If you watched The Traitors, you’ll know that Trishelle and CT won the season — but a recurring plot line was the duo’s checkered relationship in the past.
It’s true that the two have had overlapping experiences that date back to 2003 when The Inferno filmed. They also did Rivals 2 together, but longtime reality fans may be wondering where the drama stems from.
The Inferno
Both CT and Trishelle were a part of team Real World on season 8 of The Challenge, but they didn’t spend a whole lot of time together. CT made it all the way to the end while Trishelle was the first girl eliminated.
Most of Trishelle’s plot that season was an extension of The Gauntlet, and her drama with Coral continued. She’d also broken up with Mike, and the exes had an argument that made Trishelle look like a liability to the team.
Because this was the first season Real World: Paris alumni could compete on, CT had no role in any Gauntlet drama. It’s not like he defended Trishelle, but he also didn’t really cause her to get nominated; in fact, the other potential nominees for that Inferno were CT’s Paris roommates. When Trishelle went into The Inferno, CT did hold the Lifeshield, but when he declined the opportunity to replace Trishelle he sent her in with a positive message.
Rival 2
It would be a decade before CT and Trishelle had another overlapping Challenge appearance, and the two had even fewer interactions on 2013’s Rivals 2. Trishelle essentially quit the game after the second challenge, and CT’s game was utterly independent from Trishelle’s.
While Trishelle did get into an infamous argument with Aneesa, there’s no real reason this would impact CT. He had his own drama, and he’s done some pretty bad things on The Challenge, so it’d be quite odd if he harbored resentment over Trishelle quitter.
Is There CT and Trishelle Drama?
If the two have any real drama from The Challenge, it’s because there’s a lack of trust. There were no on-screen betrayals, but there weren’t any reasons for the two to really work together. On The Inferno, Trishelle’s heart didn’t seem to be in the game, but she left pretty quickly, so the impact on CT was minimal.
Likely, CT viewed Trishelle as someone who was on The Challenge for the experience and not the competition — and that assessment might not be out of line. Trishelle did well on The Gauntlet and Battle of the Seasons, but she didn’t try too hard on their overlapping seasons.
Of course, there’s the possibility for off-camera drama, but if that existed, it was never referenced on The Challenge. The two could essentially ignore each other on a competitive level, though they did seem fairly friendly on The Inferno if you look at background shots.
As a viewer, it is a bit unexpected to see these two work together. Not because they shouldn’t like each other, rather, it’s because they’ve known each other since 2003 and they haven’t had any moments where they needed to work together. Then, The Traitors happened, and it was the unexpected bond they were forced to share.
Stop Being Polite 