In 2023, Fox premiered an entirely new kind of reality TV series that took celebrities on intense missions in unforgiving environments that tested both their mental and physical abilities. Unlike most reality TV competition series, there were no eliminations, but recruits who could not handle the pressures of these series of tests could withdraw at any point.
Previous seasons saw a wide array of celebrities competing, from star athletes to Bachelor contestants. In Season 1, professional athletes Dwight Howard and Danny Amendola, who also so happened to star in Season 33 of Dancing With the Stars, took on the challenge. There was also reality TV’s first mom, Kate Gossselin, and the Spice Girls’ Mel B. In Season 2, viewers watched Bravo villain Tom Sandoval, JoJo Siwa, and two Bachelor stars’ Nick Viall and Tyler Cameron compete.
Season 3 is set to premiere in January 2025. The season promises to be the most intense ever, and we will see Olympians, former professional athletes, reality stars, and Hollywood actors all face their fears in heart-pounding tests. Let’s see who the 16 celebrities are that will compete.
Related
Tara Reid Reveals Sad Reason She Quit ‘Special Forces’ After Online Bullying
Despite the online backlash, Tara says she’d return for a future season under the right conditions.
Special Forces Season 3 Will Include Three Incredible Olympians And Five Skilled Athletes
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test has had quite a few Olympians and professional athletes compete. Although it seems like someone with tremendous physical abilities has a clear advantage, previous seasons have shown that that’s not the case. As the show is based around the actual United States Special Forces selection course, it also tests a recruits’ mental abilities, like adaptation to stressful scenarios and decision-making.
The Season 3 Olympians will include Olympic swimmer Nathan Adrian, controversial Olympic track and field star Marion Jones, and former Olympic gymnast Jordyn Wieber.
Nathan has had amazing success as part of the USA swimming team. He competed in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Summer Olympics where he took home 9 medals, including 5 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze. Olympic gymnast, Jordyn’s career saw her famously part of the “Fierce Five”—the five artistic gymnasts that won the gold medal for Team USA in the Team All-Around event at the 2012 Olympics.
According to Marion’s Olympic profile, she has been dubbed as “the best and the worst that the Olympic world offers.” Marion won 5 gold medals at the 2000 Olympic Games, but was later stripped of her medals after she admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs.
Related
Celebrities Who Are Die Hard Fans Of Reality TV Shows
Who would have guessed that Rihanna is a superfan of Vanderpump Rules?
As for the professional athletes that will compete in Season 3, they consist of two former NFL players: Super Bowl champion Golden Tate and former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. The other athletes include pro surfer Alana Blanchard, U.S. professional soccer player Landon Donovan, and motocross champion and Pink’s husband, Carey Hart.
In the season’s official trailer, former quarterback Cam is heard stating, “In order to get something you never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.” The athlete is then seen jumping from a moving boat onto a helicopter. In fact, this season will have a big focus on the celeb contestants testing their abilities in water, which may be tough for one athlete. In the trailer, Golden states, “I’m not meant for water.”
Fans Will Get To See Hailey Bieber’s Father And An Actor-Turned-Real Housewife Compete
Season 3 will see the most Hollywood stars than in previous seasons. The trailer shows Hailey Bieber’s father and actor Stephen Baldwin, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’Denise Richards, and two Disney actresses: Kyla Pratt and Christy Carlson Romano.
On Instagram, Stephen shared a video of the group during press day. Panning over Cam, who was sitting behind him, the quarterback came over to Stephen and stated, “I have to say this … this guy is a rockstar. He gave me the freedom to really be myself, early on.” No word if Hailey commended her father for taking on the rigoruous challenge.
Denise is also seen put to the test in the Special Forces trailer, in which viewers may see her reach her limits. “I’ve been in situations where I freeze,” she states. However, Denise is not the first Real Housewives to compete in the show. Season 1 starred RHOA’s Kenya Moore, who voluntarily withdrew from the competition.
As for Kyla, fans will recognize her in several movies and television roles, including starring in the Dr. Dolittle movie franchise and as the voice of Penny in the Disney series The Proud Family. Actress Christy also has a background working with Disney, having starred as Ren Stevens in Even Steven and voicing the titular character in Kim Possible.
Related
These Survivor Winners Appear To Be Really Struggling After Being On The Show
Not every winner of Survivor has faired well financially or emotionally after starring on the reality competition show.
Season 3 Stars Two Former Bachelorettes And A Famous Jenner
Special Forces sees several reality TV stars using all their might, with the most notable being Vanderpump Rules’ Tom Sandoval and plenty of former Bachelor and Bachelorette leads and contestants. In Season 2, both Bachelorette contestant Tyler Cameron and former Bachelor lead Nick Viall went all the way on the demanding course.
For Season 3, viewers will get to see the first-ever Bachelorette, Trista Sutter. In fact, Trista and her husband, Ryan Sutter (who she ultimately picked on the show), had the internet in a frenzy with fans believing that they had gotten a divorce based on his alarming Instagram posts about missing his wife. However, it was later learned that Trista was away filming for the 5 weeks of the series.
The second Bachelorette to compete was Ali Fedotowsky. Ali competed in Season 14 of The Bachelor where she self-eliminated herself. However, she was given a second chance as Season 6’s Bachelorette. Ali walked away with an engagement to contestant Roberto Martinez, but they split shortly after.
Viewers will also get to see Olympian Caitlyn Jenner’s son, Brody Jenner, try and survive the harsh environment on Special Forces. Brody shot to reality TV fame with multiple shows like The Princes of Malibu, The Hills, and he has made appearances on Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Brody is the stepbrother to Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney Kardashian, as well as Kendall and Kylie Jenner.
One Influencer Tied To Travis Kelce Is Making Her Reality TV Debut
Fitness influencer and owner of Tribe Therepe, Kayla Nicole, will also appear in Season 3. It marks Kayla’s first time on reality television, with the trailer seeing her take a huge leap off of a bridge with a bungee cord attached to her.
Kayla is the ex-girlfriend of Kansas City Chief’s tight end Travis Kelce, who is famously dating Taylor Swift. Like Kayla, Travis also found his way onto reality TV when he became host of Prime Video’s Are You Smarter Than A Celebrity?
On her Instagram, she revealed to her followers that she had taken part in the show. “So, I did a thing. An insanely terrifying yet deeply empowering thing. Special Forces season 3 coming soon on @foxtv.”
Season 3 of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test premieres with two-hour episodes on Fox on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test
- Release Date
- January 4, 2023
- Cast
- Rudy Reyes , Mark Billingham , Jason Fox , Remi Adeleke
- Seasons
- 1
- Network
- FOX
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu
