‘The Challenge’: Ashley Mitchell Says She Was ‘Depressed’ After Season 37 Removal and Didn’t Leave Bed for a Month
The Challenge two-time champ Ashley Mitchell hadn’t returned since last season when she got disqualified before the finals due to an off-camera exchange with Josh Martinez. She recently spoke about her sudden and unexplained exit in a podcast, admitting she hasn’t fully recovered yet.
Ashley Mitchell admitted she hasn’t ‘mentally recovered’ from ‘The Challenge 37’ disqualification
When Ashley Mitchell returned for her ninth season of The Challenge, season 37’s Spies, Lies, and Allies, she appeared in a good position and seemed poised to make the finals.
However, an off-camera disagreement with Josh Martinez resulted in her removal from the show for breaking the rules. It’s unclear exactly what was said, but the two-time champ admitted she went through a tough time afterward.
Ashley spoke out about it during a February 2023 interview with the Most Likely Two podcast for one of the first times following her 2021 exit.
When asked how she mentally recovered from it, the West Virginia admitted she hadn’t yet. The Real World star didn’t go into detail but admitted to lashing out after getting angry.
Ashley says she was ‘depressed’ after the season 37 removal
She noted that she acted out of character because her castmates knew how to push her buttons. Following her removal, Ashley shared she was “depressed” and didn’t leave her bed for at least a month after it.
The two-time champ regrets her actions, noting she’s “broken and upset” with herself as it has since helped regulate with anger management.
Additionally, the reality TV star shared that she’s started meditating and working on breathing control.
Later in the podcast, Ashley, who has lived in Costa Rica for the past year, explained that she’s getting used to being a “normal person” as the cast members find themselves stuck in a cycle of drama when filming the season as it airs. However, she admitted she would likely return if production called her.
Ashley responded to Josh Martinez advocating for her to return
During a live taping of the podcast Challenge Mania, Josh addressed the situation where he advocated for her return. The Big Brother winner claimed he wished the network showed the incident, considering it a missed opportunity as others might have experienced a similar situation.
He also didn’t go into detail about the exchange but pointed out that he felt Ashley brought up something “personal,” adding that he thought she went too “low.”
Additionally, he denied rumors that he asked producers to remove him from the show, instead noting he was “concerned” for her mental health.
Regardless of what happened, which Josh referred to as the “hardest thing” he went through in the Challenge house, the Big Brother star hopes Ashley returns for a future season, admitting he considered her a good addition and pointed out her status as a current champion. The host shared this with Ashley during the podcast, and the two-time champ said it gave her “goosebumps.” The Challenge is available to watch on MTV and Paramount+.
