Alison Victoria has been a staple on HGTV for some time now and continues to either headline or appear in the network’s shows. One show Victoria won’t be returning to, however, is Battle on the Beach, of which the fifth season will soon air amid the 2026 TV schedule. The media personality’s exclusion from the show has received significant attention, and she thinks it stems from comments she’s made. More specifically, Victoria recently opined that she was fired from the show for saying one specific word.
What Happened When Alison Victoria Spoke About Battle On The Beach Last Summer?
Victoria hosts the Pap Smear Podcast, in which she speaks with a wide range of guests about a variety of topics. During one particular installment that aired in July 2025, Victoria and a guest – actress and comedian Retta – spoke about producing reality TV shows. It was during that conversation that Victoria seemingly confirmed that BOTB was canceled amid a slew of other cancellations at HGTV at the time. When discussing the matter last summer, Victoria specifically said the following:
I did a show called Battle on the Beach. I love that show. It was so fun and funny. And then all of a sudden, I watched the episode, I'm like, ‘Well, where'd all that go?’ I get it, right? It's a lot of content to try to put into 42 minutes. But where is it? Like, where's the great editing? You'll lose a show that way. I truly believe that. And Battle on the Beach did not get picked back up, which is sad, because it was like adult spring break. But I believe it was all editing.
For clarity, at that point, HGTV hadn’t provided an official statement regarding BOTB’s fate. Ultimately, on May 11, it was announced that the series would return and that co-host Ty Pennington would retain his post. And joining Pennington would be Sarah Baeumler and Mika Kleinschmidt. Both Victoria and former co-host Taniya Nayak were notably left out of the announcement, and the former has now broken her silence on the matter.
Alison Victoria Weighs In On What She Did That Got Her Excluded From The Show
Victoria’s status with the show came up during a recent interview with Daily Mail, during which she recalled being with Nayak when they learned they wouldn’t return to Battle on the Beach. According to Victoria, she told Nayak that she “expected that for [herself].” As for why that was, Victoria pointed to the supposed need to use better “language”:
I said that Battle on the Beach was canceled. Now, that word should not have been used. I should have said it was ‘not renewed.’ That's the language that I should have used. block: I didn't feel mad, I didn't feel sad. I just was like, OK. …We started that show. No one will ever take that away from us. And we loved that show and we just had fun. We made great television, and now it's time to pass the torch and see what they've got.
So, all in all, it would appear that Victoria thinks using the word “canceled” is what got her cut from the show. What should be mentioned, of course, is that she didn’t specifically use that term, at least in the cut of the podcast episode that was released to listeners. However, the point still remains that the phrase “not renewed” wasn’t said, which apparently would’ve been the correct way to convey the thought.
Before Battle on the Beach, Victoria was arguably best known for headlining Windy City Rehab, which debuted on HGTV in 2019. The show ran for four seasons and became subject to legal issues – as well as the dissolution of Victoria’s partnership with Donovan Eckhardt – before it ended in 2024. At present, Victoria is on Sin City Rehab (on which contractor problems have occurred).
HGTV has not formally presented a reason for Alison Victoria being let go from Battle on the Beach, and it remains to be seen if that’ll happen. In the meantime, BOTB returns on June 1 at 9 p.m. ET, and current episodes are available to stream with an HBO Max subscription.
