‘The Challenge’: Morgan Willett Says Johnny Bananas Has an ‘Incredible Pull’ Over the Network
Big Brother: Over the Top winner Morgan Willett appeared on one season of The Challenge, where she met Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio. However, the pair split after dating for two years. When asked if she would return to the competition series, Morgan claimed her ex has “an incredible pull” over the network and wouldn’t allow it.
Morgan Willett says ex Johnny ‘Bananas’ Devenanzio has ‘an incredible say’ in the network
In June 2022, around the time The Challenge 38 reportedly finalized its cast, a fan asked War of the Worlds competitor Morgan Willett, 28, if she received a call to return for the upcoming season.
The Big Brother: Over the Top winner responded to the question on her Instagram story with “heck no.” She believes the production team doesn’t find her interesting or “nearly dramatic enough.” Therefore, Morgan thinks she would only return for “some kind of twisted exes season,” which she says she wouldn’t do.
For one, the reality TV personality explained she wouldn’t want to put herself in a situation that negatively affected her mental health. Additionally, Morgan claimed “the person I’d be attached to,” likely referring to Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio, 39, as they previously dated for over two years, “has an incredible pull and say in the network and would never allow that to happen.”
Regardless, the BBOTT champ still plans to watch the new season, including, “I’m excited to cheer on my friends and root for their success!” She also admitted she isn’t sure if she has completely closed the door on TV, noting, “I’m just letting God lead me where I’m supposed to be.”
Johnny Bananas and Morgan split in September 2021
After winning BBOTT in 2016, Morgan appeared on the reality dating show Ex on the Beach. She rekindled her romance with Survivor star Jay Starrett, and the two began a relationship.
However, she left shortly afterward to compete in The Challenge: War of the Worlds (2019), where she met Johnny. After leaving the competition, the two traveled together and eventually went public with their relationship in October 2019.
She then stepped away from the entertainment industry while he continued appearing on The Challenge and landed a hosting gig for an LA-based NBC program.
They lived together and frequently traveled with each other until September 2021, when she opened up about feeling “very betrayed” in a lengthy message she shared on her Instagram story. In a subsequent interview, Morgan confirmed the couple parted ways. She has since revealed they split due to infidelity on his part.
Morgan admitted she’s ‘glad’ she left Johnny; he called her his ‘toughest Challenge loss’
A couple of months after Morgan announced the breakup, she spoke more about it in a November 2021 Instagram story post.
Replying to a fan who praised her for finding the “strength” to walk away from the relationship, the BBOTT winner admitted that she’s “glad” she left and happy that she no longer has to hide her decision.
Morgan ended her answer by encouraging her followers to declare their moments of triumph after getting out of “a situation that’s hurting you” because it’s “hard as f—” to do.
Four months later, Johnny addressed the breakup in the January 30 episode of his podcast, Death, Taxes, and Bananas, in which he claimed he hadn’t spoken about the split to keep his “private life” to himself. Additionally, Johnny claimed he did have “emotions” regarding the breakup and called her “my toughest Challenge loss.”
