‘The Challenge’ Champ CT Tamburello on His Future on the MTV Hit — ‘I’ve Had a Good Run’

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS

• The Challenge star CT Tamburello just became the second-most decorated winner in the history of the show.
• Along with Kaycee Clark he won season 37 after a grueling two-day final.
• Now, all fans want to know is will he be back on The Challenge? Or is he ready to hang up his jersey?

The Challenge has officially crowned the winners of season 37 — CT Tamburello and Kaycee Clark. After a long, difficult season, CT and Kaycee crossed the finish line first at the end of the two-day final and took home the $1 million prize.

With five wins under his belt — including two seasons back-to-back — CT is now the second-most decorated winner ever. Does this mean he’s ready to retire?

‘The Challenge’ champ says his season 37 win was ‘a big one’

CT has competed in 19 seasons of The Challenge and won the show five times. Including back-to-back wins in season 36’s Double Agents and season 37’s Spies, Lies, and Allies. He also has two additional wins on the spin-off Champs vs. Stars.

Overall, he’s earned more than $1.36 million in prize money. The only competitor with better stats is the GOAT, Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio. CT says that winning his share of the season 37 prize was nice. But the win was “a big one” for him personally, and he’s “in a really good place now.”

“[Winning season 37] was the cherry on top of me feeling secure in myself again. There was a long time during the ‘dad bod’ era where I was kind of in a dark place, I was going through a lot,” CT told Entertainment Weekly.

CT Tamburello feels like he got his life back

For years, the 40-year-old has been trying to be the best he could be and move forward in his life. He says that now — for the very first time — he feels “fully in control, stable, and happy.”

“To win this one and go back-to-back, to be doing as well as I have been on The Challenge, it was like, I’m doing alright again. Finally, I felt like I’m in control. I’m on top. I got my life back.”

CT says that if he were to ride off into the sunset now, he could do it with his head held high because there’s no more “woulda, coulda, shoulda.” At this point, he doesn’t feel that there’s any competition left. Instead of competing with someone else, he’s competing with himself.

“I know people like to compare me to other people, but I don’t. To me, I was always my worst enemy. And I feel like I won, I beat myself at my own game. So now, the sky’s the limit,” CT said.

CT says he had ‘a good run’ on ‘The Challenge’

As for his future on the MTV hit, The Challenge champ noted that he won’t make the mistake of talking about retirement again. He says he’ll “never say never” because The Challenge is his home and the place he “grew up.”

“I had a good run. I’ll be honest with you, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little tired,” he said with a laugh. “I’d like to go spend some time with my family.”

CT added that part of him thinks the game is changing, and part of him thinks he’s “just getting old.” At times, he feels like The Challenge isn’t what it used to be. But, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. He says he’s more reserved, and he’s getting older. Which means he can’t play the same games that he used to.

After ‘eight in a row,’ CT Tamburello is ready for a break

CT explained that “back in the day” he usually did just one show a year. But now, they are “cranking these things out and the shoot is longer and longer and longer.” At this point, he’s done “eight in a row.” And the filming schedule is keeping him away from his wife and son for too long.

“My son’s five years old. I film two shows a year, three months a piece, that’s half the year I’m gone. I can’t do that because he’s older now,” CT explained.

“This was the first year I actually spent Halloween with my son. That’s my favorite holiday. I’d like to spend time with the family, enjoy the fruits, re-center myself, and maybe just take a break, take a little breather. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.”

Will he move to ‘The Challenge: All Stars’?

CT says that he didn’t know how much he needed a break until he took one. He is ready for the “dust to settle” after his latest victory so he can “soak it all in.” He hasn’t really considered moving to The Challenge: All Stars just yet, despite its more accommodating filming schedule.

“Eh, I don’t know. Right now I just want to spend the holidays with my family. With all the spin-offs coming up, it doesn’t seem like The Challenge is going anywhere. And I think I’m on my third wind at this point,” CT explained.

“The last couple of years have been moving so fast. I’m not thinking that far ahead. Right now, all I’m thinking about is the family Christmas trip I’m taking everybody on in a week.”

The Challenge is currently on hiatus on MTV. Fans can revisit past seasons and watch The Challenge: All Stars on Paramount+.