Why MAFS Star Cyrell Paule Secretly Cried On The Challenge At Night

Appearing on reality TV sparks a wave of emotions — and no one knows that better than Cyrell Paule. But the former Married At First Sight contestant didn't expect to be in tears most nights while filming the new reality show, The Challenge.

Speaking to Refinery29 Australia, Paule reveals she hadn't been separated from her two-year-old son Boston for more than two days prior to travelling to Argentina to shoot the series. Despite being surrounded by familiar faces and new friends amongst the show's cast, Paule would go to bed feeling alone, missing her little boy and trying to keep her emotions under wraps so no one would see her crying.

"There were a few times during filming when I was like, 'Look, I'm going to call my son. I'm just thinking about him,'" says Paule. "There was a time when I had a mother's inkling that my son wants to see my face.

"It was hard, I'm not gonna lie. A lot of the times people thought I was sleeping but the trick was I had the covers over my head, and I was actually crying."

Paule and Love Island Australia star boyfriend Eden Dally welcomed their son in February 2020. This came after she appeared on Married At First Sight Australia in 2019, where her TV marriage with Nic Jovanovic failed to last.

Despite deeply missing Boston, one of the big reasons Paule decided to go on The Challenge was to focus on herself after enjoying her newfound life as a mother.

"Truthfully, I just found that I was sitting down and just focusing on my son a little too much," she says. "Which is a great thing, don't get me wrong, but I just thought I really wanted to do something for myself again and surprise myself as a mother, truthfully."

Hosted by Brihony Dawson, The Challenge stars some of the biggest personalities from our favourite dating, talent and competition shows such as Married At First Sight, The Bachelor, Big Brother, Survivor and Love Island and MasterChef Australia.

An algorithm will randomly pair contestants to compete in a series of gruelling physical contests, where strategies and relationships will be put to the test. The goal is to win daily challenges and avoid being eliminated by their opponents, with an ultimate $200,000 money prize up for grabs.

The cast of The Challenge includes 22 contestants: The Bachelor's Brittany Hockley, Australia's Got Talent's Jack Vidgen, MAFS Season 6 star Cyrell Paule, MAFS Season 5 contestant Ryan Gallagher, The Bachelorette'sBrooke Blurton, ex Bachelorette contestant Ciarran Stott, Australian Survivor stars Brooke Jowett and Johnny Eastoe, swimmer & I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! contestant Emily Seebohm, I'm A Celeb star David Subritzky, The Bachelorette's Konrad Bien-Stephen, pro boxer Billy Dib, actor and influencer Suzan Mutesi, Ninja Warrior's Troy Cullen, pro boxer Sugar Neekz Johnson, Big Brother's Marley Biyendolo, The Bachelor's Megan Marx, Jessica Brody and Kiki Morris, MasterChef Australia star Conor Curran, and Love Island's Audrey Kanongara and Grant Crapp.