‘Guess What, These Are The Repercussions.’ Johnny Bananas Went Off On The Challenge Cast Members Complaining About Not Being Invited Back

For reality TV newcomers hoping to build a career, The Challenge can be a great stepping stone. The show regularly features contestants from other reality programs, and a select few get invited back season after season. Johnny Bananas, a returning player himself, recently offered some blunt advice to those complaining about not getting repeat opportunities on the show, especially with the TV landscape changing in 2026 and beyond.

Reality stars Bananas and Wes Bergmann have publicly criticized Nurys Mateo and Horacio Gutierrez Jr., claiming they’re frustrated about not being asked to return for future seasons of The Challenge after appearing on Season 40, Battle of the Eras. On his podcast, Death, Taxes, and Bananas, Bananas explained his view on why Nurys and Horacio weren’t invited back, while many contestants from Big Brother and Survivor received multiple opportunities to compete.

Several cast members are publicly criticizing the show’s production, rules, and results, and then expressing surprise when they aren’t asked to return. Specifically, Horacio and Nurys repeatedly and openly questioned how the show was run and how decisions were made.

Both competitors are talking about claims made by former castmates that Season 40 of The Challenge was unfair. Gutierrez Jr. told EW he believes he was wrongly eliminated after a competition with Derrick Kosinski. The show’s footage revealed Derrick finished first, but was missing a piece of the puzzle. Horacio also alleges that the production team assisted Derrick by replacing fallen pieces during the challenge.

The public reacted strongly after the interview aired, with many people rewatching the specific moment using their Paramount+ subscriptions. This led producers to clarify the rules with Variety and Horacio Guiterrez Jr. They explained that contestants were informed upfront that pegs counted as soon as they were placed, regardless of whether they stayed put. The production team did replace some pegs during filming, but they assured everyone this didn’t change the competition’s results. Guiterrez Jr. acknowledged he hadn’t been aware of this specific rule during the initial interview, but the matter was cleared up.

Look, every reality show has its awkward moments, but what happened with Horacio and Nurys on The Challenge felt different. Johnny Bananas thinks the show itself took personal offense to their critiques, and honestly, I think he’s onto something. He sees their current situation as a direct consequence of how harsh they were – a classic case of ‘reap what you sow,’ and after watching it all unfold, I’m inclined to agree.

Despite clear evidence, publicly demonstrated through detailed footage, showing the rules were followed correctly, you continued to criticize them. Now, it’s surprising to you that you haven’t been asked to participate again? This is the consequence of your actions.

Wes Bergmann and Johnny Bananas have admitted to having problems with The Challenge and its producers over the years, but they’ve generally kept those issues private. Despite being known for some controversial gameplay, Bananas explained he doesn’t want to risk damaging his relationship with the show’s production team.

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