Special Forces: World's Toughest Test Season 3 brings in the big guns as its star-studded cast includes the likes of Stephen Baldwin, Carey Hart, and Brody Jenner.
The new season of Fox's reality competition series brings in celebrities as they undergo extensive military training to see if they have what it takes to become the best of the best in unique and grueling situations.
The ways for the contestants to be eliminated are for them to give up on their own, through potential injury, or by direct order from the Directing Staff.
Season 3 is set in Wales, which serves as the home of British Special Forces Selection.
Special Forces: World's Toughest Test Season 3 premiered on Fox on January 8.
Special Forces Season 3 Cast Guide: Every Main Contestant
Nathan Adrian
Instagram: @nathangadrian
Nathan Adrian joins the cast of Special Forces Season 3 as he tries to become the last man standing among the contestants.
He is an eight-time Olympic medalist who thrives in the world of swimming. Some of his accolades include bagging four medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics, three at the 2012 London Olympics, and one gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Aside from being a seasoned veteran in the Olympics, Nathan is also a five-time individual NCAA Champion.
In an interview with Seattle Times, Adrian admitted that he outright said yes in his head when he was offered the opportunity to participate in Fox's reality competition:
"It was a pretty instantaneous ‘yes’ in my head just because I went from this life of training and testing myself consistently — really, constantly — and having these metrics to try to live to and compare to, and I don’t have that as much in my life anymore, especially in a physical realm."
Stephen Baldwin
Instagram: @stephenbaldwin7
Hollywood actor Stephen Baldwin is one of the recruits who is set to take on the ultimate challenges in Special Forces Season 3.
Baldwin has over 100 credits to his name, with roles in The Usual Suspects, Nova Vita, and Fred Claus.
As one of the elder statesmen in the pool of recruits at 58 years old, Baldwin said in a promo for Special Forces that he is out to prove that he is "not a quitter."
Speaking with Fox News Digital, Baldwin described his experience in Season 3 as "life-changing:"
"My wife speaking to me about whether or not I should do ‘Special Forces’ is very different simply because we are together [for] 35 years. So there's a whole lot more history there of my madness and my adrenaline junkie activity. But without question, by far, ‘Special Forces World's Toughest Test’ for me was life-changing."
Alana Blanchard
Instagram: @alanarblanchard
As a professional surfer and a world-renowned action sports athlete, Alana Blanchard knows what it takes to endure different training exercises and challenges in her life. Still, Special Forces Season 3 is a different kind of beast.
Alana is also a successful influencer after her web series, Alana: Surfer Girl, served as her launchpad in the online world. As of writing, she currently has 1.6 million followers on her Instagram alone.
She told Surfer Magazine in December 2024 that she was "definitely nervous" before filming the new season while also revealing that "it was a lot harder than [she] ever thought it was gonna be" because there were no special treatments for the contestants during production:
"I didn’t really know what it was all about. I had seen it before, but going into it, I was definitely nervous. I didn’t think it would be that bad. I’ve had coaches yell at me, and all that stuff, so I just thought it would be whatever. The hardest thing for me felt like leaving the kids behind. But I was definitely wrong. It was a huge reality check. I thought, going into it, I’d be able to be like, ‘Oh hey, producer, can I get some water?’ But no. Nobody is talking to you. You don’t really feel like you’re on a show. It was a lot harder than I ever thought it was gonna be."
Landon Donovan
Instagram: @landondonovan10
Landon Donovan is known by many as one of the most legendary soccer players in the history of the sport, considering he has three FIFA World Cup appearances under his belt and is tied with Clint Dempsey for most goals with the US Men's National Team with 57.
Some of his accomplishments include becoming the president of San Diego Loyal's USL Team, the interim head coach of the San Diego Wave, and the lead analyst for Fox during its EURO 2024 coverage.
Carey Hart
Instagram: @hartluck
Motorsports legend Carey Hart is ready to prove everyone the doubters wrong in Special Forces Season 3, including his wife, singer-songwriter Pink.
Speaking in the same interview with Fox News Digital, Carey jokingly shared that his wife told him that he's an idiot for joining the competition, but she pointed out that she supports him no matter what:
"She's like, ‘OK, well, this is something you really want to do. You are an idiot, but I support it.’ And, you know, ‘Go get through it in one piece,’ because she's been along the ride for many, many injuries that I've sustained and recovered from."
Carey has been using his expertise in motorsports to put Freestyle Motorcross on the map, utilizing it as a tool to increase exposure for the sport and the people who are passionate about it.
Brody Jenner
Instagram: @brodyjenner
While Brody Jenner knows what it takes to be in reality shows due to his vast experience in that world, his involvement in Special Forces Season 3 will put him to the test.
Brody, who is a Los Angeles-based DJ and producer, previously starred in The Hills, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and The Princes of Malibu.
In an interview with US Weekly, Brody offered high praise toward his fellow contestants, pointing out that it is not really a competition because they look out for each other during the challenges:
"The camaraderie going through these team challenges because it’s not a contest. You’re not there to compete against each other. You’re there to get to know each other and to help each other, motivate each other, and just try to make it to the end."
Marion Jones
Instagram: @themarionjones
Marion Jones is no stranger to being the best since she was the first woman athlete to win five medals in a single Olympics during the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, Australia.
Considered by many as the living embodiment of resilience, Marion is out to prove that she can withstand the difficult challenges and unique scenarios that Special Forces Season 3 has to offer.
Marion revealed in an interview with Celeb Secrets that being an athlete in a show like Special Forces is not an advantage, noting that the "mental aspects" of the challenges are truly hard to endure:
"You would think that the athletes — there was a number of us on the show — would have an advantage. And I think our physical capacity, our ability to be disciplined certainly helps with that. But some of the mental aspects of it… our background in sports didn’t necessarily prepare us for some of these challenges. We were just like everybody else, so it’s going to be very interesting to see how the show has put it all together."
Ali Manno
Instagram: @ali.manno
The Bachelorette Season 6 and The Bachelor Season 14 alum Ali Manno is ready to go all-out in Special Forces Season 3.
The lifestyle and fashion influencer is known for her stint as the host of NBC's 1st Look and as a former correspondent at E! News.
Speaking with Parade, Ali shared one unexpected similarity between The Bachelorette and Special Forces, noting that they are in correlation with one another in terms of "[finding] the love within yourself:"
"This show is very different [from The Bachelorette]. I went from wearing ball gowns to being covered in manure and no makeup. I think on The Bachelorette you’re there to find the love of your life. Special Forces is similar in the sense that you’re there to find the love within yourself. I wanted to see what I was made of."
Cam Newton
Instagram: @cam
NFL fans know full well how bonafide of a star Cam Newton is in the world of football, considering he is one of the much-talked-about quarterbacks in this generation who played for the Carolina Panthers.
Aside from his accolades in the world of football, Cam is also a successful businessman, serving as the CEO of NJC Ventures and the leader of other stellar endeavors like Iconic Saga (a production company), The Cardinal Way (a logistics company), and Smoky Stallions (a restaurant).
Newton's life in the NFL also played a vital role in FX's American Sports Story.
Kayla Nicole
Instagram: @iamkaylanicole
Kayla Nicole is ready to push herself to the limit in the brand-new season of Special Forces.
She is a model and influencer known for her successful wellness platform called Tribe Therepē, a program dedicated to showcasing the right balance between mental wellness and body positivity.
She also previously dated Travis Kelce, who is now in a relationship with Taylor Swift.
Speaking with Page Six, Kayla shared that fans will get to see her vulnerable side in Special Forces while also acknowledging that she is not afraid to show it to the world:
"I would say I’m the opposite of being afraid of what people are going to see. I’m actually excited for people to see us stripped down, raw, vulnerable. I think people in general, the general public, need to be reminded that we’re all humans, right? We all have very real emotions. And I’m excited about that element [of] allowing us to be humans."
Kyla Pratt
Instagram: @kylapratt
Former Disney star Kyla Pratt joins Special Forces Season 3 to break new ground for her already flourishing career. Fans may recognize her for playing Penny Proud in Disney's The Proud Family.
Entering the world of Special Forces is a different beast for Kyla and she told Bet in a recent interview that the experience was "next level:"
"This was next level. It wasn’t just about physical strength—it was about facing fears and being vulnerable in ways I’m not used to."
Kyla also admitted that a different side of her was awakened after competing in Fox's reality show:
"I realized I’m capable of so much more than I give myself credit for. And I hope people watching see that they can push through their own fears, too."
Denise Richards
Instagram: @deniserichards
Actress and New York Times bestselling author of The Real Girl Next Door, Denise Richards, is answering the call to take on unique military challenges in Special Forces Season 3.
While admitting to E! News that she originally passed on to compete in Special Forces Season 2, she sees the brand-new season as an opportunity to do something she had never done before:
"It was an opportunity to do something I’ve never done before, very challenging and completely out of my comfort zone. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever done and I was scared to death to do it. I actually passed on season 2 because I saw season 1 and I said 'There’s no way.' And then [I’m] grateful they asked me for season 3, but it was challenging."
She also built a bond with fellow contestant, Cam Newton, in the competition, telling Extra that he "saved" her throughout production:
"Cam saved me on this show. I'm not joking… He helped me so much, even holding my backpack. He and Golden [Tate] were so great with us girls helping us because we have to wear the same thing and there's a difference in size and weight."
Christy Carlson Romano
Instagram: @thechristycarlsonromano
Christy Carlson Romano is an award-winning actress and a mainstay in the world of entertainment. She is best known for her roles in Kim Possible, Even Stevens, and Cadet Kelly.
Speaking with Decider, Christy admitted that she had nightmares after enduring the brutal challenges in Special Forces Season 3. She also talked about how the production team was very helpful in taking care of their welfare even after filming
"Production was really great about checking in with us and they were like, ‘Hey, are you doing OK?’ They had therapists call us every couple months and everybody was connecting as well. There was a community of support which, when you think about people who are actually serving, they don’t necessarily get that kind of support."
Trista Sutter
Instagram: @tristasutter
Trista Sutter is known as the first Bachelorette after becoming one of the early cast members of The Bachelor. Since her stint in the dating reality series, Trista became a spokesperson, author, influencer, and podcast host.
Speaking as a guest in Bachelor Happy Hour, Trista explained the reason why she decided to join Special Forces, simply noting that she "wanted to challenge [herself]:"
"I just wanted to challenge myself. I wanted to show myself that I could do hard things, that I wanted to meet new people. I feel like it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to really learn about what the military goes through and gain even more respect."
Golden Tate
Instagram: @showtimetate
Another NFL legend who joins Special Forces Season 3 is former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate.
As one of NFL's Top 100 players, Golden is not only good at the sport but he is also well-loved by the community after giving back to kids in his hometown of Nashville.
Golden will look to last in every hard challenge Special Forces has to offer while also helping his peers get through them as well.
Jordyn Wieber
Instagram: @jordyn_wieber
Jordyn Wieber has an illustrious career in the world of gymnastics, capped off by winning gold at the 2012 Olympics.
The 2016 Greater Lansing Sports Hall of Fame inductee is also making waves in the NCAA after being named the youngest head coach of the Arkansas Women's Gymnastics Program.
In a post from her Instagram account, Jordyn described her Special Forces experience as "crazy, intense, and one of the coolest" ones she's ever been a part of.
New episodes of Special Forces: World's Toughest Test Season 3 will premiere on Fox every Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET and they can also be streamed the next day on Hulu.
