AceShowbiz - Colton Underwood has opened up about his decision to participate in the reality series The Traitors with a firm boundary: his personal history with ex-girlfriend Cassie Randolph would not be discussed on the show.

In a revealing interview published by Vanity Fair on Thursday, February 26, Underwood, 34, explained that his involvement in the Peacock series came with the explicit condition that the production avoid any references to his past legal troubles and personal conflicts with Randolph.

"I met with production. I met with Peacock. I was like, ‘I’m down to do this, because this show is about strategy,’" Underwood shared. "It is about the game. It is about traitors. It is not personal. My only ask is, like, if I do this, I don’t want people to bring up anything outside of the game. I have a family now, right? I’m... so far past what happened six years ago."

The backstory between Underwood and Randolph is well-documented. In September 2020, Randolph, 30, filed a restraining order against Underwood, accusing him of planting a tracking device in her car, sending harassing text messages, and showing up uninvited at her apartment and her parents' home after their breakup.

Two months following the restraining order, Underwood announced that the case had been privately settled and the order was lifted. The incident marked a significant and difficult chapter in his life.

In an emotional interview with Good Morning America in April 2021, Underwood publicly came out as gay and expressed remorse for the distress his actions had caused. "Since 2020, I’ve put a lot of work into myself. I’ve worked with almost every network. I’ve shown up as a professional, I’ve shown up as a human being. I’ve taken accountability," he stated. "I can sit here and tell you I’ve changed all the time. I think better than that, I can point to the last six years of my life."

Today, Underwood is married to Jordan C. Brown, and the couple are raising a son born via surrogate in September 2024.

"I’m proud of who I’ve become. I’m proud of the man that I am," Underwood reflected. "I’m proud of the husband that I am. I’m proud of the father that I am. Like, I am really proud of the growth and the work that I’ve put in."

As fans anticipate the upcoming season 4 finale and reunion episode of The Traitors, Underwood acknowledges that many viewers still have questions about his past and what he chooses to discuss publicly.

Last month, following his elimination from the Peacock reality competition, Entertainment Weekly interviewed Underwood but noted that any inquiries regarding Randolph were off-limits. When asked about his willingness to now address these issues, Underwood suggested the "temperature changed."

"I didn’t want to add fuel to the fire. I don’t feel like it’s appropriate that every time I work or I do something that she’s mentioned and tagged in hundreds and thousands of articles," he said. "I can only speak for myself, but I can imagine that would be extremely difficult and also frustrating. So out of respect for the situation, I didn’t want to go into it."

Underwood further elaborated, "It’s important now to be honest and sit here for those of you who have been asking for accountability from me. I have done it in the past. I will continue to do it. ... There was no strategy in that Entertainment Weekly article, other than not wanting to add fuel to a fire."

Meanwhile, tensions between Underwood and fellow The Traitors contestant Lisa Rinna have been publicly visible. Rinna, 62, criticized Underwood as a "stalker" during the show’s run. She expressed her frustration via social media on January 23, highlighting their off-camera discord.

The Traitors continues to stream new episodes every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on Peacock, where viewers can watch the strategic gameplay unfold while Underwood focuses on moving forward from his past.