Jan 26, 2026
3 min read
'Traitors' fans have released a statement regarding cyberbullying, days after 4th star Ron Funches revealed he is autistic during an online chat about him.
The Traitors issues statement about fans cyberbullying cast members It comes after season 4 star Ron Funches revealed that online discussion about his time on the show led him to discover that he has autism. By Shania Russell Shania Russell Shania Russell is a news writer at Entertainment Weekly, with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine. 's editorial guidelines January 25, 2026 4:02 p.m. ET 2 Comments Caroline Stanbury, Ron Funches, and Maura Higgins on 'The Traitors' season 4. Credit: Euan Cherry/Peacock After an intense few episodes, "The Traitors" is urging fans not to send hate to competitors.Former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Rinna also weighed in on the fan commentary.Comedian Ron Funches previously shared that he sought a possible autism diagnosis after being so "misunderstood" by viewers of the show. As The Traitors heats up, Peacock is urging fans to keep the ruthlessness off social media. On Sunday, the network issued a statement condemning cyberbullying and asking fans to avoid sending hate to the show's contestants. "We are committed to making our casts feel safe, respected, and supported — on screen and off," began the post shared to the series’ official social media accounts. "The cast of The Traitors are real people, and what happens in the game should never lead to cyberbullying or harassment." The statement continued, "There’s a difference between discussing a show and targeting individuals. Let’s not ruin the passion for this show with unwarranted negativity and personal attacks. We appreciate your support." Alan Cumming on 'The Traitors' season 4. Euan Cherry/PEACOCK The message to fans comes after the sixth episode of The Traitors' fourth season aired on Thursday. The season overall has sparked fiery discourse, with fans picking favorites and debating which celebrity contestant in the hidden traitor show has the best strategy in the competition. This has only been bolstered by the heated discussions taking place within the show when the competitors are forced to meet at a roundtable as they search for the titular traitors. Former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Rinna also took to her Instagram Stories on Saturday to denounce fans sending hate to fellow competitor Colton Underwood. In her statement, Rinna acknowledged her role in the anti-Underwood online discourse after she brought up the stalking allegations filed against the former Bachelor star by his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Randolph. “It’s come to my attention that my post that I responded to in my housewife mode is taking on a life of its own, and it’s causing real problems for Colton,” Rinna wrote on Instagram. "I do not want this, because Colton and I are great. He was a great and is a great nemesis for me on the show in the game." Michael Rapaport says he 'felt gaslit' during 'The Traitors' fight with Colton Underwood Rob Cesternino reveals if he would have chosen 'Survivor 50' over 'The Traitors' She continued, "The fact that the backlash is happening, I feel horrible about because I don’t want to hurt anybody. I am here to play the game and have fun. And Colton is a great nemesis for me. We had so much fun. I’ve only always had a great time with him." She urged her followers to "be gentle," reiterating that The Traitors is "a game." The cruel commentary has been so rampant throughout the season that another contestant, comedian Ron Funches, revealed that he was motivated to seek out an autism diagnosis after gleaning how widely misunderstood he was on the show. Ron Funches on 'The Traitors' season 4. Peacock Last week, Funches wrote on social media, "Well the internet told me I was autistic and was right. You win this round." He explained on Threads that his son Malcolm, 21, was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2 while he decided to seek out a possible diagnosis for himself in recent weeks. "The way I felt I wasn't being comprehended or understood while I thought I was being direct and seeing some of my own mannerisms made me start the process of going to get a diagnosis," Funches wrote, admitting that he can be "extremely unaware of obvious things," and saw as much while rewatching the series. Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our Dispatch newsletter. This is not the first time that Peacock has taken to social media to ask viewers to refrain from sending hateful messages. Last summer, the streamer shared a similar message with fans of Love Island USA, expressing gratitude over buzz for the show but asking fans to "be kind" and "spread love" instead of hate. Close Read more: TV TV Genres Reality Lifestyle Competitions View comments
