The Wheel is Discovery Channel’s new take on the survivalist show, where six contestants from different walks of life have to try and survive in six completely different landscapes across South America.
The cast for Season 1 includes a fitness model, a former wrestler, a nurse, an ultra-runner, a plumber, and a former Marine. They are dropped into a landscape where they have to use survival techniques and a few sparse supplies to survive.
At each turn of “The Wheel” — which is actually dictated by how the moon rotates — they are uprooted and planted back into a completely new landscape, where they have to use a whole new set of skills to survive.
Because the contestants don’t know what makes “The Wheel” turn, they don’t know how long they have to spend in each environment — which makes the contest much more mentally testing.
From rugged snow-capped mountains to thick rainforest, the harsh environments each have their own challenges in store. But who will survive?
Meet the cast taking on The Wheel…
Adam Kimble — Ultra-runner
Adam is the tallest competitor taking part in The Wheel at 6’3″, and weighs in at 185lbs. But despite his muscular physique, the 29-year-old is extremely light on his feet — which has led him to becoming a successful ultra-runner.
Described as a “Real Life Forrest Gump”, he ran across the United States in 2016 from the West to East coasts. He also triumphed over competitors from 40 different countries to win the gruelling 250km, six-stage Gobi March race across the Gobi Desert in China in 2015, one of the world’s toughest footraces.
Along with his ultra-running, he is also a motivational speaker, passing on his endurance expertise to others. However, despite being extremely mentally and physically tough, he hasn’t had much survivalist experience in the past.
Lindsay Phenix — Fitness model
Lindsay, 25, is a fitness model and massage therapist from Los Angeles. However, don’t let her gorgeous good looks fool you — as she’s also an Ironman triathlete, a huge hiking fan, and a stunt woman. She regularly goes out into the mountains hiking and camping alone, so is used to the solitary life.
She also grew up in a military family and is well adept at hunting and preparing wild animals for eating in the wild.
Most of her survivalist knowledge comes from her “doomsday prepper” dad, and her thick skin comes from her grandfather who tragically passed away in May.
Lindsay weighs in at 130lbs and stands at 5’9″ tall.
Shon Joyner — former Marine
Shon, 33, is a former Marine, but at just 5’4″ and weighing in at just 140lbs his start in life wasn’t easy after being bullied as a youngster for being small in the tough neighborhood where he grew up in Indianapolis, IN.
However, after joining the Marines he turned the abuse he got from taller drill sergeants into a new-found thick-skin and served with them for eight years including in George W. Bush’s presidential guard.
He served in Iraq where he often had to hike huge distances with half his body-weight on his back.
Shon remains extremely fit through various sports like skiing, dancing and long-distance running. While he has only basic survivalist skills, he has previously prepared animals for eating in the wild.
His major weaknesses are that he has never travelled alone, and he does not deal well with the cold.
Kat Dellinger — Nurse
At 39, Kat, who is 6’1″ and weighs 199lbs, is the oldest of the contestants on The Wheel. And despite a seemingly sedentary job as a nurse anaesthetist, she has a lot of hiking and navigational experience.
However, compared to the other cast members Kat is probably the least experienced outdoors — only having camped by herself once in the past, and with zero experience of hunting or fishing.
To make things harder, she is also a vegetarian. However, Kat insists that she is remarkably adaptable and is a good problem solver. She wants to prove that anyone can accomplish bigger things in life, no matter who they are.
Luke Soderling – Plumber
Luke 35, is 6′ tall and weighs 190lbs. He is a plumber and firearms instructor, but has always been someone who has lived the outdoors life after growing up in Minnesota’s Iron Range.
His drive for appearing on The Wheel comes after he beat stage 3 thyroid cancer back in 2013, and he wants to prove to his sons that if he can defeat that, then he can beat the challenges of living alone in wild as well.
Luke is extremely proficient with firearms, and can easily hit targets from 1,000 yards. He also has plenty of hunting experience and has done dog-sledding in the past so is able to cope with the cold.
However, if animals are hard to find and other food sources are not obvious, he has little survivalist experience to point him in the right direction.
Josh Morin — Former wrestler
Josh, 23, is a former college wrestler and was destined for the US Olympic wrestling team before his dreams were shattered by a back injury that put an end to his career.
He now runs a humanitarian organization called Conscious Connections, and also works doing marketing and social media for a health business, but spends much of his free time backpacking and camping alone in the wild.
He has quite a bit of survivalist experience, and is well versed at fishing and hunting with a bow. However, his ability to identify edible plants is limited, and he has no experience in marshland and tundra — two environments which could well be forced upon the contestants in The Wheel.
Luke weighs in at 145lbs and is 5’6″ tall.
The Wheel airs Fridays at 10/9c on Discovery.