MTV’s popular competition series is set to return with Battle for a New Champion, but many fans might wonder who’s in The Challenge Season 39 cast.
As Monsters and Critics reported, Cara Maria Sorbello and CT Tamburello return for Season 39, along with other former champions.
However, since the season is about crowning a new champion, these 10 former show winners won’t be around as much as fans might want them on their screens.
While there are some familiar faces in Season 39’s cast, such as Tula “Big T” Fazakerley, Melissa Reeves, Jay Starrett, and Michele Fitzgerald, many of the cast members are very new to the show.
A group of these competitors have never appeared on MTV’s version of The Challenge prior to Season 39, leaving some fans scratching their heads.
Here are details on which individuals will compete to win Battle For a New Champion on MTV.
The Challenge: Battle For a New Champion includes spinoff stars
MTV’s The Challenge spawned several spinoff shows featuring reality TV stars from the United States, United Kingdom, Argentina, and Australia.
Some of those individuals reached the final or won their seasons and then appeared on The Challenge: World Championship, including Kaz Krossley from Love Island UK. After winning The Challenge: UK, she partnered with Jordan Wiseley in the World Championship spinoff to win another title.
Kaz will appear as one of the former champs who show up only to compete in an elimination against one of the other cast members, though. She joins CT, Cara Maria, Jordan, Darrell Taylor, Brad Fiorenza, Devin Walker, Tori Deal, Laurel Stucky, and Kaycee Clark.
However, multiple other newcomers on the show were on international spinoffs of The Challenge, including USA Season 1’s Kyland Young, a former Big Brother contestant.
The Only Way is Essex star James Lock appeared in The Challenge: UK with Kaz, but he was quickly eliminated, losing in the first episode. He’ll hope for a better campaign on MTV’s Season 39.
His UK castmate, Callum Izzard (Ibiza Weekender), fared much better, reaching the spinoff show’s final. He’ll try to duplicate and outdo that success on MTV.
The Royal World’s Zara Zoffany also reached the UK spinoff show’s final and hopes for a similar run in Season 39. She was partnered with Wes Bergmann in The Challenge: World Championship. The duo was eliminated after Wes’ costly mistake during a daily event put them in.
Here are all the international spinoff stars who debut on MTV’s The Challenge with Battle For a New Champion.
- Jessica Brody (The Bachelorette: Australia 7 & The Challenge: Australia)
- Callum Izzard (Ibiza Weekender & The Challenge: UK)
- Jujuy Jimenez (Model, The Challenge: Argentina, & World Championship)
- James Lock (The Only Way is Essex & The Challenge: UK)
- Ciarran Stott (The Bachelorette: Australia 5 & The Challenge: Australia)
- Kyland Young (Big Brother 23 & The Challenge: USA)
- Zara Zoffany (The Royal World, The Challenge: UK, & World Championship)
Returning MTV stars include former Challenge finalists
Fans who have watched The Challenge for the past four or five seasons will recognize many of the other returning cast members. Leading the way are Ride or Dies finalists Olivia Kaiser and Horacio Gutierrez. As viewers saw, they had that unfortunate mishap in the final, getting them disqualified due to Olivia’s injury.
Another familiar face makes her return in Total Madness finalist Melissa Reeves. The Ex on the Beach UK star last competed on MTV in that season after appearing on Vendettas and briefly in Final Reckoning.
Many fans are also getting used to seeing Survivor stars Michele Fitzgerald and Jay Starrett on MTV. They last appeared in Ride or Dies as a team that lost to Olivia and Horacio in an elimination.
Another returning MTV star is Tula “Big T” Fazakerley. She’s yet to reach a final but has been a fan-favorite underdog who previously teamed with CT and others. Big T appeared on War of the Worlds 2, Total Madness, Double Agents, and Spies, Lies & Allies.
Many returning competitors have appeared in only one season of MTV’s competition series, whether it’s Spies, Lies & Allies, or the recent Ride or Dies.
Returning men’s competitors for The Challenge Season 39:
- Asaf Goren (Celebrity Ninja Warrior Israel & Total Madness)
- Chauncey Palmer (Ride or Dies)
- Corey Lay (12 Dates of Christmas 1 & Spies, Lies & Allies)
- Ed Eason (The Circle 1 & Spies, Lies & Allies)
- Emanuel Neagu (Survivor România 1 & Spies, Lies & Allies)
- Horacio Gutiérrez (Exatlón Estados Unidos 5 & Ride or Dies)
- Hughie Maughan (Big Brother UK 17 & Spies, Lies & Allies)
- Jay Starrett (Survivor & Total Madness)
Returning women’s competitors in The Challenge Season 39:
- Berna Canbeldek (Survivor Turkey 8 & Spies, Lies & Allies)
- Big T Fazakerley (Shipwrecked: Battle of the Islands & WOTW 2)
- Colleen Schneider (The Mole Germany & Ride or Dies)
- Melissa Reeves (Ex on the Beach UK 2 & Vendettas)
- Michele Fitzgerald (Survivor & Spies, Lies & Allies)
- Moriah Jadea (Ride or Dies)
- Nurys Mateo (Are You the One? 6 & Ride or Dies)
- Olivia Kaiser (Love Island USA 3 & Ride or Dies)
- Ravyn Rochelle (Ride or Dies)
While there are a lot of newer faces, some will be familiar. In addition to Big T, Melissa, Jay, Michelle, Olivia, and Horacio, viewers will also see longtime host TJ Lavin presiding over the daily events, eliminations, and final.
The Challenge: Battle For a New Champion premieres on MTV on Wednesday, October 25 at 8/7c.
Episodes of The Challenge are now streaming on Paramount+. Try it FREE!
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