‘It Was A Rash Decision’: The Challenge’s Audrey Kanongara On How She Began Dating Her Boyfriend

One of the prerequisites for appearing on new show The Challenge Australia is that you have to already be known in the public eye, either as an athlete, influencer or reality TV star. In cast member Audrey Kanongara's case, her claim to fame is starring in Love Island Australia 2021.

While the 22-year-old failed to find love on the dating show, she says she's been been with her now-boyfriend for a year, after they began dating when she left the Love Island villa.

"I'm still with that partner," Kanongara tells Refinery29 Australia, explaining this month marks the pair's one-year anniversary.

"We actually started dating pretty quickly after I got home from Love Island. It was definitely a very rash decision, or drunk decision," she laughs, "but one that I appreciate nonetheless."

Opening up about the pair approaching their one-year milestone as a couple, Kanongara says the time has crept up quickly but she's happy to celebrate.

"We're not the kind of couple that counts months, so when we were looking at our phones the other day, we realised, 'Oh my god, we've been together for a year,'" she explains. "Time flies because it didn't feel like a year."

Kanongara says she went onto Love Island last year because she was "super lonely" and "not afraid to admit it". But going onto The Challenge this year is completely different, as she and 21 other contestants are challenged physically and mentally for the chance to win a $200,000 cash prize.

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.

The cast of The Challenge includes: 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's Brooke Blurton, ex Bachelorette contestant Ciarran Stott, Australian Survivor stars Brooke Jowett and Johnny Eastoe, swimmer and 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.