ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — "The Challenge" has been a reality TV staple for decades, with fans tuning in season after season to watch their favorite players compete in physical stunts and cutthroat eliminations for their share of $1 million.
Now, a whole new group of reality stars will see if they have what it takes to run T.J.'s final.
Fan favorites from CBS reality shows “Survivor,” “Big Brother,” “The Amazing Race” and “Love Island” will compete in the all-new spin-off, "The Challenge: USA."
Longtime host T.J. Lavin will welcome the new class of challengers at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday with a 90-minute premiere on 10 Tampa Bay.
One familiar face will be returning to our TV screens to represent the Tampa Bay area: Alyssa Lopez from Sarasota, who competed on "Big Brother 23" last year. A couple of other players with ties to Florida include Cayla Platt from Gulf Breeze, who competed on "The Amazing Race 33," and Javonny Vega from Boca Raton, who competed on "Love Island 3."
Meet the 28 players who will be competing "in the most unpredictable and demanding game of their lives" in the first season of "The Challenge: USA."
- Domenick Abbate | Survivor 36 | Nesconset, NY
- David Alexander | Big Brother 21, 22 | Atlanta
- Tyson Apostol | Survivor 18, 20, 27 (Winner), 40 | Lindon, UT
- Azah Awasum | Big Brother 23 | Baltimore, MD
- Cashel Barnett | Love Island 1 | Sacramento, CA
- Ben Driebergen | Survivor 35 (Winner), 40 | Boise, ID
- Tasha Fox | Survivor 28, 31 | St. Louis, MO
- Kyra Green | Love Island 1 | Los Angeles
- Melvin “Cinco” Holland Jr. | Love Island 3 | Ashburn, VA
- Sarah Lacina | Survivor 28, 34(Winner), 40 | Muscatine, IA
- Alyssa Lopez | Big Brother 23 | Sarasota, FL
- Danny McCray | Survivor 41 | Houston, TX
- Tiffany Mitchell | Big Brother 23 | Detroit
- Justine Ndiba | Love Island 2 (Winner) | Rockaway, NJ
- Enzo Palumbo | Big Brother 12, 22 | Bayonne, NJ
- Cayla Platt | The Amazing Race 33 | Gulf Breeze, FL
- Xavier Prather | Big Brother 23 (Winner) | Kalamazoo, MI
- Cashay Proudfoot | Love Island 3 | Brooklyn, NY
- Angela Rummans | Big Brother 20 | Hilton Head, SC
- Shan Smith | Survivor 41 | Toronto, Canada
- Shannon St. Clair | Love Island 3 | Bucks County, PA
- Leo Temory | The Amazing Race 23, 24, 31 | Pasadena, CA
- Cely Vazquez | Love Island 2 | Sacramento, CA
- Javonny Vega | Love Island 3 | Boca Raton, FL
- James Wallington | The Amazing Race 32(Winner) | Grand Rapids, MI
- Desi Williams | Survivor 35 | Peachtree City, GA
- Derek Xiao | Big Brother 23 | Baltimore, MD
- Kyland Young | Big Brother 23 | San Bernardino County, CA
Each week, these CBS reality titans will be paired up with a random contestant to make alliances and test strategies to win daily challenges and eliminate their opponents. One male and one female will win the title of Challenge Champion, along with $500,000 and a spot on "The Challenge: Global Championship" to compete against champions of other Challenge franchises.
MTV's "The Challenge," which premiered on June 1, 1998, is the longest-running reality series in TV history.
After Wednesday's 90-minute premiere, "The Challenge: USA" will air Wednesdays from 9-10 p.m. after "Big Brother" on 10 Tampa Bay.