"I'm addicted" — The Challenge: All Stars' Ashley Mitchell explains why she keeps returning to the show

Ashley Mitchell is back on The Challenge: All Stars. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly published in January 2025, she explained why she continues to compete despite the challenges.

"I'm addicted to The Challenge. There's a thousand reasons why I love it, and also I hate it at the same time. I'm a masochist. It's torture." she said.

Mitchell said she always considers returning to The Challenge despite the difficulties. After being removed from Spies, Lies, and Allies for breaking a rule, she moved to Costa Rica to manage Airbnbs and stay off social media. She didn’t expect to be invited back but couldn’t turn down the opportunity when called for All Stars: Rivals.

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Returning to The Challenge: All Stars after time away

Mitchell shared that after her exit from Spies, Lies, and Allies, she focused on building a life outside of reality television. She moved to Costa Rica, where she runs Airbnb and stays off social media. She shared that her struggles with anxiety made competing on The Challenge more difficult and watching the episodes after filming added to the stress.

"People don't know this, but on the last season I did, my anxiety was so bad, I could barely sleep some nights," she explained.

She said not being invited to season 40 did not affect her because she had already moved on. However, when she was contacted for The Challenge: All Stars, she reconsidered. She mentioned that as soon as she received the call, she knew she could not turn it down because she views The Challenge as a "lucky" opportunity.

Mitchell reflected on her past views about returning players.

"When you first start and you see people doing The Challenge over and over for years and years, I'm like, ‘Why would they keep coming back if they’re never going to fricking win and they don’t have a chance?’" she admitted.

However, after competing herself, she now understands why, calling the show as her "addiction." Despite her hesitation, she chose to compete again.

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Mitchell reflects on partnering with Aneesa Ferreira

In The Challenge: All Stars, competitors were paired with past rivals. Mitchell was partnered with Aneesa Ferreira, a longtime competitor who has yet to win the show. Reacting to the pairing, she said,

"TJ hates me. This must be punishment from sins in my former life."

She acknowledged that Aneesa has strong connections in the game, which could help them socially. However, she also believed their partnership would present challenges. Mitchell shared her thoughts on Aneesa’s approach to the game. She stated,

"She's very, like, 'say what everyone wants to hear,' and I'm going to say exactly what needs to be said, whether you want to hear it or not."

She also reflected on how alliances in the game have changed over time, mentioning that she prefers a more competitive environment. She stated that she wants The Challenge: All Stars game to involve more strategic moves and "political" gameplay rather than forming alliances where everyone gets along without real competition.

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Watch The Challenge: All Stars Rivals airing every Wednesday at 8 pm ET on MTV.