The Challenge: Spies, Lies & Allies has already brought some mysterious departures from the show, including Nam Vo and Lauren Coogan.
In previous seasons, most random exits had a confirmed explanation, but neither Nam nor Lauren have seemed to have that sort of reveal.
Instead, host TJ Lavin made a random announcement, indicating the two agents had been “deactivated.” So why did Lauren Coogan leave The Challenge Season 37? Right now, speculation gives some idea.
This report will feature spoilers through the second episode of the new Challenge season, Spies, Lies & Allies.
Lauren Coogan deactivated in Spies, Lies & Allies?
The Challenge: Spies, Lies, & Allies Episode 2 brought the agents a mission called Heli Heist. Teammates tossed bags of jewels from a helicopter down to their partner, who had to catch them standing up out of the sunroof of a Range Rover. Once they got to the stop point, the person in the card had to sprint to the finish line.
It got to the last round, which had Fessy and Esther competing as one of the two teams. Josh was there to compete, but his partner, rookie Lauren Coogan, was not.
“Josh, your partner has been deactivated and had to leave the game. So Lauren will be replaced by a different agent,” host TJ Lavin announced.
That other agent was Double Agents winner Amber Borzotra who arrived in a fancy sports car. Meanwhile, TJ gave no additional explanation about Lauren’s “deactivation.” That was similar to the first episode when it was revealed Nam Vo had to leave The Challenge.
Lauren, a former Love Island USA star, wasn’t featured in any footage in Episode 2 other than the opening highlights from the previous episode. Lauren could be seen only briefly in a few scenes, including the elimination.
It’s worth noting that MTV had Lauren Coogan listed amongst cast members ahead of the season premiere and also had an official cast photo for her. She is also part of the group cast photo, in the front row third from the left.
However, she didn’t appear in any promotional videos for The Challenge, including trailers or extended clips featuring new cast members.
Why did Lauren Coogan leave The Challenge Season 37?
As far as why Lauren had to leave The Challenge Season 37, there have been only online rumors from insiders or fans. The speculation indicated that Lauren said something inappropriate or offensive to a castmate.
There’s no confirmed report of which cast member(s) she said anything to. Some superfan and insider accounts have suggested Lauren had drama or a situation with castmate Aneesa Ferreira. However, it’s unknown exactly what was said, if this is true.
Lauren was active on social media a day ago, as he had a fan Q&A session on her Instagram Story. During that, she responded to why she was being edited off The Challenge and whether or not she’ll return. The Instagram Story clips below include her Q&A replies saying the situation was “traumatic” for her.
She’s mentioned a few times that her situation with reality TV took a toll on her mental health. That could include whatever happened with The Challenge, her other show, Love Island USA, and/or personal matters such as her dating life.
In an interview her teammate Josh Martinez did, he said they “didn’t align” as teammates. He mentioned that she was drinking a lot during her time there and came to party. Josh indicated they didn’t have the same focus on the game, which made it difficult to work with her due to them being there for different reasons.
Lauren responded to those comments, suggesting she was “wild” during her time there, and she was still OK with Josh. As far as returning to The Challenge, Lauren said, “never say never,” but that it would depend on her deciding to return and “redeem [herself].”
Keep in mind these are merely rumors and may not be true, as they come from insider or superfan sources. However, her departure from the show may remain a mystery for a while.
Most likely, Lauren knows why she had to leave The Challenge but can’t give full details. If she said something to a castmate, they probably know the truth too, but nobody seems to be saying much about her leaving.
The Challenge: Spies, Lies & Allies airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on MTV.
Episodes of The Challenge are now streaming on Paramount+. Try it FREE!
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