She’s expecting babies, so here’s everything Nicole Zannata has been up to since The Challenge
She's come through with surprise after surprise
Nicole ‘Z’ Zanatta has always moved like a plot twist… athletic beast in eliminations, chaotic in love, and never afraid to say the blunt thing out loud.
Now, she’s sharing a completely different kind of storyline, one that’s softer, more vulnerable, and honestly pretty huge.
This week, the longtime Challenge fan-fave revealed she’s pregnant… and it’s not just one baby on the way.
If you’ve been scrolling and seeing “omg twins?!” everywhere, you’re not imagining it. Here’s what she announced, what she’s been doing off-camera, and why the internet is so noisy about it.
Nicole Z makes her baby announcement
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Nicole confirmed she’s pregnant with twins and doing it as a single mom, sharing that this motherhood journey has included fertility treatments and heartbreak along the way.
While Instagram was the main stage for the reveal, the vibe wasn’t “surprise celeb bump pic,” it was more “I’ve been carrying this news, and this stress, quietly.”
She referenced IUI and failed attempts, which added context to why people immediately flooded her comments with equal parts excitement and protectiveness.
And yes, because it’s Nicole Z, she’s still Nicole Z. The announcement felt emotional, but also grounded: like, “This is happening, I worked for it, and I’m ready.”
What’s she been doing since The Challenge?
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Even when she’s not on our screens, Nicole has stayed very main character adjacent.
She’s best known to MTV fans from The Real World: Skeletons and multiple Challenge runs, including All Stars 4 where her complicated history with Laurel Stucky became part of the season’s tension.
Off-camera, she’s also maintained her real-life career in public service, something that’s been part of her identity since her early MTV days. She worked in emergency response and later trained as a firefighter, per AfterEllen.
Her personal life has also had its own headline moments. In 2022, People reported that Nicole proposed to her partner Lauren and got engaged, one of those unexpectedly sweet chapters in her very messy-reality-TV dating timeline.
And on the Challenge side, she’s remained a polarising figure. She’s undeniably physically capable, often socially complicated, and the kind of cast member producers can drop into a season and instantly get story.
Why people are asking so many questions
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Because it’s Nicole, the pregnancy news didn’t land in a quiet little bubble, it landed in the middle of a fandom that remembers everything.
Some of the questions are totally normal. You know, twins! due date! how are you feeling! vibes, and some are… classic internet overreach.
A big reason curiosity spiked is that Nicole has embarked on a solo parenting journey and acknowledged the fertility process, which naturally makes people wonder about timelines, donors, and how long this has been in motion.
She shared how everything came to be in a December 10 IG post. Nicole wrote:
“I am ready to chase my dream of becoming a mom. And while I am doing this solo, something that definitely scared me in the beginning, I have learned that I am far from being alone. I have the support and love of so many people around me and it makes me feel like anything is possible.”
She continued: “From my parents and family, friends and fans, and my entire fertility healthcare team, there is really no doubt in my mind that I can do this.”
The Challenge star added: “So, if you are considering your options and wondering if now is the right time, I’ll be the first to tell you that there is no such thing as the “right” time – we just have now. And if you are looking to grow or build your community, start with California @Cryobank – a sperm bank that truly gets it.
“They have been there for me from the very beginning and have continued to show up — from helping me pick my donor and figure out if our genetic screenings are compatible, to seamless shipping schedules to my clinic and the friendly check-ins with my journey, I can’t say enough good things about them.
“So, visit cryobank.com and use my promo code NICOLE for a FREE level 2 subscription to their donor portfolio and start your search today. Sending hope, love, support, and sticky baby dust to whoever needs it.”
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