In Fox’s new reality show called “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test,” Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance veteran Rudy Reyes and other former operators test celebrity contestants on their ability to withstand the intense mental and physical challenges of military training.
Everyone, including the crew, wear camouflage fatigues. Despite their celebrity status, all 16 contestants go through the rigors of military training, from hand-to-hand combat to gas chamber testing and more.
“[It’s] a human revelation show disguised as military selection,” Reyes told Marine Corp Times. “These are real, regular Americans, human beings, and we break them down to nothing, to less than nothing.”
Reyes said precautions have been taken to create a feeling of immersion for the contestants, such as hiding the cameras and shooting in the Jordan desert.
The show’s very first episode began with the contestants diving backwards from a helicopter into water below. While the recruits go through extreme training, the cameras track their emotional responses and reasons for competing.
The only prize won is the ability to say, “I did it.”
The unique show has earned positive reviews, with Decider rating the show a “stream it” and network ratings earning Special Forces the top unscripted debut of the 2022-2023 season.
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“I came in from a time of extreme combat operational tempo, and there were very few women in our battlespace,” Reyes said. “I didn’t think that women had the bones and the muscles, maybe I didn’t think they had the savage aggression for that environment. But I have been so impressed that I’ve had to change my perspective. They do not give up.”
“Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test” airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on Fox. The celebrity competitors include Danny Amendola, Mel B, Hannah Brown, Tyler Florence, Kate Gosselin, Dwight Howard, Montell Jordan, Gus Kenworthy, Nastia Liukin, Carli Lloyd, Beverly Mitchell, Kenya Moore, Mike Piazza, Dr. Drew Pinsky, Anthony Scaramucci and Jamie Lynn Spears.
