Madison Prewett, once known primarily as the poised runner-up on Season 24 of The Bachelor, has recently stepped into a new kind of spotlight—one defined by vulnerability, honesty, and the courage to confront personal demons. On February 10, 2026, Prewett appeared on The Candace Cameron Bure Podcast and delivered a candid account of her teenage struggles with addiction to pornography and masturbation, a journey she described as living a “double life” marked by secrecy and shame.
“Around 13, 14, I got introduced to pornography at a young age by a friend. That started a long journey and battle for me with porn and masturbation. That created a lot of shame and secrecy in my life,” Prewett, now 29, told Bure. Her words, reported by Us Weekly and The Blast, painted a picture of a young woman caught between the pressures of upholding a model Christian image—publicly saving herself for marriage—and the private turmoil that came from struggling with addiction.
For years, Prewett’s outward persona was one of unwavering faith and commitment to abstinence. “I lived my life very much in this, ‘I’m saving myself for marriage, I have my virgin card, I’m following God.’ And on the outside it looked like everything was fine, but behind closed doors I was living this double life of living in constant secret sin, secret sexual sin and not confessing it to anybody, which only led to more sin and more shame and it felt like this never-ending cycle that I didn’t know how to get out of,” she explained on the podcast.
The secrecy, she said, compounded her feelings of guilt and isolation. “It wasn’t until college when I really confessed that sin and the shame from that sin for the first time,” Prewett shared. That confession, though daunting, proved to be a turning point. “I finally was able to break free from that addiction and that cycle,” she said, describing the immense relief and lightness that followed. “To kill shame is to confess shame. It’s to confess it. It’s to say, ‘Hey, the enemies’ kingdom is one of darkness and I’ve been keeping this in the dark for too long. But the Lord’s kingdom is one of light and I’m going to bring this into the light. I gotta get this out there. I gotta tell somebody.’”
Prewett’s openness about her struggles has resonated with many, especially within faith communities where such topics are often shrouded in stigma. Her story, according to el-balad.com and The Blast, has sparked broader conversations about the pressures of religious expectations, the mental health challenges of living with hidden shame, and the power of community and confession in the healing process. “What you’ll notice is that most of the time when you share that secret sin or that shameful thing… you feel this relief and you feel this freedom,” Prewett emphasized, encouraging others to step out of secrecy and into the light.
Her journey towards healing wasn’t instantaneous. Even after her initial confession, Prewett admitted that moments of shame still arise. “Even to this day, having moments of shame popping back up, I immediately just confess it and get it into the light and share it with a friend,” she said. This ongoing process, she explained, is a daily choice—even as a married woman—not to return to past addictions. “It’s still a choice every single day for me not to choose to lust after things that I see online or to give into a feeling that arises.”
Prewett’s husband, Grant Troutt, has also been open about his own struggles with addiction. On her podcast, Troutt described his past battles with marijuana and pornography, characterizing it as a “shameful, roller-coaster cycle.” He credited his faith for helping him break free. “It drove me to this place where I have nothing but [God]… I just remember walking with Jesus, [and] he was healing me. It was like he was stripping everything in my life because it was drawing me right into the person of Jesus Christ,” Troutt shared, as reported by The Blast.
Since marrying Troutt in 2022, Prewett’s life has continued to evolve. The couple welcomed their daughter, Hosanna, in 2025. Their approach to parenting has also drawn public attention. In a recent podcast episode, Prewett discussed their plans to discipline their daughter according to biblical teachings—a stance that ignited debate online. “We will [spank her], on the record, because the Bible clearly says, ‘Folly is bound up in a child, but discipline drives it far away,’” Troutt said, with Prewett adding, “It also specifically says discipline with a rod… Well, some people could say, ‘You can discipline them with time-outs.’ Hold on, it says with a rod.” The couple’s comments drew criticism and sparked a conversation about the role of scripture in modern parenting, with some questioning the relevance of ancient texts in light of contemporary psychological research.
Prewett’s willingness to address uncomfortable topics, both personal and cultural, has positioned her as a voice for authenticity and mental health within religious communities. Her journey from secrecy to openness reflects a larger cultural shift, particularly in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, where discussions about addiction, sexuality, and faith are becoming more commonplace. According to el-balad.com, Prewett’s story is emblematic of a growing trend among public figures to challenge stigma by sharing their struggles openly, encouraging faith-based organizations to foster more honest conversations about mental health and accountability.
Despite the challenges, Prewett credits her freedom from addiction—now nearly a decade long—to “the grace of God and by the power of godly community and people around me.” She hopes her story will inspire others facing similar battles to reach out for help and embrace the relief that comes with confession. “That was really what that journey was like for me,” she said. “Even to this day, having moments of shame popping back up, immediately just confess it and get it into the light and share it with a friend.”
Madison Prewett’s journey serves as a reminder that the path to healing is rarely linear, but with honesty, support, and faith, it’s possible to move from darkness into light. Her story continues to resonate, sparking conversations that challenge old stigmas and encourage new forms of community and understanding.