{"id":29194,"date":"2026-08-06T01:06:27","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T20:06:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=29194"},"modified":"2026-08-06T01:06:27","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T20:06:27","slug":"the-challenge-stars-tease-new-season-full-of-horny-hookups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=29194","title":{"rendered":"The Challenge Stars Tease New Season Full of \u2018Horny\u2019 Hookups"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/shows\/the-challenge\/\"><i>The Challenge: Cutthroat<\/i><\/a><\/span> is going to bring drama, competition and maybe even some red hot romances.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u201cHere\u2019s what I will say. I would have thought that the people who had been on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/shows\/love-island\/\"><span class=\"s1\"><i>Love Island<\/i><\/span><\/a> would have actually been better at being in showmances, but they left a lot on the table, and it was up to us,\u201d <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrities\/johnny-bananas\/\"><span class=\"s1\">Johnny Bananas<\/span><\/a><\/strong> exclusively shared with <i>Us<\/i> on Monday, August 3, when teasing the new season. \u201cI don\u2019t want to say us \u2014 some or maybe one wild vet \u2014 to teach them how <i>Challenge<\/i> showmances were. <strong>Josh Goldstein<\/strong>, <strong>Leo<\/strong> [<strong>Dionicio<\/strong>]!<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">In the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ML6CiAcsDr8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"s1\">official trailer<\/span><\/a> for season 42, fans started speculating about who may experience a showmance or hookup when one contestant was overheard asking, \u201cAre we on <i>Love Island<\/i> or are we on <i>The Challenge<\/i>?\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">While viewers will have to tune in to see who kisses and tells, <strong>Michele Fitzgerald<\/strong> admitted some costars were down to play.<\/p>\n<div class=\"link-related article link-related__with-thumb\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article__thumbnail related-ab-test\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/entertainment\/news\/johnny-bananas-reveals-when-hell-leave-the-challenge-and-why\/\" target=\"\" data-source=\"01\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__figure\">\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%;\" class=\"ratio-based-placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2166110283-Johnny-Bananas-on-Why-He-Returns-to-The-Challenge-and-When-He-Will-Retire.jpg?crop=0px%2C133px%2C1324px%2C748px&amp;resize=400%2C225&amp;quality=70&amp;strip=all\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2166110283-Johnny-Bananas-on-Why-He-Returns-to-The-Challenge-and-When-He-Will-Retire.jpg?crop=0px%2C133px%2C1324px%2C748px&amp;resize=200%2C113&amp;quality=70&amp;strip=all 200w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2166110283-Johnny-Bananas-on-Why-He-Returns-to-The-Challenge-and-When-He-Will-Retire.jpg?crop=0px%2C133px%2C1324px%2C748px&amp;resize=300%2C169&amp;quality=78&amp;strip=all 300w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2166110283-Johnny-Bananas-on-Why-He-Returns-to-The-Challenge-and-When-He-Will-Retire.jpg?crop=0px%2C133px%2C1324px%2C748px&amp;resize=400%2C225&amp;quality=70&amp;strip=all 400w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2166110283-Johnny-Bananas-on-Why-He-Returns-to-The-Challenge-and-When-He-Will-Retire.jpg?crop=0px%2C133px%2C1324px%2C748px&amp;resize=600%2C338&amp;quality=55&amp;strip=all 600w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2166110283-Johnny-Bananas-on-Why-He-Returns-to-The-Challenge-and-When-He-Will-Retire.jpg?crop=0px%2C133px%2C1324px%2C748px&amp;resize=800%2C450&amp;quality=70&amp;strip=all 800w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2166110283-Johnny-Bananas-on-Why-He-Returns-to-The-Challenge-and-When-He-Will-Retire.jpg?crop=0px%2C133px%2C1324px%2C748px&amp;resize=900%2C506&amp;quality=78&amp;strip=all 900w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2166110283-Johnny-Bananas-on-Why-He-Returns-to-The-Challenge-and-When-He-Will-Retire.jpg?crop=0px%2C133px%2C1324px%2C748px&amp;resize=1000%2C563&amp;quality=78&amp;strip=all 1000w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2166110283-Johnny-Bananas-on-Why-He-Returns-to-The-Challenge-and-When-He-Will-Retire.jpg?crop=0px%2C133px%2C1324px%2C748px&amp;resize=1200%2C675&amp;quality=78&amp;strip=all 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 400px, (max-width: 770px) calc(100vw - 6em), 200px\" alt=\"GettyImages 2166110283 Johnny Bananas on Why He Returns to The Challenge and When He Will Retire\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\"\/><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"article__content\">\n<h3 class=\"article__title\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article__title-link related-ab-test\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/entertainment\/news\/johnny-bananas-reveals-when-hell-leave-the-challenge-and-why\/\" target=\"\" data-source=\"01\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"related-badge\">Related: <\/span><span class=\"related-title\">Johnny Bananas on Why He Returns to &#8216;The Challenge&#8217; and When He Will Retire<\/span><\/a><br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\tIf Johnny \u201cBananas\u201d Devenanzio had it his way, he\u2019d continue to compete on The Challenge as long as he can. \u201cI love The Challenge. I love going, I love competing,\u201d Devenanzio, 43, exclusively told Us Weekly ahead of MTV\u2019s The Challenge: Vets and New Threats premiere on Wednesday, July 30. \u201cHowever, I just don\u2019t have [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u201cI feel like all the new blood came in with little tiny bikinis and a want to wear them, so it was a matter of time before there would be a <i>Love Island<\/i> aspect,\u201d she teased, revealing there was no shortage of temptation for some stars. \u201cI think there were a lot of hot people willing to hang out with a lot of hot people. I think you\u2019re gonna see a lot of hookups and no face tattoos this time for me, so that\u2019s a win.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Before falling in love with <i>The Challenge<\/i> star <strong>Devin Walker<\/strong>, Michele, 36, had a brief romantic showmance with <strong>Emanuel Neagu<\/strong> during <i>The Challenge: Spies, Lies &amp; Allies<\/i> in 2021.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Former <i>Love Island<\/i> contestant <strong>Deb Chubb<\/strong> joked that she \u201cfell in love with herself\u201d while filming this season. At the same time, she wasn\u2019t surprised to see some sparks fly in the group.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Challenge: Cutthroat | Season 42 Official Trailer | Paramount+\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ML6CiAcsDr8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u201cWhen you\u2019re in a villa with a lot of hot people, you kind of get Stockholm syndrome,\u201d she explained. \u201cYou\u2019re obviously gonna fall in love with someone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Johnny, 44, added, \u201cI will say this was a very horny cast.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Romance aside, this new season \u2014 streaming on Paramount+ \u2014 promises to bring plenty of twists and turns to the cast.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Twenty-four contestants will live in a beautiful Thailand villa and be divided into three teams chosen by three captains. The teams are permanent and the only way to take home a share of the $500,000 cash prize in the end is to cross the finish line together as a unit.<\/p>\n<div id=\"news-block\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form  \">\n\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/themes\/us-weekly\/assets\/img\/newsletter-bg-narrow.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"newsletter-form__background background-narrow\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><br \/>\n\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/themes\/us-weekly\/assets\/img\/newsletter-bg-wide.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"newsletter-form__background background-wide\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"newsletter-signup__success\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<h3>Thank You!<\/h3>\n<p>You have successfully subscribed.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"link-related article link-related__with-thumb\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article__thumbnail related-ab-test\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrity-news\/news\/survivor-alum-michele-fitzgerald-dating-the-challenges-devin-walker\/\" target=\"\" data-source=\"01\"><\/p>\n<figure class=\"article__figure\">\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%;\" class=\"ratio-based-placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Survivor-Winner-Michele-Fitzgerald-Is-Dating-The-Challenge-Devin-Walker.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&amp;resize=400%2C225&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Survivor-Winner-Michele-Fitzgerald-Is-Dating-The-Challenge-Devin-Walker.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&amp;resize=200%2C113&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 200w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Survivor-Winner-Michele-Fitzgerald-Is-Dating-The-Challenge-Devin-Walker.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&amp;resize=300%2C169&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 300w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Survivor-Winner-Michele-Fitzgerald-Is-Dating-The-Challenge-Devin-Walker.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&amp;resize=400%2C225&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 400w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Survivor-Winner-Michele-Fitzgerald-Is-Dating-The-Challenge-Devin-Walker.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&amp;resize=600%2C338&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 600w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Survivor-Winner-Michele-Fitzgerald-Is-Dating-The-Challenge-Devin-Walker.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&amp;resize=800%2C450&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 800w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Survivor-Winner-Michele-Fitzgerald-Is-Dating-The-Challenge-Devin-Walker.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&amp;resize=900%2C506&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 900w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Survivor-Winner-Michele-Fitzgerald-Is-Dating-The-Challenge-Devin-Walker.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&amp;resize=1000%2C563&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 1000w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Survivor-Winner-Michele-Fitzgerald-Is-Dating-The-Challenge-Devin-Walker.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&amp;resize=1200%2C675&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 1200w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Survivor-Winner-Michele-Fitzgerald-Is-Dating-The-Challenge-Devin-Walker.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&amp;resize=1600%2C900&amp;quality=40&amp;strip=all 1600w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Survivor-Winner-Michele-Fitzgerald-Is-Dating-The-Challenge-Devin-Walker.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&amp;resize=1800%2C1012&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 1800w, https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Survivor-Winner-Michele-Fitzgerald-Is-Dating-The-Challenge-Devin-Walker.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&amp;resize=1920%2C1080&amp;quality=86&amp;strip=all 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 400px, (max-width: 770px) calc(100vw - 6em), 200px\" alt=\"Survivor Winner Michele Fitzgerald Is Dating The Challenge Devin Walker\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\"\/><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"article__content\">\n<h3 class=\"article__title\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"article__title-link related-ab-test\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/celebrity-news\/news\/survivor-alum-michele-fitzgerald-dating-the-challenges-devin-walker\/\" target=\"\" data-source=\"01\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"related-badge\">Related: <\/span><span class=\"related-title\">&#8216;Survivor&#8217; Champ Michele Fitzgerald Is Dating The Challenge&#8217;s Devin Walker<\/span><\/a><br \/>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\n\t\t\tFrom Survivor to The Challenge, Michele Fitzgerald and Devin Walker found love. Fitzgerald, 34, confirmed the new couple\u2019s romance during a Thursday, June 6, Instagram Story Q&amp;A after getting asked about their status multiple times. \u201cLOL FINEEEE to answer ALL of your questions, that\u2019s my boyfriend,\u201d she wrote, sharing a kissing photo with Walker, 35. [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\">Strategy and performance are pushed to the limit in this merciless season hosted by <strong>TJ Lavin<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u201cI think in the past, it\u2019s very regimented, like challenge, elimination, interview, challenge, elimination. This was so much more open,\u201d <strong>Tori Deal<\/strong> told <i>Us<\/i>. \u201cThere was room to have fun. They wanted us to get along and to vibe. And actually, I feel like I had more fun this season than I\u2019ve had since. Also, the team dynamic was helpful because it felt like you had a built-in group, obviously. I think there should be more fun \u2014 depending on how it\u2019s edited.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Watch all the fun unfold when Season 42 of MTV\u2019s <i>The Challenge: Cutthroat<\/i> premieres on Paramount+ Wednesday, August 5. The season will premiere with two episodes, with each episode dropping weekly thereafter.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Challenge: Cutthroat is going to bring drama, competition and maybe even some red hot romances. \u201cHere\u2019s what I will say. I would have thought that the people who had been on Love Island would have actually been better at being in showmances, but they left a lot on the table, and it was up&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29195,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/the-challenge-cuthroat.jpg?crop=0px%2C199px%2C1200px%2C630px&resize=1200%2C630&quality=40&strip=all","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29194","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebrity-gossip"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29194","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=29194"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29194\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/29195"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=29194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=29194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=29194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}