Alexis Lete said she never expected her romance with Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio to become a serious relationship after The Challenge: Cutthroat. Although the pair explored their connection after filming, Lete said Devenanzio had already warned her that he was not ready for a girlfriend.
She also revealed that viewers saw their showmance develop much faster than it actually did during filming.
Alexis Lete says her Johnny Bananas showmance was edited out of sequence on The Challenge Season 42
Lete told Page Six that her Johnny Bananas showmance appeared during the second episode, even though she remembered their relationship becoming romantic around Episodes 4 or 5.
“It didn’t happen like that, y’all. It was a slow burn,” she said.
Lete said she understood why producers moved the storyline forward because they wanted viewers to become invested early in the season.
Her connection with Devenanzio reportedly began after she borrowed his clothes for a costume during Tori Deal’s birthday celebration. Lete later left him a playful thank-you note, and the two began exchanging messages.
Their flirting eventually became more serious, although Lete described their dynamic as similar to a “middle school crush relationship.”
After filming ended, Alexis Lete and Johnny Bananas attempted to see whether their connection could develop further. However, Lete already had doubts about its future.
“So, I knew going out of the house that it wasn’t gonna lead to anything,” she said.
During filming, Devenanzio had told her he was not in a place where he wanted a relationship or girlfriend. Lete said he later tried to explore whether their romance could work, but the two ultimately remained friends.
She also admitted Devenanzio had not initially been her first choice for a romantic connection on The Challenge Season 42. Lete said she had heard about his reputation for stirring up drama and initially had little interest in pursuing him.
Despite those concerns, she said their relationship gave her an enjoyable break from the competition. This she says is because they avoided conflict with each other during the game.
