The second season of Special Forces: World's Toughest Test, which premiered on September 25, 2023, pushed a new cohort of celebrities to their absolute breaking point, swapping the punishing desert heat of Season 1 for the brutal, freezing conditions of winter warfare training. This season’s roster was perhaps the most talked-about yet, featuring stars embroiled in major public scandals—from reality TV betrayals to high-profile family legal troubles—all seeking to prove their mental and physical fortitude under the direction of the unforgiving Directing Staff (DS).
The entire premise of the show is simple but brutal: 14 celebrities are stripped of their fame and forced to endure a condensed version of elite Special Forces training, facing intense physical and psychological challenges designed to make them quit. Filmed in the remote mountains of New Zealand’s South Island, the unforgiving environment—marked by freezing rain, high altitude, and steep glaciers—became an entity in itself, testing the recruits’ resilience against the cold, fear, and exhaustion.
The Complete Special Forces: World's Toughest Test Season 2 Celebrity Recruit Roster
This season featured a diverse and often controversial group of celebrities. Here is the complete list of the 14 recruits, including their background and the key details that defined their public profile before entering the harsh New Zealand terrain:
- Blac Chyna (Angela Renée White): A model, socialite, and reality television personality, Chyna rose to fame through modeling and later starred in her own E! reality series, Rob & Chyna. She is known for her high-profile relationships and her entrepreneurial ventures.
- Bode Miller: An American Alpine Ski Racer and one of the most decorated Winter Olympians in U.S. history. Miller is a six-time Olympic medalist, including a gold medal in the Super Combined event at the 2010 Vancouver Games. His career is defined by a daring, high-risk skiing style.
- Brian Austin Green: An actor best known for his role as David Silver on the iconic 1990s television series Beverly Hills, 90210. He has maintained a steady career in film and television since the show’s conclusion.
- Dez Bryant: A former professional football wide receiver who played in the NFL, most notably for the Dallas Cowboys. Known for his explosive talent and passionate on-field demeanor, Bryant was a three-time Pro Bowl selection.
- Erin Jackson: An Olympic Gold Medalist in speed skating. Jackson made history at the 2022 Beijing Olympics by becoming the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal in speed skating at the Winter Games. Her background in roller derby made her transition to ice remarkable.
- Jack Osbourne: A television personality and son of rock legend Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne. He is known for starring in the MTV reality series The Osbournes and has openly discussed his ongoing battle with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a diagnosis he received in 2012.
- JoJo Siwa: A dancer, singer, actress, and YouTube sensation who first gained fame on the reality show Dance Moms. Siwa is recognized for her colorful, high-energy brand and her recent career evolution into a more adult, "bad girl" persona.
- Kelly Rizzo: A television host, travel-food blogger, and the widow of comedian Bob Saget. She is the host of Eat Travel Rock TV and has been open about her journey of grief and healing since Saget's unexpected death in 2022.
- Savannah Chrisley: A television personality and former beauty pageant contestant known for appearing on the reality show Chrisley Knows Best. Her participation followed the highly publicized legal troubles and incarceration of her parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley, which left her raising her younger siblings.
- Tara Reid: An actress best known for her role as Vicky Lathum in the American Pie film series and for starring in the cult-favorite Sharknado films. She began her career with roles in films like The Big Lebowski and Urban Legend.
- Tom Sandoval: A reality television personality and musician, best known as a main cast member on Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules. His casting was highly publicized following the "Scandoval" controversy in 2023, where he cheated on his long-time girlfriend, Ariana Madix, with co-star Raquel Leviss, creating a massive media storm.
- Nick Viall: A television personality and podcast host. Viall is a veteran of The Bachelor franchise, having been the runner-up on two seasons of The Bachelorette, appearing on Bachelor in Paradise, and finally starring as The Bachelor on Season 21. He currently hosts the popular podcast, The Viall Files.
- Tyler Cameron: A model and television personality who gained fame as the runner-up on Season 15 of The Bachelorette. Known for his athletic build and competitive spirit, Cameron was a highly anticipated recruit.
- Robert Horry: A retired professional basketball player who is one of the most successful winners in NBA history. Nicknamed "Big Shot Rob," Horry won seven NBA championships with three different teams (Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and San Antonio Spurs).
The Brutal Reality: Challenges and Location of Season 2
The shift in location for Special Forces Season 2 was a deliberate move to intensify the training and psychological pressure. Filmed in the treacherous, snow-covered mountains of the South Island of New Zealand, the recruits faced "winter warfare training" in conditions far more severe than the scorching heat of the Jordanian desert used in Season 1.
The environment introduced new, high-risk challenges that tested the recruits’ fear of heights, cold, and claustrophobia. The Directing Staff (DS), led by Chief Instructor Rudy Reyes and including Mark "Billy" Billingham, Jason "Foxy" Fox, and Jovon "Q" Quarles, pushed the celebrities through a series of grueling tasks.
Key challenges this season included:
- The Ice Plunge: A terrifying test of cold-water immersion, requiring recruits to submerge themselves in freezing water to fight off hypothermia and shock.
- The High-Altitude Ropes Course: A high-stakes traverse across a massive ravine, forcing recruits to overcome paralyzing fear while battling strong winds and high altitude.
- The Capture and Interrogation Phase: A classic Special Forces test where recruits were captured, hooded, and subjected to intense, non-physical interrogation techniques designed to break their will and test their resolve under extreme pressure.
The severe conditions led to several high-profile exits. Tara Reid was the first to withdraw, citing health concerns. Other notable departures included Dez Bryant, who voluntarily withdrew, and Brian Austin Green, who was medically withdrawn due to injury. Blac Chyna, Tom Sandoval, and Savannah Chrisley all made it deep into the process, demonstrating unexpected resilience, though they ultimately did not pass.
Who Passed the Course? The Three Surprising Winners of Season 2
The true measure of success in Special Forces is not winning a competition, but enduring the full course and earning the respect of the Directing Staff—a process called "passing." In a surprising and dramatic conclusion to the season, only three of the 14 celebrity recruits were deemed worthy and passed the final, grueling test of the course.
The three celebrities who successfully completed the entirety of the brutal winter warfare training in New Zealand and passed the course were:
- Erin Jackson: The Olympic speed skater’s incredible endurance, mental toughness, and ability to push through physical pain made her a standout from the start. Her performance was a testament to the elite conditioning of a world-class athlete.
- Nick Viall: The former Bachelor star was a dark horse who proved his critics wrong. Viall's mental fortitude and surprisingly solid physical performance allowed him to steadily progress through the training, demonstrating a grit that surpassed his reality TV persona.
- Tyler Cameron: The model and reality star showcased his intense physical fitness and competitive drive. Cameron's unwavering determination saw him through some of the most physically demanding challenges, earning him a spot among the elite few who passed.
The journey of these 14 celebrities on Special Forces Season 2 was a raw, uncensored look at their breaking points. It proved that fame and wealth mean nothing when facing the cold, harsh reality of Special Forces training. The season successfully leveraged the public’s curiosity about controversial figures like Tom Sandoval and Savannah Chrisley, using the intense physical challenges as a crucible to reveal the true character beneath the celebrity facade.
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