Getty Cory Wharton is leaving "The Challenge."
Cory Wharton announced he is stepping away from the MTV reality show “The Challenge.” The “Teen Mom OG” alum first appeared on season 27, which aired in 2016, according to ShowBiz Cheat Sheet. Since then, he has become a veteran of the show appearing in nine seasons and making it to the finals four times, the outlet reported. In a November 10 Instagram post, Cory shared his reason for quitting the show.
Cory Wants to Spend More Time With Family
In a November 2021 Instagram post, Cory shared with fans he is leaving “The Challenge” to spend more quality time with his daughters.
“So we took this picture right after I surprised Ryder at her T-ball game coming home from doing this season of the challenge. I just remember picking up that dandelion with Ryder and asking, OK now we have to blow on it and make a wish. I just remember Ryder blowing on it and her saying ‘I hope you don’t go back on the challenge.’ And really at that moment I knew that I needed to take a break from the show,” Cory wrote in the caption.
Cory shared on Instagram that his daughters were a big factor in his decision to step away.
“If my four-year-old is sitting there telling me daddy I don’t want you to go and my other one-year-old could barely even recognize me when I came home from double agents that’s a sign,” he wrote in the post. “Double Agents” is the 36th season of “The Challenge,” and Cory was the runner-up.
Fans of the reality TV star voiced their support for his decision in the comments. One fan wrote, “Gonna miss you on the show Cory!!!! But family first.” Another Instagram user wrote, “Amazing human and father choosing your family is everything.”
Cory Has 2 Kids
Cory has two kids: Ryder, 4, and Mila, 1. He shares Ryder with his ex Cheyenne Floyd, who he met on “The Challenge” in 2016, according to The Sun. Cory welcomed daughter Mila in April 2020 with long-time girlfriend Taylor Selfridge. The couple was on and off for years before Mila was born, The Sun reported in January 2021.
That month, Cory took to Twitter to share his gratitude for Cheyenne and Taylor.
“Just sitting here driving thinking about how lucky I am to have Cheyenne as a mother to Ryder and have Taylor as a mother to Mila [yellow heart]. Ya boy got lucky they are both excellent mothers,” he wrote in a tweet.
Cheyenne returned the sentiment in an interview with E! News in September 2021. The “Teen Mom OG” shared that the two have remained friends and revealed she invited Cory to her wedding (Cheyenne recently got engaged to boyfriend Zach Davis in April 2021).
“We support each other and each other’s relationships and families and of course him and Taylor and Mila would be invited,” Cheyenne told E! News. “Ryder is a flower girl and I know Cory is gonna want to see Ry all dressed up and stuff so of course they would be invited.”