Colton Underwood forms a new friendship on The Traitors and hints at a DWTS dream as a same-sex pairing
Reality TV alum Colton Underwood says his time on The Traitors season 4 forged a real connection with Dancing With the Stars pro Mark Ballas, a bond that has him fantasizing about a future on DWTS as part of a same-sex duo.
Underwood, who publicly came out as gay in 2021, opened up about filming the Emmy-winning Peacock competition show and admitted that his newfound camaraderie with Ballas has him considering a fresh challenge on DWTS. “I would be so terrified. I would want to do it, because I love pushing myself outside of my comfort zone. But I have tight hips. My mobility isn’t the best, but what I lack in flexibility, I make up for in strength,” he told Us Weekly.
The Traitors season 4 has given Underwood a new perspective on competition and friendship. Ballas and Underwood teamed up on the ethical battlefield of the game, and their bond off the screen has sparked speculation about a crossover dream: a same-sex pairing on Dancing With the Stars. Underwood said he would love to dance with Ballas, noting, “I want to dance with Mark, because I know him from Traitors.”
DWTS has previously showcased same-sex partnerships, including JoJo Siwa with Jenna Johnson, Shangela with Gleb Savchenko, and Nyle DiMarco with Keo Motsepe, who delivered the show’s first same-sex dance in 2016. Underwood’s openness about a potential DWTS run adds another high-profile chapter to that evolving history.
The Traitors’ Season 4 lineup also features a mix of reality TV favorites and pop culture figures, including RHOP’s Dorinda Medley, Lisa Rinna, Candiace Dillard Bassett, Caroline Stanbury, and Porsha Williams; Survivor’s Rob Cesternino, Yam Yam Arocho, and Natalie Anderson; Big Brother alums Ian Terry and Tiffany Mitchell; Monét X Change of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 4; Top Chef’s Kristen Kish; and Love Island contestants Maura Higgins and Robert Rausch.
Beyond The Traitors, Underwood is the host of Are You My First?, a reality show that puts a group of virgins on a tropical island in search of love. The series is streaming on Hulu.
Why this matters: Across reality TV, crossovers and collaborations are increasingly common, giving fans fresh angles on familiar faces. If Underwood does step onto DWTS as a same-sex couple, it would not only fulfill a personal goal but also broaden representation on a long-running franchise, inspiring viewers who see themselves in his journey.
Summary: Colton Underwood’s On-Set friendship with Mark Ballas on The Traitors has sparked talk of a future DWTS run as a same-sex duo. With Underwood’s openness about his sexuality, his interest in pushing boundaries, and DWTS’ history of inclusive partnerships, a Ballas-anchored dance partnership could become a landmark moment in the show’s ongoing evolution. A hopeful outlook is that such a pairing would celebrate authenticity, skill, and representation on mainstream reality television.
Commentary: This development highlights how reality stars continue to blend worlds—finding new roles, testing limits, and expanding LGBTQ+ visibility in major competition formats. If pursued, a Colton Underwood and Mark Ballas DWTS pairing could attract new audiences and reframe what a “dance competition” can look like in 2020s television.