Phaedra Parks and Chris “CT” Tamburello made their red carpet debut as a couple at the Creative Arts Emmys 2026 on Saturday.
The “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star, 52, and the “Challenge” alum, 46, arrived at the ceremony with Tamburello’s arm around Parks’ waist, according to photos from the event. Parks wore a black velvet dress with crystal-lined cutouts, a flipped blond bob and diamond jewelry. Tamburello opted for a classic black tuxedo. The pair kept things relatively reserved, showing no public displays of affection during the formal portion of the evening.
The outing marked just two days since Parks publicly confirmed the romance. Their appearance also coincided with a major night for “Traitors,” the Peacock competition series where the pair first connected. The show took home six Emmys from seven nominations at the Creative Arts ceremony.
After the awards, Parks took to Instagram to share a more intimate glimpse of the evening. She posted photos of the couple getting cozy and holding hands, making her feelings unmistakably clear.
“Some came for the awards. I came with the prize,” she captioned the post. “Thank you to the real trophy for making a beautiful night even better. #Emmys.”
The romance had been building well before Saturday’s confirmation. A source said on Friday that Tamburello’s interest in Parks dated back to their time filming “Traitors” Season 2 in 2024. “He made it clear to her he really, really liked her and he fell for her when they were on ‘Traitors,'” the source said.
That same source described the dynamic between the two as genuinely warm. “He makes her really happy,” the insider added. “They really do laugh together a lot and their relationship is really sweet.”
Tamburello had reportedly begun reaching out more frequently to Parks, who is mother to two sons — Ayden, 16, and Dylan, 13 — from her marriage to ex-husband Apollo Nida. The former couple finalized their divorce in July 2017.
For Tamburello, the new relationship comes amid ongoing personal transitions. He shares 10-year-old son Christopher “C.J.” with ex-wife Lilianet “Lili” Solares, from whom he divorced in 2022. He then secretly married Catalina Hager, an OnlyFans model, in October 2024; she filed for divorce this past January.
Parks and Tamburello became fan favorites during their shared run on “Traitors” Season 2, though their paths on the show diverged sharply. Parks served as one of the secret traitors before being banished by fellow castmates, while Tamburello ultimately won the competition.
Their on-screen alliance and off-screen chemistry fueled speculation among viewers, which Parks finally put to rest with her midweek confirmation and the weekend’s highly visible Emmys appearance.
The Creative Arts Emmys represent the first major industry event where Parks and Tamburello have appeared together publicly since acknowledging their relationship, with Parks’ social media post offering a pointed counter-narrative to any speculation about the pairing’s seriousness.
Both stars have extensive reality television résumés that predate their “Traitors” connection. Parks spent multiple seasons on “Real Housewives of Atlanta” and has appeared on “Married to Medicine,” while Tamburello’s career spans MTV’s “The Real World: Paris” and numerous seasons of “The Challenge,” cementing his status as one of the network’s most recognizable personalities.
The couple has not announced any upcoming joint appearances beyond Saturday’s ceremony.