone else did. I was in Mexico in vacation with friends, but found out through Snapchat on GMA.
“It was horrible and it was just a shocking kind of thing. I found out when the world found out.”
Since then, Colton has married Democratic strategist Jordan C. Brown and the couple share a son, Bishop, who was born with the help of an egg donor and surrogate.
Colton Underwood addresses Traitors US backlash
When Colton was announced as part of The Traitors US cast, the reaction from some American fans was immediate.
Many questioned why he had been included given the controversy surrounding his relationship with Cassie.
That history resurfaced when the show aired earlier this year and helps explain why many viewers sided with Michael during their Round Table clash.
Speaking to USA Today, Colton addressed the criticism head on.
“It was a private matter that was handled privately a while ago. So for it to come back up six years later was not something I expected,” he said.
He continued: “I am now a father. I am a husband. How I show up in my everyday life with my family is not how I show up on the television screen playing the game Traitors.
“I am a very intense competitor. I love competing. I love winning. That version of Colton that everybody saw is not really who I am, but I totally see why, for some people, it was a little jarring seeing me again.”
Whether viewers agree with him or not, Colton’s past remains a talking point. And as The Traitors US continues, it is clear the debate around his casting is far from over.
Read more: Traitors US’s Eric Nam reveals mental health burnout that left him with paralysis
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