Like most episodes, Paramount+'s latest installment of The Challenge: World Championships was quite a roller coaster. But this week's ride came with quite a few sick players.
An illness ravaged the house and ultimately sent two players home, but the game had to go on — and two more players had to be eliminated. Still, one Challenger received a bit of life-changing news even as their fate in the game was sealed.
Early in the episode, former champion Amber Borzotra, 35, revealed, "Tristan [Phipps], Ben [Driebergen] and I haven't been feeling our best. We've been struggling physically. I'm feeling nauseous. I have headaches, fever, I'm sweating. But there's one thing I'm not going to do is give up on my partner. I'll push through this sickness."
Her partner, Troy Cullen, was optimistic. "Hopefully she can get over her sickness and be physically 100 percent," he said in an interview. "But to be honest, I'll take her physically at 80 percent over a lot of other people."
Nearby, Tristan was groaning and telling Benja Alfonso, "I haven't slept. Been sick. Fevers, body aches. I need to rest. I feel like s---." Soon, his partner KellyAnne Judd and friend Kaz Crossley were giving him pep talks and trying to discourage him from giving up on the game.
Meanwhile, Ben was cocooned in his bed and eventually seen by a medic. "I've never felt like this before," he admitted. Eventually, he was taken away in an ambulance — a "worst case scenario," according to his partner Kaycee Clark, who called him "a trooper" and told him he'd be okay.
Still, Kaycee knew the situation was dire for her time in the game. "My partner's hooked up to IVs and all this stuff," she said. "If you don't have a partner, then you're out. I'm not sure what his body's trying to fight right now but I do need him to get better ASAP."
The next day, Kaycee was actively clasping her hands together and praying when host TJ Lavin arrived to welcome them to the daily challenge.
"First order of business: I understand Ben is in the hospital," TJ began. "He is medically unable to continue, so, Kaycee, that means we're losing you as well."
Kaycee took the bad news on the chin. "It is what it is," she said in the moment. Later, she told the cameras, "You can't control stuff like that. You can't control injuries, sickness, and this game can take a toll on you and I just hope that he's in good health. But I am bummed having to leave this way. I get it though: That's just part of the game."
Before Kaycee could hug everyone goodbye, Amber raised her hand and asked if she could say something. Her eyes filled with tears, Amber said, "I've been so unwell, and I've been really fighting and giving my all for my partner. But I want to give him the best chance, so I would love to switch places with Kaycee. And I would, if you would let that happen."
As the rest of the cast stood in shock, TJ paused and eventually said, "That's fine with me. Take care of yourself, Amber."
Addressing her competitors, Amber responded: "I love you guys." And, to Troy, she added, "I'm positive you are the best partner ever. I couldn't ask for anyone better."
She and Kaycee embraced, and she told her fellow Big Brother alum to "kill it."
Many days later, Amber and Troy were reunited in an interview. "So, I'm so happy that I listened to my body, and I have some news. I'm pregnant!" she told him. "I have the tests. Do you want to see? Look, I got two, just to make sure. I'm pregnant! I'm going to be a mommy!"
After filming the World Championships, Amber revealed on social media in January that she and her The Challenge: Ride or Dies partner, her boyfriend Chauncey Palmer, were expecting.
"Call me mama because I'm having a baby!" she wrote.
Once Kaycee and Troy were teamed up, they had to jump right into the daily challenge, which was ultimately won by KellyAnne and Tristan, despite how Tristan was feeling. Jodi Weatherton and Benja, the sole remaining representatives from The Challenge: Argentina, came in last and were automatically sent into elimination.
After yet another tense deliberation (will Tori Deal and her partner Danny McCray ever see eye-to-eye?), Kaycee and Troy ultimately wound up having to battle it out in the Arena to stay in the competition.
And they did. The newly minted duo sent home the last remaining members of Team Argentina.
New episodes of The Challenge: World Championships stream Wednesdays on Paramount+.
