Reality-TV personality Patricia Blanco issued an apology on Monday in an Instagram Story for a transphobic remark she made during the premiere episode of “#CoupleChallenge – Halloween Edition.” The 54-year-old daughter of pop singer Roberto Blanco had spoken derisively about trans contestant Valencia Stöhr (36) in the show filmed in a dimly lit camp deep in a Saxon forest. The eviction had already become known in August, and the episode is now available on RTL+.
What happened? The confrontation pitted the firebrand gay contestant Rafi Rachek (36) against Blanco’s show partner Jasmin Herren (36). Rachek accused his former close friend of leading a wild life: “You say you’re the sad widow, but you’re banging three guys at once. You’re wrong!”—said the partner of Sam Dylan (41). Jasmin Herren’s former husband, Will Herren, the actor known for “Lindenstraße,” had died in 2021.
When Blanco attempted to mediate, she suddenly appeared irritated with Stöhr and said: “Okay, it’s Halloween. To be honest, you’re beneath me, sister or brother.” The stern off-camera narrator then stated in the aired episode: “Okay, stop, with that wording you’ve crossed a line. This will definitely have consequences.”
“Where exactly is the insult?”
Patricia Blanco subsequently had to leave the camp with her partner Herren—and she could hardly believe it on the show: “Where is the insult? I don’t get that right now,” Blanco admitted. Herren explained: “Because you questioned gender.” Blanco’s reply: “Huh?” According to pre-release reports, Blanco’s remark also breached her contract with the production team and she apparently did not receive the agreed fee of over €10,000.
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After the episode’s release, Blanco adopted a more contrite tone: “I questioned my behavior and reflected on a lot,” she wrote. “My wording was wrong and hurtful. I want to apologize sincerely.” She added: “I’m not homophobic or transphobic, and I never intended to discriminate against anyone.” In the background, Jimmy Somerville’s “Smalltown Boy” played—apparently to demonstrate that she isn’t anti-gay.
Blanco went on to explain that she knows her words hurt many people. She said she would also issue a written apology to Stöhr and RTLZwei. She also complained that Stöhr had not returned her call after she attempted to reach out. Her takeaway: “I can’t undo what happened, but I can take responsibility, learn from it, and do better next time.”
Jasmin Herren Speaks Out About Bullying in the Show
In the video, Blanco’s apology was somewhat downplayed by flashing an interview with Herren, in which she accuses the other contestants of rude behavior. “You can’t just let people wander around and keep booking them who continually insult others. In the episode, everything is beeped for them. They’re allowed to say the F word to us even when I’m greeting them. They can say anything.”
New double-episodes of “#CoupleChallenge” are released on RTL+ each Friday. On the network RTLZwei, the eight-episode show will air as Halloween event programming—Episodes 1–4 on October 30 and Episodes 5–8 on October 31.
