With The Challenge: World Championship just three episodes deep, drama has already arrived with two friends at odds over gameplay.
KellyAnne Judd came into the game feeling she had at least one ally in the game in her friend Jonna Mannion, but the two-time All Stars winner may have had a different idea about things.
Through the first few episodes, viewers saw KellyAnne and her teammate, The Challenge: UK winner Tristan Phipps, an early target for elimination.
KellyAnne attempted to have conversations with Jonna to make sure they were on the same page and that Jonna would toss the other potential duo into elimination.
While it seemed that might be the case, KellyAnne and Tristan ended up in the first pairs elimination, which they won against Nelson Thomas and Jujuy Jimenez.
The aftermath caused KellyAnne to become irritated over how her “friend” Jonna treated her in the game, which may have spilled onto social media.
The Challenge OG KellyAnne shares message about “gaslighting”
In a recent message posted to social media, KellyAnne, a former Real World: Sydney star, seemingly calls out her castmate, Jonna, for “gaslighting” as she explains the signs that someone is a “gaslighter.”
Those signs include denying things you know to be true, making you “question your own memory or perception of events,” twisting your words around, or taking them “out of context.”
Additional signs that KellyAnne highlights in her message are telling “you- or others- that you’re crazy or unstable,” using your insecurities against you, and isolating you from friends or family to make you look to them as the primary source of validation.
“If you feel like someone is gaslighting you, it’s important to trust your own instincts and seek support from friends, family or a mental health professional,” KellyAnne said to end her message.
KellyAnne didn’t mention any names in her post, but it seems to suggest she is referring to her castmate, as they were presented in an early storyline for the spinoff show, The Challenge: World Championship. At one point, Jonna was featured contemplating her friendship with KellyAnne ahead of the Episode 3 elimination.
Jonna vs. KellyAnne drama on World Championship
As mentioned, Jonna was put in a position of power with her teammate Grant Crapp from The Challenge: UK, as they won the first official daily challenge. With that, they had to choose one of the two nominated teams to send into elimination against Nelson and Jujuy.
KellyAnne attempted to have discussions with other Legends castmates, especially Jonna, who told her she had a difficult decision to make. KellyAnne felt very confident that her friend Jonna would send in Jodi Weatherton with her teammate Benja Alfonson.
However, Jonna and Grant opted to send in KellyAnne with Tristan, much to KellyAnne’s surprise. She and Tristan won the elimination, and KellyAnne returned to the house with a different perspective and feeling about her “friend” Jonna.
Following the win, KellyAnne talked to Jonna in a bedroom at the house, asking why she put her in after Jonna made her a promise not to. Jonna said KellyAnne told others about the promise, which KellyAnne denied.
Their discussion became heated, with KellyAnne eventually telling Jonna, “Enough!” at one point after trying to discuss their friendship and perceived alliance in the game.
At the start of Episode 3, Jonna was shown conversing with The Challenge: USA MVP, Ben Driebergen from Survivor. During their chat, Jonna talked about KellyAnne screaming at her about the game. Jonna referred to KellyAnne as a “liability.”
KellyAnne’s teammate Tristan was then shown talking to his fellow UK star Zara Zoffany about KellyAnne, and tells her he’s “running around trying to put out fires.” Tristan says KellyAnne should be mentoring him in the game but wasn’t so far. He also referred to his World Championship partner as “just emotionally sensitive” when it came to the gameplay.
Tristan tells Zara that KellyAnne needs to “compartmentalize that. Otherwise, I’m gonna be f***ed.”
With the show only four episodes into the season, it seems it will only get more dramatic amongst friends, exes, allies, and castmates as they all want to become the first-ever Challenge World Championships.
The Challenge: World Championship episodes arrive Wednesdays on Paramount Plus.