Melissa Reeves Was Pregnant While Filming the Challenge

Instagram/@djmelreeves Melissa Reeves

Melissa Reeves has returned for her third season on MTV’s The Challenge: Total Madness, with the hope of getting much further in the game this time around. She was booted from Final Reckoning on night one after she and castmate Kailah Casillas got into a physical fight.

Fans are sure to be watching Reeves carefully as she navigates the difficult challenges because viewers now know that Reeves was already pregnant at the time. MTV has billed the season as the most dangerous ever produced. Instead of a beautiful house with a pool, the castmates arrived in Prague to discover they were living in an underground bunker and that they would be required to win an elimination round in order to be eligible for the final challenge.

In a preview clip of the first episode, Reeves expressed her dismay upon realizing where they’d be living. “Surely this isn’t it? There are no windows, there’s hardly any air. There’s no wardrobe space. I’ve stepped into prison.” In the final days before the premiere, Reeves described the season as having been “borderline torture, but it’s going to be a hell of a season to watch!”

Reeves publicly revealed her pregnancy on Instagram in January 2020. She has also since explained that when filming began, she had not been aware that she was already expecting. Reeves has also not confirmed the identity of her child’s father, though British tabloid the Sun claimed the father was professional soccer player Danny Simpson.

Here’s what you need to know.

Melissa Reeves Said She Never Guessed She Was Pregnant Because Her Birth Control Pill Often Caused Her to Go Months Without Having a Period

On March 12, Melissa Reeves got in front of the camera to answer questions about her unplanned pregnancy. She first addressed online rumors about whether her Challenge castmate and fellow Brit Kyle Christie was the father. Reeves shot down that rumor, calling it “absurd and crazy.”

Reeves explained that she was already pregnant when she arrived in the Czech Republic to film the season but didn’t know it at the time. She claimed she didn’t figure out she was pregnant until after filming was over, noting that she didn’t experience any morning sickness. Reeves added that fans may notice her gain weight during the show, but that she did not guess the gain was due to pregnancy.

“I was on the contraception pill which does alter my periods and makes them very irregular. So, me missing a period wasn’t a surprising thing for me,” Reeves explained in the video. “It was just pretty normal. I’ve been six months without a period before. So, yeah, I just didn’t know.”

Reeves posted a photo to Instagram on March 19 showing her in the workout area of the bunker while shooting the show, while showcasing her flat stomach. Castmate Ashley Mitchell can be seen in the background. Reeves wrote in the caption, “who’d have thought there was a baby in my belly in this pic ?.” She also wrote that living underground had prepared her for isolation due to the coronavirus outbreak.

A British Tabloid Reported Pro Soccer Player Danny Simpson Was the Father, But Melissa Reeves’ Ex-Boyfriend Is Also Named Dan

Melissa Reeves’ ultrasound

Melissa Reeves has revealed she is having a baby girl but has not publicly identified the father. Heavy has reached out to Reeves via email for comment, but have not heard back.

In a since-deleted Instagram Story, Reeves did reveal the first name of her child’s father. She wrote on an ultrasound image, “baby of Melissa and Danny.”

British tabloid the Sun reported the father was pro soccer player Danny Simpson. The outlet wrote that Reeves and Simpson had a “brief romance” but that the relationship did not work out. Simpson has not commented on the report, neither confirming nor denying it.

The Sun also cited a “friend” who said, “They have agreed to co-parent their little girl as best they can. It’s a shame they haven’t worked things out as a couple.” The “friend” claimed Danny was offering financial and emotional support.

But MailOnline cited a “close friend” who claimed Reeves “hasn’t had any outside help or support throughout her pregnancy” and was “looking forward to raising her daughter as a single mother.”

These unnamed sources referred to Reeves’ former boyfriend only as “Danny.” But since neither Reeves nor Simpson has commented on their accuracy, it’s worth pointing out that Reeves has a verified former boyfriend also named Dan, whom she has shared multiple photos with on Instagram. She does not appear to have ever revealed Dan’s last name, but commenters frequently compared their looks in less-than-flattering terms, with many remarking that Reeves was out of his league.

In April 2019, Reeves shared pictures from a vacation together and wrote, “Thank you dan for making my birthday the best birthday Iv ever had ? I love you.” The last photo Reeves shared with him on Instagram was in June 2019 ad she described him as “My world ? ❤️.”

Reeves posted in late March 2020 that she was about 32 weeks pregnant, which is 8 months. That means she likely conceived in July 2019.

Melissa Reeves Says Her Baby Is Healthy & Was Not Harmed By Her Participation On the Challenge

Melissa Reeves has reassured fans that her baby girl is healthy. She said that after returning from shooting the Challenge, Reeves has had multiple check-ups and doctors have reassured her that her baby was fine. The child does not appear to have been harmed by her participation on the show. Although, she has (jokingly?) expressed that she felt she may have suffered PTSD due to the increased mental challenge of the season.

Since returning home, Reeves has shared multiple photos of her growing belly to Instagram. Her baby shower took place in early March and Reeves said her father was responsible for putting it on. She wrote on his birthday on March 29, “My dad is my best friend. He is the only man in my life who is there for me through thick & thin ? Since finding out he’s going to be a grandad he’s supported me unconditionally and even threw me and my princess the most amazing baby shower. Thank you for everything dad ? don’t know what I’d ever do without you.”

READ NEXT: Get to Know More About Cory Wharton’s Baby Mama, Cheyenne Floyd