While The Challenge: Battle of the Eras initially featured 40 cast members, viewers saw Laurel Stucky involved in several dramas and storylines.
Although Laurel hasn’t participated in any showmances or physical altercations, she’s been the focus of attention due to her remarks and altercations with multiple castmates.
Among them are Era 1’s Darrell Taylor and her teammate, Cara Maria Sorbello, with whom Laurel had an intense confrontation.
According to cast members’ off-the-show comments, the episode’s final footage didn’t include much from that particular altercation. Despite The Challenge releasing other unaired footage, it remained hidden from fans.
Rumors indicate the argument may have involved some severe trauma brought up to rattle Cara Maria during the incident. That’s led to some of Laurel’s former Challenge castmates speaking out about her issues.
In recent remarks, Laurel clapped back at several of her castmates, who she said were kicked off the show, while she never got kicked off in her Challenge career.
Laurel blasts castmate for getting kicked off The Challenge for ‘six years’
Taking to X, Laurel fired back at some of The Challenge fans who called her out or brought some of her castmates’ remarks to her attention.
Former castmates Zach Nichols and Wes Bergmann have spoken about Laurel outside of The Challenge episodes. Wes mentioned how Laurel hadn’t shown any real “growth” regarding maturing and learning from previous issues during her career on The Challenge.
On his Zach Nichols Podcast, Zach also criticized Laurel’s behavior after her altercation with Cara Maria and blasted her for her behavior towards castmates.
Her Season 40 castmate Cara Maria also continues to reply to fan questions and provide additional details about what Laurel did during the season.
“In order to be kicked off the show you have to be horrible to work with, get in the way of production, violate the contract in some way, be a danger to others, or punch someone. I have never done any of those things, Cara has been kicked off the show for what? 6 years?” Laurel asked.
“Just because someone hasn’t been on the show in a while doesn’t mean they have ‘grown'” or not grown’. I’m sick of these ppl who have literally been kicked off the show trying to speak on me. I have never ONCE been kicked off the show. 2 ppl who can’t stop talking about me have,” she wrote.
Laurel is likely referencing a period when Cara Maria didn’t appear in the seasons of The Challenge. After War of the Worlds 2, she and her boyfriend, Paulie Calafiore, were noticeably absent from the cast of the next four seasons: Total Madness, Double Agents, Spies, Lies & Allies, and Ride or Dies.
Paulie returned to a version of The Challenge first with his appearance on CBS’ spinoff, The Challenge: USA 2. He seemingly reconciled with several castmates he beefed with in previous MTV seasons, including Johnny Bananas and Josh Martinez.
Cara also returned, first appearing in a televised episode of MTV’s Battle For a New Champion (Season 39) as a mercenary to battle a competitor in an elimination. She appeared at that season’s finale and then in the spinoff, The Challenge: All Stars 4, on Paramount+.
Cara and Paulie returned full-time for MTV’s The Challenge: Battle of the Eras, which includes Laurel among castmates and is currently airing. Cara previously said she isn’t sure why she didn’t receive calls to return to The Challenge for the seasons between War of the Worlds 2 and Battle For a New Champion.
Laurel says former castmate stopped The Challenge production with ‘demands’
In another X message, Laurel mentioned former castmate Zach Nichols, who now podcasts about The Challenge. He last appeared as a full-time cast member and competitor in War of the Worlds 2, featuring Laurel. Cara and Paulie were part of that season for Team USA. They reached the final with Zach and others but lost to Team UK.
“Zach isn’t allowed on the show anymore. His ‘opinion’ is invalid. They no longer allow him on the show because of how he speaks to production, how he treats PAs who are just trying to do their job. He stops production bc of his demands,” Laurel said on X.
On his podcast, Zach mentioned reaching out to Laurel, whom he considers a friend, to have her speak about Season 40, including her drama with Cara Maria.
However, he said their conversation ended as Laurel didn’t respond to a message suggesting they meet to discuss her next podcast appearance in more detail. Laurel previously appeared on Zach’s podcast before to speak about All Stars 4.
He’s spoken at length on his podcast about why he believes he is blocked from returning to The Challenge because a particular person in production dislikes him and seems to be enjoying life with his family away from MTV.
The Challenge: Battle of the Eras airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on MTV.
Episodes of The Challenge are now streaming on Paramount+. Try it FREE!
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