Kiki Morris poses for 'The Challenge: World Championship' cast photo

‘The Challenge’: Kiki Morris Credits Reality TV Start to Swimsuit Model Past That Also Cost Her a Job

'The Challenge: Australia' winner Kiki Morris credits her reality TV start to her swimsuit model past.

by Tamara Grant

Published on April 1, 2023

2 min read

The Challenge: Australia champ Kiki Morris returned for the World Championship, hoping to notch a global victory in her belt. She proved herself in her season as she eliminated Olympic swimmer Emily Seebohm on her way to the finals and already showed the World Championship players that she was there to compete with an early elimination win and a daily challenge victory to her name by episode 5. Additionally, the house came to a stalemate and couldn’t agree on which teams to nominate for elimination against Wes Bergmann and Zara Zoffany, unknowingly putting all the power in Kiki and her partner Darrell Taylor’s hands as they could pick any team. In a recent podcast interview, the Australian native detailed her start on reality TV, noting her past as a swimsuit model might have played a part.

Kiki Morris won ‘The Challenge: Australia’

In 2016, Kiki Morris made her reality TV debut on The Challenge: Australia Season 4, competing for the love of Richie Strahan.

The Sydney native was eliminated in episode 11, missing out on the top six and hometown visits.

Y'all better not sleep on Kiki! She came to play ? ? #ChallengeWorldChamp pic.twitter.com/0lDZGvAi5k
— The Challenge (@TheChallenge) March 31, 2023

In 2020, she appeared on spinoff Bachelor in Paradise Australia, where she left with Ciarran Stott instead of attending the Commitment Ceremony together. However, they broke up a couple of months later.

Around September 2022, they reunited during The Challenge: Australia and worked together in the “Bachie” alliance, making it to the finals. While he finished runner-up, she ultimately won alongside Troy Cullen and then returned for the World Championship for her shot at the global title.

Kiki revealed her past career as a swimsuit model cost her a job

During her interview with seven-time champ Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio on his podcast Death, Taxes, and Bananas, she detailed her break into the reality TV world.

According to the Australian native, she signed a contract to work as an executive assistant to a huge conservative company.

The Australians have entered the chat ? and they're not going down without a fight! Get to know Kiki, Troy, Grant & @emcbomb before they battle it out for the title of #ChallengeWorldChamp (premiering WED MARCH 8 ?) by streaming The Challenge: Australia now on @paramountplus ?? pic.twitter.com/AgNx9YSusk
— The Challenge (@TheChallenge) February 21, 2023

However, the higher-ups Googled her and disagreed with her swimsuit model career as she previously appeared in Maxim and Playboy.

Therefore, they gave her an ultimatum and told her she would have to leave the profession if she wanted to keep her job. As Kiki thought it was illegal for them to tell her how to spend her personal time, she decided to forgo the opportunity.

Kiki credits her start on reality TV to her swimsuit model career

The following day, the Australian native recalled a casting director for The Bachelor contacting her.

Because she had no job then, Kiki had no restrictions regarding leaving to film the series.

Kiki keeps it real… pic.twitter.com/k8a1ycNYSz
— The Bachelors Australia ? (@TheBachelorAU) August 3, 2016

When asked if The Bachelor producers found her through Google, she admitted she believes that’s what happened. Kiki joked they might have come across her pictures and reached out to her because they thought she had “no shame.”

Bananas agreed, pointing out that the people who make reality TV good are those who are on the “hot mess express” but own it anyways. The Challenge: World Championship airs Wednesdays on Paramount+.