Naked and Afraid Season 18 sees the return of veterans Steven Lee Hall Jr. and Laura Zerra as they are tasked to mentor the new survivalists for the 2025 edition of the hit reality series.
The brand new season follows a group of survivalists willing to endure the dangerous jungles of the likes of the Philippines and the rugged environments of the American Midwest without food, clothing, and shelter for 21 days.
Naked and Afraid Season 18 premiered on Max on March 9, and its first episode paid tribute to the legendary Sarah Danser.
Naked and Afraid Season 18 Cast Guide: Every Main Contestant
Mandy
Instagram: @mountaingnome0.5
Mandy makes Naked and Afraid history as the first double amputee to join the competition.
After losing both of her legs 10 years ago in an accident, she used it as a prime motivator to become the first bilateral amputee to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, signifying that she is willing to defy insurmountable odds.
In the brand-new season, one of Mandy's goals is to show other people that there is life after the unimaginable. Her motto says, "Tell me that I can't and I will show you that I can."
Jonny
Instagram: @thejonnyyates
As someone who loves the outdoors, joining Naked and Afraid is a dream come true for 36-year-old Jonny, who comes from a military family and is an Army vet himself.
In Episode 1, Jonny says he is doing this challenge to "improve [his] main strengths as a survivor."
By spending time in the military, he managed to learn how to adapt in any situation, and he is looking forward to utilizing that aspect by helping his partner, Mandy, to survive the 21 days.
Ernie
Instagram: @ernesto_adventure
Ernie is a full-blooded Naked and Afraid superfan who is living the dream by joining the 2025 edition of the Discovery Channel series.
He serves as the administrator of the True Fans of Naked & Afraid XL fanpage on Facebook. Ernie is proud to admit that he watched all of the episodes of Naked and Afraid as well as meeting some of the competitors who joined the series.
Ernie is no stranger to risky environments and high-stakes situations, considering that he is a 30-year Army veteran and a former police officer from Little Rock and Bryant.
Amanda (Mandy)
Amanda is another huge Naked and Afraid fan who admits that a show like this is "made for crazy people like [her]."
As someone who likes the idea of growth and expansion and challenging oneself, Amanda's desire to live up to these ideals made her become a fitness instructor and personal trainer.
Before becoming a personal trainer, she served under the military and the Marine Corps. as a combat engineer.
Anchored by her experience and determination to win, Amanda is willing to do everything to survive the 14 days of isolation in the Yucatan peninsula with her fellow fan, Ernie.
Ally
Instagram: @allisonwanderland3
Ally is part of the long-list of survivalists in Naked and Afraid Season 18. She says that she exudes "squirrel energy," meaning that she is an expert in tree climbing and has a strong connection to nature.
Ally has a strong desire to be a leader and people with big egos really infuriate her. She thinks that joining the competition is the true test of the adaptability of her skills.
Jenny
Instagram: @adventure_jenny
Jenny wants to defy expectations by joining Naked and Afraid Season 18. She wants to prove to viewers that she is a formidable contestant by showcasing her survival skills and adapting to any situation.
What makes her stand out from the rest is the fact that she has a silly way to do things, promising that she will be an entertaining competitor right off the bat.
Outside of the reality series, she works as a facial aesthetician.
Steven
Instagram: @stevenleehalljr
Seven-time Naked and Afraid legend Steven returns to the competition as he is primed to help new survivalists learn the ropes in the brand-new season.
Steven admits that it drives him the most to prove that he has what it takes to do any task if he encounters a non-believer on his abilities.
As someone who is a "big outdoors guy" and a veteran of the series, Steven simply wants to make the most out of this new experience in Season 18.
Elli
Elli has solid experience in working for the service industry, whether it's at a restaurant or at her bed and breakfast. As a result, she knows how to put other people first, which will be a good thing for her new partner in the series.
Elli is someone who loves to go on adventure hikes and do outdoor activities, meaning that joining Naked and Afraid is the perfect fit for her.
Jarrell
Jarrell is a man of his words, and he wants to prove that he is someone reliable when he joins Naked and Afraid Season 18.
He is an avid snowboarder and an outdoors person who loves to travel in different countries. As a single dad, he wants to make his daughter proud by showing that he can do anything as a survivalist.
Ashley
Ashley is proud to admit that she is someone who has a lot of energy since she always want to be doing something.
She is no stranger to the outdoors since she has been a longtime farmer ever since she was a kid.
Ashley also notes that all her skill sets came from the environment, with her believing that those are her greatest assets as she enters Naked and Afraid.
William
William is a firm believer that the only way to live life is to go all-in, which is why he has decided to take part in Naked and Afraid.
While he admits that he has a short attention span, William believes that it is an advantage because he can be all over the place doing things like fishing and setting traps.
He also has an experience of living outside in the wilderness and he has developed a strong sense of smell while doing so.
Jolie
As someone who has strong "warrior energy," Jolie is not messing around by taking part in the 2025 edition of Naked and Afraid.
She loves to connect with other people, with her prime mission of helping others at the top of her list. She is a born leader, and she tends to help her followers find solutions in any problem that arises.
Bill
Bill describes himself as the "most Asian redneck you'll ever see" due to his strong love for the outdoors and hunting.
He is the kind of person that people tend to love or hate, considering that he is too blunt in a lot of times.
When he spends time outdoors, it makes him feel like he's accomplishing something and it brings him back to the "I do what I want when I want" mentality of his.
Justin
While people tend to look at him as a mindless jock, Justin points out that he is extremely intelligent and someone who is "the world's biggest teddy bear" yet a "professional knucklehead."
He is highly sarcastic, and this is his way of coping with stressful situations. Justin loves doing things that are very abstract and out of the norm.
Malik
Malik loves to cook primitively and on primitive surfaces, and he promises to cook all over the place in Naked and Afraid Season 18.
He is passionate about building things and helping other people learn to do things. He build things with his hands since he is "exceptionally good" with designing things.
His strongest outdoor skills include shelter building and making his own tools.
Andrew
For Andrew, joining Naked and Afraid allows him to go on an awesome adventure and be part of an amazing community of "really badass people."
He manage to learn his primitive skills by being fascinated by the idea of being able to survive on his own. His goal is to thrive and not just survive.
Chad
Instagram: @bretchy_c
Chad is someone who is busy as a bee since he has high energy levels due to the fact that he has an innate need to always be doing something.
He grew up as a member of a family who loves hunting and fishing, meaning that being part of Naked and Afraid should be a walk in the park for him.
Some of his notable jobs in the past is becoming a forest firefighter and an oil patch rig officer.
Chev
Instagram: @negus_chev
Chev is someone who always give his 150% in any situation, pushing himself to be the best version of himself to outlast every challenge.
He is a naturalist who works in the park system in New York. As a Kayak guide, he is the director of the Hudson River Riders.
As someone who is passionate in helping, Chev will look to deliver a memorable adventure while also helping whomever his partner will be in Naked and Afraid Season 18.
Tray
Tray is an expert in locating and smelling snakes, and his ability to do is valuable in a show like Naked and Afraid.
He describes himself as a primitive caver, mainly due to the fact that he goes in and explores caves.
When he's out in nature, he can confidently say that he knows that he can take care of himself, noting that he is a "firm believer" that only the strong ones should survive.
Michael
Michael's sacred fire is his family, noting that they are the ones that drive him to survive in any situation.
He is proud to admit that he has primitive skills that help him track down things and learn more deeply about his surroundings.
For Michael, joining Naked and Afraid allows him to find joy and test the limits of his body as a 50-year-old man.
Skye
Instagram: @skyeselene
Skye describes herself as "deeply emotional" and a "motherly figure" who is connected to Mother Earth and her family. She has the ability to completely empty herself to be present in her inner circle.
She is also an adventurous gal who is willing to do thrilling activities to give her a sense of satisfaction.
Her biggest motivation in joining Naked and Afraid is to prove to other women that if she can do this, they can do it too.
Julian
Julian has a loud personality that can sometimes be too much for some of his friends and family.
He is someone who enjoys dangerous activities, pointing out that he has broken more rules even something as mundane as touching a sign that says don't touch it.
He firmly believes that it takes a dangerous person to be able to survive for 21 days in the wilderness.
Stephanie
Instagram: @steph.wanderthewild
One of Stephanie's pet peeves is when someone else belitttles her, which is why she goes out of her way to prove that she is an outdoors person who has an active lifestyle.
With "nature baby" as her nickname at work, Stephanie is not afraid to get her hands dirty since she is also big at wild crafting.
Stephanie's notable skills include foraging, archery, and an expert fisher.
Noa
Noa loves being in nature, and this is her prime motivator in joining Naked and Afraid. She wants to experience being "raw and somatically animalistic" in the woods.
Noa wants to work with people who are generally tolerant because she has a "large personality." She also views killing animals as a deeply spiritual and important experience.
Shawn
Instagram: @bretschneidershawn
Shawn believes that his hard attitude makes him stand out from the rest of the pack in Naked and Afraid Season 18. He believes that he can outlast the 21-day challenge with or without a partner due to his never give up mentality.
As a firefighter, he has a solid sense of drive when it comes to helping others. Before becoming a firefighter, he served in the military for 10 years where he was tested both physically and mentally.
Shawn's secret weapon is his strong mind and his never quit attitude.
Danielle
When Danielle sees an animal, she gets pretty excited, considering that she works with crocodiles.
She believes that she is a badass who can withstand any challenge in Naked and Afraid Season 18.
While she has never been outdoors purely for the survival aspect, Danielle is willing to defy the odds by doing whatever it takes to outlast the competition.
John
As a huge Naked and Afraid fan, joining the show is at the top of John's bucket list.
He believes that he will be satisfied in life if he manages to endure and survive the 21-day challenge in Naked and Afraid Season 18.
He embraces the outdoors by always being out there building shelters, starting fires, and eating some unusual bugs. As someone who is mentally tough, all John can say is bring it on.
Malu
As a Naked and Afraid podcaster, Malu knows the ins and outs of the competition.
Having learned from the mistakes of the other competitors in the past, Malu firmly believes that she has what it takes to survive in the 21-day challenge.
One of the reasons why Malu decided to join Naked and Afraid is to show her two kids that anything is possible.
Omar
Omar is proud to admit that he's an opinionated guy since he's well-versed and outspoken in many different topics. He loves being the guy that comes through for somebody else.
Omar explains that joining Naked and Afraid is a way for him to get out of his comfort zone and doing so would push him to his limits and eventually come out stronger.
Iver
Iver is a jack of all trades. Having an active lifestyle means that Iver has experienced a lot in his life, such as fishing, hunting, football, and skiing.
He is also proud to say that he has "100% Viking blood" in him, making him a tough and versatile guy in the wilderness.
Fernanda
Instagram: @ferperez.mx
Fernanda's experience in the wild is tremendous due to her day job as a biologist and an adventurer in the Sonoran desert. She has also been practicing outdoor sports for almost 15 years.
Being part of Naked and Afraid is no different for Fernanda since she already participated in the inaugural season of Naked and Afraid Latin America.
She considers herself a great survivalist because she is a multi-tool and she has already proven that she can withstand anything for 21 days due to her previous Naked and Afraid stint.
New episodes of Naked and Afraid Season 18 premiere on the Discovery Channel every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET and can be streamed the next day on Max.
