‘The Challenge’: Former ‘Survivor’ Champ Reportedly Joining Season 36
[SPOILER ALERT: Spoilers ahead for The Challenge 36.]
A few months ago, Viacom CBS announced it renewed The Challenge for the 36th season. According to insiders, the popular show’s casting crew began reaching out to potential competitors for the upcoming season shortly after the announcement. Sources also claim the rumored cast and alternates entered quarantine in Los Angeles for Season 35 on August 23. Former Survivor winner Natalie Anderson is reportedly among them.
‘The Challenge’ returning for Season 36
Shortly before The Challenge 35 finals aired, ViacomCBS announced it renewed the popular reality competition series for another season. Likely due to the new red skull twist and lack of sports during the COVID-19 pandemic, Season 35 enjoyed a 10% surge in viewership.
Total Madness also became the franchise’s highest-rated season since 2012’s Battle of the Exes. After the show officially got renewed, reports claimed that casting crews already began calling potential competitors to gauge their interest in returning for the 36th season.
Additionally, former The Challenge star Marie Roda implied MTV called her in a July 2020 tweet because she insisted she would never return to the reality series.
‘Survivor’ winner Natalie Anderson reportedly joining ‘The Challenge’ Season 36
CrossFit Coach Natalie Anderson made her reality competition television debut on the 21st season of CBS’ The Amazing Race with her “twinnie,” twin sister, Nadiya.
Their entertaining energy made them immediate fan-favorites, and they incorporated advanced strategy to get rid of one of their top competitors. However, they narrowly missed the finals, placing fourth.
The two returned three seasons later for All-Stars, but a massive argument led to them leaving the competition as the first boot. The twins then competed on Survivor: San Juan Del Sur (Blood vs. Water).
Their cutthroat gameplay from The Amazing Race led the other contestants to vote Nadiya out first. However, Natalie went on to win the game. She returned several years later for Survivor: Winners at War and faced the same fate as her sister as her teammates also eliminated her first.
The CrossFit coach ended up winning her way back into the game and went on to face the jury. Her choice not to take out frontrunner Tony Vlachos in the final fire-making challenge ultimately cost her the game, and she placed second in a 12-4-0 vote.
After competing on the show, a fan asked if she would consider The Challenge, and the former winner stated she does have an interest in competing on the show.
According to several insiders, the popular Survivor champ is currently quarantined among numerous other potential competitors in LA for the upcoming season of The Challenge.
Other potential ‘The Challenge 36’ competitors
Rookies
Analyse Talavera (Big Brother 21)
Lori “LoLo Jones” (Olympian, The Challenge: Champs vs. Pros)
Morgan Lolar (Temptation Island)
Olivia “Liv” Jawando (Shipwrecked UK)
Returning players / veterans
Aneesa Ferreira (13 seasons, 0 wins)
Ashley Mitchell (7 seasons, 2 wins)
Jenny West (2 seasons, 1 win)
Kam Williams (4 seasons, 0 wins)
Nany González (9 seasons, 0 wins)
Tori Deal (4 seasons, 0 wins)
Tula “Big T” Fazakerley (2 seasons, 0 wins)
Zahida Allen (2 seasons, 0 wins)
Asaf Goren (1 season, 0 wins)
Cory Wharton (7 seasons, 0 wins)
Fessy Shafaat (1 season, 0 wins)
Jay Starrett (1 season, 0 wins)
Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio (20 seasons, 7 wins)
Josh Martinez (3 seasons, 0 wins)
Leroy Garrett (11 seasons, 0 wins)
Nelson Thomas (6 seasons, 0 wins)
Wes Bergmann (13 seasons, 2 wins)
These are only rumored competitors, as others can be added or dropped at any time. Follow Tamara Grant on Twitter.
