Candiace Dillard Bassett was one of the main characters from season 4 of Peacock’s thrilling reality show “The Traitors.” Alongside her fellow “Real Housewives” peer Lisa Rinna, Bassett kept audiences on the edge of their seats week after week as they attempted to plot, deceive, and murder.
Their run on the show, however, came to an end after their fellow Traitor, Rob Rausch, turned on them just before the end, sparking intense feelings from Bassett, which, in turn, garnered even stronger reactions from the audience.
One watcher, who also doubles as a writer for an online publication, even went as far as to suggest the show should ban all “Real Housewives” stars in the future. But Candiace Dillard Bassett is clapping back at that suggestion, saying she and her fellow outspoken reality TV peers are “icons” who bring something special to the program.
Candiace Dillard Bassett Implies The ‘Real Housewives’ Are Essential To The Success Of ‘The Traitors’ On Peacock
While speaking with Sherri Shepherd on her talk show, Bassett responded to a recent Vulture article that went viral for suggesting “Real Housewives” stars should be banned from “The Traitors.”
“Boo,” Bassett clapped back. “To me, it reeks a little bit of misogyny.” As Bassett continued, the mother of one said that “Real Housewives” stars are “icons … we are part of the zeitgeist of pop culture.”
Season 4 of “The Traitors,” which reportedly garnered over 3.2 billion minutes of watch time following the 3-episode premiere, wouldn’t have been nearly as successful if it weren’t for the Housewives, according to Bassett.
“The season would not have been in the stratosphere and viewership without our foolishness,” she continued.
Candiace Dillard Bassett Says ‘Real Housewives’ Appear On ‘Traitors’ To Do A Job
In addition to Rinna, Bassett appeared on the most recent season of “The Traitors” with fellow “Real Housewives” stars Caroline Stanbury, Dorinda Medley, and Porsha Williams.
Bassett went on to say that another reason the “Real Housewives” are crucial to the success of “The Traitors” is that they show up ready to work.
“We do a job,” she said. “We come in, we do what we’re supposed to do, we know what we’re doing, and we go home.”
In another interview, Bassett shared a similar message and slammed the author of the viral article for painting her Bravo peers as “one-dimensional.”
“That’s just simply not the case, and I say all the time … we are not monolithic,” she said. “We are not one way, we are not one-sided, we have many layers to us.”
Fans Are Reacting To The Idea Of No More Housewives On ‘Traitors’
Bassett isn’t alone in her feelings. On Instagram, social media users shared similar responses.
“I couldn’t even bear to finish the season after Candiace left,” someone shared, while another wrote, “We need an all Housewives season, matter of fact.”
“They literally bring in the viewership,” a third said, while a fourth wrote, “We absolutely need the housewives, as soon as they leave midseason, the show starts going downhill.”
Another user replied to the article, reminding the author and readers that they could watch a version of the show without “Real Housewives” stars.
“Gosh, if only there were multiple multiple MULTIPLE versions of this show… that someone who doesn’t want Housewives on it… could watch… that doesn’t have Housewives on it… OH WAIT.”
Candiace Dillard Bassett Was ‘Excited’ To Be Chosen As One Of The Show’s Titular Characters
According to The Blast, Bassett opened up about her time filming season 4 of “The Traitors,” specifically the moment host Alan Cumming selected her as one of the titular characters.
“Internally, I screamed. I was doing backflips,” the “RHOP” star said. “My body got hot, and I felt like the world was my oyster.”
“If you’re gonna play the game, go balls to the wall. The game is called ‘The Traitors,’ so of course, you want to be the main character, because I’m a main character. It made sense, and I was so happy that Alan entrusted me with such a responsibility,” she said.
Bassett Bumped Heads With Rausch During The Show
However, her time in the Scottish castle came to an end following her dispute with fellow Traitor Rausch. In February 2026, Bassett slammed Rausch for lying to her and Rinna’s face and aiding in their downfall.
“You just lied to our faces. The game is called The Traitors, and he wasn’t being a Traitor. He was being a snake. He did what he felt was best for his game,” she said.
