‘The Challenge’: 5 Competitors Who Have to Return for Season 39
The Challenge rotates returning players and rookies for each season. Depending on the theme, viewers might not see a favorite for a few seasons. Here are five recent competitors who should return for next season.
Olivia Kaiser and Horacio Gutiérrez
The rookie standouts landed in back-to-back eliminations almost immediately after entering the competition and won both. They earned the respect of the house and avoided the Zone until episode 8 when her fling Nelson Thomas opted to save his rival Fessy Shafaat over her.
Regardless, with the help of the house, they sent home targets Jay Starrett and Michele Fitzgerald. When they split into teams, Horacio found himself in the Zone twice, and he eliminated Kenny Clark and three-time champ Jordan Wiseley, tying a franchise record for most elimination wins in a season.
The two advanced to the finals, where they seemed poised to battle Devin Walker and Tori Dea for the win, but a freak accident causing her to break her face in five places disqualified them from the game.
Viewers have enjoyed watching the newcomers as they’ve given hook-up drama and proven themselves legitimate competitors.
Kyle Christie
In 2017, English native Kyle Christie debuted on Vendettas and had an impressive rookie showing, winning three eliminations on his way to a third-place finish.
After failing to make the finals in Final Reckoning, War of the Worlds, and War of the Worlds 2, he finished runner-up in Total Madness.
Kyle nearly made the finals in Double Agents until he got medically disqualified during an elimination but returned for Spies, Lies, and Allies, where he had one of his best performances, winning three eliminations and placing second.
Although Kyle’s early storylines revolved around his romance with Cara Maria Sorbello, his return in later seasons has circulated him not playing an honest game, resulting in entertaining television. Additionally, he competed better each season, and it seems like a win is within his clutches.
Natalie Anderson
After winning her original season of Survivor and placing runner-up in an all-winners season, many fans began calling for her to compete on the MTV franchise.
She joined the cast of Double Agents in 2020 as one of the most anticipated rookies and didn’t disappoint when she swiftly sent two-time winner Ashley Mitchell home in the first elimination.
Partnered with three-time champ Wes Bergmann and veteran Cory Wharton, the New Jersey native pulled out of the competition by episode 5 due to a pregnancy.
Natalie is a CrossFit coach and continues to post videos of herself frequently training on her social media. Therefore, she’s still in shape and would likely perform well physically on the competition show. The Amazing Race star also has a big personality and doesn’t shy away from drama, presumably making her a great addition.
Jenny West
As one of the most physically fit female players who have competed on the show, UK-based bodybuilder Jenny West intimidated the cast when she debuted in War of the Worlds 2.
She avoided seeing elimination as some competitors feared her but was thrown in to send Nicole Bass home. Following a rare win for her team, Jenny found herself in the Proving Ground with Tori Deal. Surprisingly, the Are You the One? alum defeated the bodybuilder in the Hall Brawl.
Jenny returned for season 35’s Total Madness and dominated the season, winning two eliminations and four daily missions on her way to the final.
The UK native then beat everyone up the mountain to finish first. Despite two great showings, Jenny hasn’t returned for another season. Although her personality might not be as large as others, she’s a strong player whose love to compete is fun to watch.
