Cory Wharton is in it to win it—when the time is right.
On May 11, The Challenge: All Stars will kick off a brand-new season on Paramount+ with a cast full of veterans including Derrick Kosinski, Mark Long and Wes Bergmann.
But despite competing in 10 previous seasons, Cory will be sitting this one out. But don't worry! If Cory has his way, he'll be back sooner than you think.
"I think my mindset is number one, I gotta make sure the family is okay," he exclusively told E! News when celebrating the launch of Nails by Ryder K at a pop-up in Pasadena, Calif. "As long as all my kids are healthy and we're in a good place. I can't do the next season because of the pregnancy."
Cory is expecting his second child with Taylor Selfridge this June. They are already parents to 2-year-old daughter Mila. Cory also co-parents 5-year-old daughter Ryder with ex Cheyenne Floyd.
To this day, Cory says he is The Challenge's "number one fan." In fact, he already has a vision for the moment he can get back in the game.
"I love doing the show. It gets me going and I want to come back," he said. "I think my big return—MTV you hear this?—season 40 for $2 million cash prize. I'm winning. What a better story? Cory with three kids comes back. He's always getting second place. Now he wins a million. I will definitely be back."
Until then, Cory is trying to be the best dad he can be, especially as his oldest daughter Ryder proves to be quite the mini boss. In addition to launching her own nail polish line—with help from her parents—Ryder is also the star of an upcoming children's book titled Ryder K The Mini Boss: Little Hands, Big Dreams.
"We can easily say that we're trying to teach them if you put your mind to something, you could accomplish it," Cory said. "Or my kids are spoiled and I love them to death and we're doing everything we can to make sure they're successful."
Regardless of how competitive (or busy) Cory is, his kids will always come first. After filming The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies in 2020, the reality star remembers missing the first few months of Mila's life. It was a feeling he won't soon forget.
"When I left, Mila was three months old. I came back, she was six months old," Cory recalled. "I was gone for almost as long as she's been alive. They picked me up at the airport and she didn't really recognize me at first and that hits different as a dad."
But perhaps that's just one of the many reasons why they call it The Challenge. "At the end of the day, Taylor knows I got to do what's best for everybody in this situation," Cory added. "We'll definitely do it again. It's just a lot."
The Challenge: All Stars is streaming now on Paramount+.