‘The Challenge’: Ashley Mitchell Responds to Tori Deal Not Wanting Her Back on the Show
Two-time champ Ashley Mitchell got removed from The Challenge Season 37 after an off-camera exchange with Josh Martinez. It’s unclear what was said, but Josh wouldn’t mind Ashley returning, while veteran Tori Deal thinks the former winner shouldn’t because she went too far. The Real World star responded to Tori’s remarks in a recent interview.
Josh Martinez opened up about Ashley Mitchell’s disqualification
During The Challenge Season 37’s Spies, Lies, and Allies, filmed in mid-2021, two-time champ Ashley Mitchell got disqualified toward the end of the competition.
Host T.J. Lavin didn’t elaborate on the ejection, only stating that she broke the rules.
However, rumors have circulated that it surrounded an off-camera heated exchange between her and veteran Josh Martinez.
When asked about the situation during a December 2022 live taping for the podcast Challenge Mania, the Big Brother winner noted he wished the network would have shown the altercation as he thinks others have experienced something similar.
Josh wants Ashley to return to ‘The Challenge,’ but Tori Deal doesn’t
While Josh didn’t go into detail about what Ashley said, he pointed out that he’s received relentless criticism about nearly everything but claimed the two-time champ went too “low” and brought up something “personal.”
Even though he considers it the “hardest thing” he went through in the Challenge house, he denied asking producers to remove her from the show, citing his concern for her mental health.
Additionally, Josh admitted he hoped Ashley returns for a future season, noting her status as a current champion and thinking she’s an excellent addition to the competitive series.
However, Tori Deal disagreed with her friend, claiming the remarks even “offended” production. The MTV alum also defended her ally by reiterating the belief that Ashley went too far, noting, “you’re not the narrator of someone else’s story.”
Ashley reacts to Tori not wanting her to return for another season
Following her removal, the usually active two-time champ has remained mainly off social media and moved to Costa Rica, where she began dating someone. Additionally, she didn’t do much, if any, press after her exit.
However, in February 2023, she resurfaced on the podcast Most Likely Two, where she admitted she went through a hard time after her disqualification, resulting in her not leaving the bed for a month. Additionally, the reality TV star said she’s still mentally recovering from the incident. Ashley didn’t go into detail either but noted she lashed out of anger as castmates typically know how to push her buttons.
Unfortunately for her, it got caught on camera, even though MTV opted against the footage. The host told Ashley about Josh advocating for her return, and the West Virginia native admitted the remarks made her emotional and gave her “goosebumps.”
She also shared Tori’s response with the two-time champ, who claimed that she’s surprised the veteran “dropped the act” by not saying something agreeable. Additionally, Ashley remarked Tori doesn’t want her back because the veteran wants easy competition. It’s unclear if production has banned the two-time champ from the long-running series, but the Final Reckoning said she would return if she received the call. The Challenge is available to watch on MTV and Paramount+.
