A recent episode of MTV’s The Challenge: Battle For a New Champion has brought more drama amongst castmates as tensions flared during a heated deliberation.
The latest installment of the competition series featured a daily challenge that would ultimately let a winning team choose one man to go into elimination.
After Horacio Gutierrez, Kyland Young, and Tula “Big T” Fazakerley claimed the daily victory, they settled on Emanuel Neagu to send down to The Arena for possible elimination.
Later at the deliberation, cast members chose Corey Lay as the other potential elimination competitor in a majority vote. This was because many of his castmates weren’t sure where his alliances truly were in the game.
Corey turned things around to let his castmates know he’d been lying to Big T and Melissa Reeves about being their allies so he could get information from them. That revelation had both Melissa and Big T shocked and upset over Corey’s actions.
That meeting also had Emanuel suggesting to Big T that she didn’t feel bad about choosing him for elimination earlier, and remarks from the episode have now brought about some online drama.
Big T calls out her castmate’s cheating during Season 39
In a since-deleted tweet, Big T claimed that her castmate Emanuel “had sex” with one of their castmates despite having a girlfriend back home.
“As if Emmanuel’s coming for anyone this season when we all lived in a house with you and we all know who you had sex with even though you have a gf. Honestly ppl jumping on the big t hate train,” she tweeted.
Big T commented about Emanuel and the entire Season 39 cast in another tweet that hasn’t been deleted.
“I didn’t realise Emmanual had issues with me but I guess this is a trend for people . This is the nastiest and most boring cast I’ve ever worked with,” she wrote.
During the recent episode’s deliberation, Big T apologized for saying Emanuel’s name, and he quickly replied, “No, you’re not.”
She said she genuinely was sorry, as “it’s never easy” to say someone’s name for elimination.
After the episode aired, Emanuel took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his thoughts about his castmate.
“Being mad or trynna understand Big T for trying to get me out would have been a waste of energy . She’s never a threat to me,” he tweeted.
In another tweet, Emanuel called out Big T’s lack of tears during a confessional where she spoke about how hurt she was by her castmate Corey after he’d revealed he faked a friendship and alliance with her and Melissa during the season.
Fans speculate about The Challenge 39 cheating
While Big T didn’t elaborate on who Emanuel cheated with, fans reacted to what was said, and a few provided some speculation.
In the comments of @challengeshaderoom’s Instagram post, one commenter suggested that another “page” indicated Emanuel cheated with two castmates.
“It’s both ravyn and Olivia, according to the page I follow,” the fan commented.
Another fan also reacted to the Instagram post and suggested Emanuel may have hooked up with Olivia Kaiser due to some “back and forth” on social media involving Olivia and castmate Moriah Jadea.
In Emanuel’s rookie season on The Challenge, aka Spies, Lies & Allies, viewers saw him in an early showmance with Michele Fitzgerald and a later showmance with Tori Deal, which seemed to last a bit longer.
As of this writing, it’s mere speculation with no confirmation that he cheated with the previously mentioned Season 39 castmates. However, it’s clear that tempers are flaring after the latest episode, and if the drama keeps up, it could make for an interesting reunion.
The Challenge: Battle For a New Champion airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on MTV.
Episodes of The Challenge are now streaming on Paramount+. Try it FREE!
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