Why Did 'The Challenge' Stars Kaz Crossley and Theo Campbell Break Up?

By Laura Donaldson On 3/8/23 at 8:15 PM EST

Kaz Crossley and her ex-boyfriend Theo Campbell are both starring on Paramount+'s new competition series The Challenge: World Championship.

The pair both starred on the U.K. version of Love Island, although on different seasons, and later embarked on an 11 month-long relationship.

Now, the exes are competing against each other in the popular The Challenge franchise's first-ever world tournament.

The show sees "legends" from past seasons of different versions of The Challenge join forces with global "MVPs" from various editions of The Challenge from across the world.

Kaz and Theo on The Challenge — Kaz Crossley, left, and Theo Campbell, right, are both starring on Paramount+'s "The Challenge: World Championship." The pair used to date and are now co-stars on the reality television show. James Dimmock/Paramount+

Each global MVP is paired with a Challenge Legend to form epic teams and help win power and avoid elimination in order to make it to the most difficult challenge of them all, the brutal ﬁnale, where they will fight for the grand prize of $500,000.

In the end, only the most dominant will conquer the game and prove they are not just the best in their home country, but also the world.

In the premiere episode of The Challenge: World Championship, Crossley and Campbell allude to their past relationship, but fans may be curious to know more about what happened between the pair.

Newsweek has everything you need to know about Crossley and Campbell's dating history, including when and why their relationship ended.

Kaz Crossley and Theo Campbell's Relationship History

'Love Island'

Athlete Campbell, 31, starred on the third season of the U.K. Love Island in 2017, where he caused chaos with his hilarious clashes with his co-stars.

Just a year later, Crossley, 28, starred in the fourth season, where she was coupled up with Josh Denzel.

Dating

Campbell and Crossley then began dating in March 2019. The former couple made a number of public appearances together, and posted a few loved up pictures of each other on their respective social media accounts.

Theo's Eye Injury

Crossley supported Campbell through his 2019 eye injury, which resulted in him being left partially blind in one eye.

While partying in Ibiza, Spain, a champagne bottle was popped too close to Campbell's face and he was left needing emergency surgery after the incident split one of his eyeballs.

Theo Campbell and Kaz Crossley were together when Campbell suffered an eye injury while at a party in Ibizia, Spain. The couple aire pictured here at the boohooMAN x DENO Launch Party held at Thorpe Park on September 05, 2019 in Chertsey, England. Mark R. Mila/Getty Images

At the time, Crossley posted a tribute to her then-boyfriend on Instagram, sharing a photo of them kissing with a lengthy caption praising her partner.

"These last few days [have] shown me a lot and I want to tell everyone how you make me feel. Thank you for being unapologetically yourself, and being such an inspiration to many people," Crossley gushed.

She continued: "[You] always looking at the positives and the fact you keep such high hopes when times are tough, I know we can get through anything. Thank you for keeping me so grounded, I love how you aren't materialistic and judge people by who they are and not what they have.

"Even though we've been stuck in this hospital for a couple days now I would do it all over again because I know you would for me. One last thing I'm glad you didn't [lose] your sense of humor otherwise I would have been really really bored."

Break Up

Eleven months after they began dating, Crossley and Campbell called time on their romance.

In February 2020, Campbell appeared on a U.K. radio show where he opened up about the split, revealing that they broke up because Crossley ended things and said Crossley had "[sold him] the dream."

"I don't wanna say too much but I'm gonna say, people these days and love these days, it's confusing. It's a tricky hard world," he told FUBAR Radio's Access All Areas show when asked about the broken relationship.

Campbell continued: "I feel like with us, I kinda gave it my everything and it feels a bit underappreciated. It's a bit crazy at the moment. I don't know what to call it. What's the right way to say it? I got slinged!"

'Ex on the Beach'

The Challenge: World Championship isn't the first time Crossley and Campbell have come face-to-face on a reality television show.

The former flames starred on a season of Celebrity Ex On The Beach that aired in 2022, but was filmed the previous year.

During his introduction on the show, Campbell once again spoke about Crossley dumping him, saying: "Me and Kaz broke up because she changed her mind overnight apparently."

Things between the pair were tense at first but, after spending time together, they appeared to be able to put the past behind them, moving forward as friends.

'The Challenge: World Championship'

Crossley and Campbell are now both starring on The Challenge: World Championship and appear to be on good terms.

Campbell has since moved on from his relationship with Crossley with influencer Sapphire Yhnell, and the pair welcomed a son named Aries in February 2021.

The Challenge: World Championship episodes are released on Wednesdays on Paramount+. The double-bill of premiere episodes will also be shown on MTV at 8 p.m. on March 8.

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