“The Challenge 42” stars Nelson Thomas and Leo Dionicio have broken their silence regarding the racial incident that led to their disqualification from the show, along with castmate Josh Goldstein.
Thomas, 37, addressed the situation on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “I let my emotions take over, broke dishes, destroyed kitchen and violated the code of conduct. That’s on me. I’m learning and growing.” He later confirmed receiving a “DM apology” from Goldstein, 30.
Thomas emphasized the need for accountability, tweeting, “Saying you have Black friends doesn’t give you a pass to use the N-word. This goes beyond TV. We need accountability, understanding, and growth.”
During the episode, host TJ Lavin announced that Goldstein, Dionicio, and Thomas had “all broke the code of conduct” and were removed from the competition without further explanation. Spoiler accounts later suggested Dionicio, 24, was disqualified for using the N-word during a game with Thomas. Goldstein was reportedly removed for repeating the slur, and Thomas for damaging the kitchen after confronting Goldstein.
Leo Dionicio shared his account on the podcast “Death, Taxes and Bananas with Johnny Bananas.” He stated he holds no animosity towards those involved but was “really upset” by what he described as a “super ignorant” comment from Goldstein. Dionicio felt his own disqualification was unwarranted, believing others should have faced greater consequences.
Recounting the moments after Goldstein allegedly repeated the slur, Dionicio described an emotional reaction. “I went from sadness to anger like this,” he said. “I got tears flowing. I’m raging, jumping up and down, screaming. I’m ready to throw a bunch of stuff.” However, he added that he is moving past the incident, recognizing it won't change the outcome or his future opportunities on the show.
Goldstein has not publicly commented on the disqualification.
Their co-star, Izzy Fairthorne, expressed shock to Page Six regarding the triple disqualification and noted that the cast was largely unaware of the details. “When they left, we were all in shock. We didn’t really know much about it. None of us were there,” she said. Fairthorne also voiced surprise that the alleged incident was not included in the show's edit, stating, “I don’t know if they’re protecting anyone. I don’t know if it shouldn’t make the cut because it’s a sensitive topic. I don’t know the reason behind it.”
New episodes of “The Challenge: Cutthroat” are released Wednesdays on Paramount+.