Former Challenge finalist Marie Roda has some words of advice for MTV as she’s telling the network and those making decisions for The Challenge Season 37 reunion special to “wake up.”
The former star of The Real World: St. Thomas and Ex on the Beach delivered a message on social media, suggesting that the reunion has a serious issue regarding their choice of host.
She wants to know why former Real World and Challenge star Devyn Simone isn’t hosting the reunion while someone with no real connection to the MTV show is handling the duties again.
Marie shares video to MTV about The Challenge 37 reunion
The Challenge: Spies, Lies & Allies has just filmed footage for their reunion special, with many of the season’s cast members present for the event.
Based on the online spoilers and speculation, the reunion features several cast arguments, both on and off-camera.
While it seems like it could deliver some drama during the televised episodes, The Challenge alum Marie Roda says it’s lacking an essential individual: Devyn Simone as host.
She took to her TikTok account, where she uploaded a video (below) reacting to MTV choosing Maria Menounos as the reunion host.
After congratulating MTV on The Challenge’s 500th episode, she brought up how Devyn Simone was left off the reunion special as host.
“What does bother me is the fact that you’re filming the reunion, and Devyn Simone is in New York City. [I heard] through the grapevine that Maria Menounos is the host. Sorry if you’re trying to keep that a surprise,” she revealed in her clip.
“I have nothing against Maria, but like I mean like make it make sense. Like what has Maria Menounos done in the last three years. I’ll tell you what she hasn’t done, and that is The Challenge after-shows like Devyn Simone for the last three seasons,” Marie added.
Marie mentions that Devyn was even given the title of “The Challenge Authority” in the various Global reports that MTV releases for the show on social media. However, the authority when it comes to the show is missing from the hosting role at the reunion.
Devyn continues to host Aftermath episodes
Devyn Simone certainly has the credentials to host MTV’s reunion specials, as she’s competed in two seasons of The Challenge, reaching the final both times. She also seems to have a good rapport with most cast members, whether OGs or rookies.
For the past several seasons of MTV’s show and the recent Paramount Plus spinoff, The Challenge: All Stars, Devyn has been handling the hosting duties for Aftermath.
However, her absence as host of the reunion specials has been a baffling decision for fans and cast members, including Marie.
The Challenge: All Stars reunion featured two hosts, with Maria Menounos and former NFL star-turned-analyst Nate Burleson presiding over the event earlier this year.
After The Challenge: Double Agents filmed, the Season 36 reunion was hosted by another former NFL star, Vernon Davis, to continue to merge sports personalities with the competition show.
While the three hosts mentioned all did adequately in the roles, it seems many fans would love to see Devyn taking the reigns as host of the reunion.
As Marie mentioned in her video, there was even a petition started at Change.org in which over 4,000 people were asking MTV to make the former Real World and Challenge star the host, showing how much support she has from viewers.
The Challenge: Spies, Lies & Allies airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on MTV.