‘The Challenge’: Janelle Cried Over Production ‘Blatantly’ Not Giving 4th Step for Lockbox to Everyone

Former champ Janelle Casanave returned for The Challenge: All Stars 2, where she nearly won her second season. Following the season, winners MJ Garrett and Jonna Mannion revealed off-screen information, including a necessary fourth step to opening the lockbox containing the prize money. After discovering this, Janelle broke down in tears as it became “blatantly clear” that the producers didn’t give all the instructions to the other teams.

Janelle Casanave cries over botched ‘The Challenge: All Stars 2’ final

The Inferno 3 champ Janelle Casanave sat down for episode 271 of The Challenge Mania podcast, discussing the controversial All Stars 2 final.

After pointing out the difficulty in her second puzzle as opposed to her competitors, the runner-up brought up an interview featuring winners MJ Garrett and Jonna Mannion.

In the article, MJ claimed they had a 10-minute lead on the other teams, which Janelle refuted. Additionally, he said the instructions to open the lockbox containing the prize money included the fourth step.

Co-host and three-time champ Derrick Kosinski claimed he asked MJ about the extra action in a text message but noted the winner wouldn’t tell him. Janelle agreed, pointing out he also didn’t respond to her. The runner-up became emotional as it became “blatantly clear” to her that the winners received the fourth step the other teams didn’t.

Janelle said ending with winner Jonna Mannion was ‘staged’

She continued, noting she gave herself a hard time for a few months, believing she got the math problem wrong.

Additionally, Janelle pointed out she felt the producers gave the winners a “huge advantage” by verifying they had the right combination, as confirmed by MJ in the interview because she claims they were ignored when they asked.

She then admitted the ending, in which Jonna said they weren’t reading the instructions before proceeding to open it, was “staged.” Janelle claimed she and Darrell Taylor were only “50 yards” behind the winners when they arrived at the lockbox and noticed they took off for the jet without opening their safe.

According to the runner-up, no one could open it. However, when MJ and Jonna returned to their lockbox, she noticed they unlocked it on the first try.

She also claims producers gave her different answers when it came to the lockbox

The Challenge Mania hosts theorized that the producers made an error with the lockbox and decided to award the first team who got there the win.

While Janelle understood, she thought the crew should’ve “leveled the playing field” for all teams after discovering the fault. Additionally, she pointed out that producers initially told her she got her math wrong for the combination.

However, months later, after watching the final, Janelle claimed she realized she had the answer correct. When the runner-up asked again, she said she was told they couldn’t see. Therefore, she doesn’t understand why the producers “spun her this story.”

As a result of the several mishandlings during the finals, Janelle admitted she isn’t sure if she’ll compete in another season. If she doesn’t return, the runner-up ends her career with three seasons, winning one and finishing runner-up in another. The Challenge: All Stars is streaming on Paramount+.