The Challenge is a difficult competition show, thanks to its demanding daily challenges, eliminations, and a final that really puts its competitors to the ultimate physical and mental test.
However, the social and political aspect is another component of the game that is sometimes just as demanding, if not more difficult, than the rest of the show. Players will use all sorts of underhanded and deceptive tactics to play mind games and gain an edge.
Due to that part of the game, former Double Agents winner Amber Borzotra says she nearly didn’t return for Season 38, aka Ride or Dies.
The former Big Brother star dealt with a lot during the season but chose to return for another Challenge for a specific reason.
Amber also revealed that doing so helped her learn much about herself and others, giving her things she can use moving forward.
This report may contain spoilers from The Challenge: Ride or Dies season.
The Challenge’s Amber Borzotra wanted a break from MTV’s show
Challenge fans saw Amber make her debut during the Double Agents season, and what a debut it was. The former Big Brother Houseguest partnered up with four-time champ Darrell Taylor and ultimately became partners with three-time winner Chris “CT” Tamburello, just in time for the final.
They’d go on to win the season, making Amber a rookie champion and richer in the process. It also seemingly put a target on her back going into her sophomore season, Spies, Lies & Allies.
Castmates, including supposed Big Brother allies Fessy Shafaat and Kaycee Clark, certainly targeted her. That led to Amber going into several eliminations and eventually getting ousted from the game.
When the call came for Season 38, the 35-year-old Amber was ready for a break. She and her boyfriend, Chauncey Palmer, spoke about it on their new podcast, Sips and Bulls**t (below).
She lost a baby going into her first season and then a grandparent while there. In her second season, Amber lost a friend to an overdose. When the third season arrived, she lost her grandmother and almost lost her mother.
“Grieving in a space like that, you just can’t,” Amber shared about The Challenge’s environment.
Amber returned due to the Ride or Dies theme
Chauncey said they had about a week and a half before heading to film Ride or Dies. He said that at first, Amber didn’t want to return for another season, but after some discussion, she came around to wanting to return due to the theme. Amber said bringing someone onto the show, her boyfriend, helped make it easier for her to decide.
Amber said, “it was just a lot of emotions” for her to do the show again, which included grieving the loss of her grandmother.
“I knew going on that’s not the place to deal with the stuff I had going on back home,” Amber shared, adding, “I’ve already been there. I’ve already dealt with stuff. I’ve already been on previous seasons to know this isn’t where I need to be.”
“But at the same time, I have the person that’s by my side every single day that’s seeing me go through everything that I’m going through right now. I felt like I was going to be OK,” she said.
Amber said returning to the show this season taught her a lot about the game, her relationship with Chauncey, relationships with others in the game, and about herself. She said that moving forward, she needs to “not be so gullible, so vulnerable, [and] so nice.”
Amber will now take a break from The Challenge for good reason
Amber and Chauncey had a relatively successful season of The Challenge, as they lasted into Episode 15, ultimately getting eliminated by Jordan Wiseley and Aneesa Ferreira just ahead of the final. As the season was still airing, Amber revealed the big news that she and Chauncey were expecting their first child.
With that, she will now take that break from the show to focus on the significant and special life event that she and Chauncey will have.
“So I think right now just being able to take a break and step back is good,” Amber said, adding that it’s a “blessing” that she and Chauncey are expecting their first child.
“This isn’t the end of me. I feel like I plan on going back,” Amber said, joking they’ll need to win the $1 million for the baby.
The Challenge: Ride or Dies Reunion Part 2 airs Wednesday, March 1 at 8/7c on MTV.