Ashley Iaconetti Reveals Shocking Secrets of her Journey on 'Stars on Mars' Amid Lance Armstrong and Ariel Winter Controversies

Ashley Iaconetti, a former member of Bachelor Nation, felt like she was on a different planet when she joined the Stars on Mars cast. This was due to several reasons, one being that she joined the show after the first five celebrity eliminations.

"I was actually glad that I was asked to join halfway through because it meant I didn't have to be away from my 17-month-old son, Dawson, for as long. If I had been there the entire time, it would have been over three weeks. So, from a personal perspective, I was grateful to be a late entrance," Iaconetti, 35, shared exclusively with We on Monday, July 17. She was referring to her husband Jared Haibon and their child.

"However, it was also awkward coming in late because everyone had already formed cliques and bonded."

Iaconetti made her first appearance on the July 10 episode alongside comedian Andy Richter, NBA star Paul Pierce, and celebrity chef Cat Cora. They were joined by former cyclist pro Lance Armstrong, Modern Family alum Ariel Winter, NFL's Marshawn Lynch, Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon, fighter Ronda Rousey, singer Tinashe, and Real Housewives of Atlanta alum Porsha Williams. These celebrities are competing for the title of Brightest Star in the Galaxy while living in the same space station and completing missions.

While reflecting on her experience, Iaconetti explained that unlike other shows like The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise, where making connections and communicating are prioritized, on this show everyone is already confident in their craft and not focused on making friends.

Armstrong's threat to quit the show added to the existing tension on the Red Planet, sparked by a disagreement with Winter regarding the inclusion of transgender athletes in separate sports categories.

"I wasn't present for the actual argument," Iaconetti revealed to Us. "However, Lance did mention that we were stepping into a complicated situation. But without any previous reference, I couldn't fully grasp the context."

Brook Rushton / FOX (3)

Things escalated with Armstrong and Winter as the group argued over who should lead the group’s mission.

"Then, there was a whole discussion about who would become the base commander. It was amusing to see how seriously these individuals took it, considering they had only been in this environment for a week," Iaconetti shared with Us, drawing a comparison to how quickly contestants on The Bachelor or The Bachelorette think they're falling in love. "It's like, within a couple of days, you feel like you have to find your life partner among this group. These people will be your lifelong friends, and if you don't marry one of them, you'll be doomed to a life of loneliness. On Stars on Mars, they had a similar mentality, thinking, 'We're on Mars, someone has to be the base commander!'"

In the end, Winter had the opportunity to be the base commander for a task that involved sealing various holes to prevent any oxygen loss and potential death. Despite Armstrong and Lynch complaining about Winter's methods, including distracting the cast with unrelated questions, the athletes were safe from elimination. Unfortunately, Iaconetti was sent home as the group felt her role in the task was not as challenging.

Iaconetti admitted to Us that she is “torn” about her quick exit.

Ashley Iaconetti, accompanied by Brook Rushton from FOX, expressed her desire to participate in an additional space mission. In a light-hearted manner, she mentioned her curiosity to don the spacesuit and engage in more extraterrestrial activities, playfully referring to the idea of putting her finger in a hole. However, she balanced her longing for further space experiences by appreciating the opportunity to return home to her loved ones and indulge in regular meals.

Although she claimed to be "fine" with the situation, Iaconetti admitted that she became "emotional" when she was eliminated from the show - an experience she had never really encountered before.

"I had never been eliminated from The Bachelor before. ... I was left in the Badlands during Chris Soules' season, but I never stood at a rose ceremony and got eliminated from any of the four shows I did," she explained. "I had never experienced being eliminated in the typical way. So, when they told me, 'You're the one we want to leave,' it just made me really sad."

Stars on Mars airs on Fox Mondays at 8 p.m. ET. For more from Iaconetti’s experience, watch the video above!