After appearing in one season of MTV’s The Challenge, former cast member Morgan Willett says she honestly would erase that part of her life if she could but still recognizes what that opportunity brought her way.
The former Big Brother winner opened up about how reality TV helped her become a successful influencer online, something many people aspire to but struggle to build up a large enough audience.
In addition, she revealed why some people might think being a social media influencer isn’t a hard job but still takes a major toll in terms of the amount of work that goes into it.
Morgan Willett would ‘erase’ MTV from her history if she could
When it comes to being an influencer, Morgan Willett says reality TV “absolutely” helped her get a jumpstart with building a large following. However, it also appears she’d remove that from her history if she could.
Morgan, 27, appeared in the Big Brother: Over the Top web series, which she won, before heading over to MTV’s The Challenge: War of the Worlds, her only season of the show.
During a recent Instagram Story Q&A, a fan asked Morgan about her “stint on reality TV,” helping her with her current career as a self-employed influencer on social media.
Morgan explained that it’s difficult to build up one’s platform on Instagram nowadays, so being on reality TV certainly helped. She recommended that others look to TikTok as a better way to go right now.
“As much as I want to say I wish I never did MTV (being honest here) and could erase that part of my life.. it led me to where I am and gave me this platform to have a voice and build a community. So for that, I am very very grateful,” she wrote in her reply.
War of the Worlds was her only season on MTV’s The Challenge and led to her meeting and eventually dating castmate Johnny Bananas. The two were involved in a relationship for two years, but things abruptly ended due to Morgan finding out Bananas cheated on her last year.
Since then, she’s continued to live her life, sharing various photos as she enjoys traveling or big events. Based on her Instagram posts, she’s set to enjoy the Stagecoach music festival and Coachella this month.
Former Challenge star comments on being an influencer
Another fan asked the question that many people have regarding the perception of the influencer lifestyle. Many influencers will let their fanbase and viewers know how grueling or difficult the workload is that comes with being self-employed and creating content, although it doesn’t look difficult on the surface.
“Why are y’all always saying how ‘hard’ you have it when most would kill for your lifestyle?” a fan asked Morgan on her Instagram Story.
Morgan replied by explaining that she gets into arguments with her sister about that topic, saying they often won’t talk for several hours afterward.
“I am incredibly blessed to do what I do and I truly love my job. And I agree, the perks definitely outweigh the negatives and it’s not ‘hard’ comparable to some jobs. Let’s be real. But I will say… it is WORK,” she said.
She explained that while others aren’t working after 5 p.m. or on weekends, she’s still on her phone “nonstop” and always planning content to share.
“I agree it’s annoying when influencers say that but I also understand it’s more work behind the scenes than what you see online,” she shared.
Morgan opened up several months ago about her rough breakup with Challenge castmate Johnny Bananas, one of the more popular and well-known Challenge stars. The connection likely led to her gaining more followers, but she revealed she was “still struggling” after the split.
“I poured everything I possibly could have into this. I gave my heart, my soul…would’ve jumped off a cliff for this guy. I really believed this was it,” Morgan said during the FML Talk podcast.
“I’ve never felt that way about someone, and I think that’s why four months later, I’m still struggling so much,” Morgan said, even admitting she would’ve married Bananas if he asked.
Morgan Willett currently boasts over 300,000 followers on her official Instagram page, where she often shows off various products, her favorite fashions, recipes, and photos from her vacations. While her brief time on The Challenge brought her some serious heartbreak, she still seems to appreciate the positive aspects it brought to her life and career as an influencer.
The Challenge Season 38 is TBA for MTV. The Challenge: All Stars 3 premieres on May 11 on Paramount Plus.
Episodes of The Challenge are now streaming on Paramount+. Try it FREE!
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