Kayla Nicole wears her emotions with the boldness of someone unafraid to reveal her scars, even as she takes on the grueling challenges of ‘Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.’
The reality competition’s third season finds the influencer and sports reporter navigating not just Wales’s treacherous physical tests but also the emotional weight of her very public breakup with Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce.
Kayla Nicole’s Public Struggle
The five-year relationship, which ended in 2022, casts a long shadow over Nicole’s life, amplified by Kelce’s high-profile romance with Taylor Swift.
For Nicole, the breakup became more than a personal loss; it spiraled into unrelenting public scrutiny that reduced her identity to a headline and turned her into fodder for online trolls.
Kayla Nicole Reclaiming Her Identity on Special Forces
On the show’s second episode, Nicole opened up about this experience, describing it as overwhelming and unlike anything she had encountered before.
“Going through a public breakup, just to be frank, it’s been overwhelming. I’ve never experienced anything like it,” Nicole said in a confessional at the beginning of the episode, adding that she was “reduced to a headline to something so small as someone’s ex-girlfriend.”
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce out in NYC pic.twitter.com/CpsfHy75mk
— Taylor Swift in 4k (@4k_taylorr) December 30, 2024
Her decision to join the competition wasn’t just about enduring the physical trials—it was a deeply personal endeavor to reclaim her sense of self.
Faced with rigorous challenges like bungee jumping off a 130-foot bridge, Nicole revealed the inner dialogue that drives her: the persistent questioning of her worth and a desire to prove her strength, not just to others but to herself.
“I feel like if I complete this, it’ll have a massive impact on me. ‘Am I doing enough? Am I enough?’” she questions. She tells fellow recruits, “I just get a lot of like s— because [Kelce] is dating such a mega superstar.”
The series’ premise demands physical and emotional resilience as celebrity recruits endure brutal drills inspired by British Special Forces training.
For Nicole, the course offers a proving ground to tackle the vulnerability and self-doubt that have plagued her since the breakup. “I want to remind myself that I’m capable of doing hard things,” she confessed, a statement as much for herself as for those watching.
The Shadow of Public Criticism
During a candid moment with the directing staff, Nicole was confronted with a news article about her breakup, a stark reminder of how her personal life has been dissected in the public eye. The headline read, “Travis Kelce’s Ex Kayla Nicole Asks Trolls to ‘Leave Her Alone’ as Taylor Swift Releases New Album.”
The constant comparisons and unsolicited commentary, she admitted, have chipped away at her confidence, leaving her to grapple with questions about her value as a person and a partner.
When asked why she questions her value, the media personality replied, “I think it’s just the comparison, and it’s just like on loop. I’m still trying to figure out how to deal with that.”
In a confessional, Nicole said, “I’m proud of the mental fortitude that it’s taken for me to get here, but I want to be able to control my emotions. I’m gonna have to tap into that to make it to the end of this for sure.”
Kayla Nicole Has Previously Addressed Online Hate
This isn’t the first time Nicole has confronted the fallout of her breakup in the public arena. In October 2024, she spoke on Angel Reese’s ‘Unapologetically Angel’ podcast, acknowledging the relentless hate and chaos she faced online.
“I would be lying if I said that that level of hate and just, like, online chaos didn’t impact me; it does. Even to this day,” she said at the time. “You can go to my most recent post, and it will be people debating each other about why I am worthless, and I’ll never be a talented person, and I have no career.”
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