Season 5 of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test has officially been revealed, and some of the contestants are a big surprise.
The Season 5 lineup includes reality stars, actors, athletes, and politicians. One of the most interesting additions is the expelled U.S. Congressman and convicted felon George Santos. Santos posted on X, “I took my fat behind off the couch and tried something new!” Surprisingly, Santos also spoke well of his castmates, even posting again, saying, “To all the haters talking about me being fat, or [Brandi Glanville’s] skin and wishing ill on [Candace Cameron Bure] amongst the other mean, horrible things in the comment section. You could not walk a day in any of our shoes…we are humans.”
Santos was elected to the House of Representatives in 2022 from New York as a Republican, but was ejected after it was quickly revealed that he lied about most of his life and qualifications. He pled guilty to identity theft and wire fraud in 2024 and was sentenced to 87 months in prison, but only served three months after Donald Trump commuted his sentence.
Also joining Season 5 is actor Oliver Hudson, best known for his role as Adam Rhodes in the series Rules of Engagement. Baywatch actor David Charvet will also be joining the cast, as well as Batwoman star Ruby Rose.
Candace Cameron Bure, from Full House and the spinoff Fuller House, is also on the cast. Bure previously competed on Dancing With the Stars, where she finished in third place, so Special Forces is not her first reality competition.
Comedian Hannah Stocking, who got her start on social media, has also been cast.
There are also a handful of athletes competing. Alycia Baumgardner, a World Champion Boxer; Matt Barnes, a former basketball player who now co-hosts a sports and culture podcast; NFL Super Bowl Champion LaSean McCoy; and Olympic Figure Skater Maxim Naumov are all competing.
The rest of the cast includes reality television stars like Brandi Glanville of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Collin Gosselin, who was on Jon & Kate Plus 8, Breana Tiesi from Selling Sunset, and Alexia Umansky and Mauricio Umansky, a father-daughter duo on Buying Beverly Hills.
Special Forces follows a set of celebrities from different walks of life as they go through the “world’s toughest test,” a series of some of the harshest training challenges the real-life Special Forces has to offer. The contestants, or recruits, live in a barracks like soldiers while they learn what it takes to be selected for the Special Forces.
They are put through rigorous, intense testing in which they must navigate harsh terrain and endure physical pain.
Past challenges have included hanging off a helicopter suspended in the air, enduring chemical gassing, and being interrogated for information.
Contestants can leave at any time if they believe they cannot handle any more challenges or if they are injured. Winners have varied over the last four seasons. Bachelorette Hannah Brown, former soccer playerCarli Lloyd, Actor and podcast host Nick Viall from The Bachelor, former Bachelorette contestant Tyler Cameron, Olympic speed skater Erin Jackson, Brody Jenner, and Kayla Nicole have all won. The most recent season, Season 4, was won by Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson East and reality television star Gia Giudice.
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test Season 5 will premiere on September 24 on Fox.
This story was originally published by Men’s Journal on Jul 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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