MTV Officially Announces It's New Cast, Format, And Premiere Date For The Next Challenge With CT, Bananas, Laurel, Etc. CHOO CHOO!!!

MTV- For every Challenge linchpin who’s successfully won gold (Bananas, Darrell and Evelyn could collectively stock an empty treasure chest), many have tried for first place and failed. But when MTV’s beloved competition show returns for Season 29 on February 7, the Underdogs will finally have their day.

On the heels of Rivals III comes a new type of game called The Challenge: Invasion which will usher 18 winless contestants — vets and first-timers alike — to a deserted, austere wasteland called The Shelter. The Underdogs will battle across a series of contests for the chance to move out of squalor and into typical Challenge luxury — The Oasis — but only 12 will get the chance to live like royalty. Still, even then, there will be no breathing easy: Just when the lucky ones get comfortable, they’ll find the game is far from over.

The final crop of Underdogs will have to face down eight proven Champions (peep ‘em above smack talking the Underdogs), and the superstars stand between the long shots and a huge $350,000 prize. And with devastating elimination rounds, truly baffling hookups and the first-ever three-day final on the way too, Season 29 may just prove to be the series’ most unpredictable and gripping saga yet.

Champs Ashley K, Bananas, Camila, Cara Maria, CT, Darrell, Laurel, Zach

Underdogs Amanda, Anika, Anthony, Ashley, Bruno, Cory, Dario, Hunter, Jenna, Kailah, LaToya, Marie, Nelson, Nicole, Shane, Sylvia, Theo, Tony

LETS FUCKING GOOOOOOO!!! I blogged about the rumored cast a few months ago and thought the sources were pretty strong because I share an office with BNN. And of course the sources were money. The premiere date makes sense since the NFL ends that Sunday and the nation will turn its lonely eyes to The Challenge for the massive void in sports and competition. What I didn’t know was the format. I thought maybe the vets would just be coaches because who has time for dealing with the nonsense of a Challenge house after the age of 30 or so? But it looks like MTV got around that by putting the older “champs” in a nice house away from the riff raff. Absolutely genius move that may or may not have been discussed on the No Quitters podcast (which should be back this season just trying to figure out specifics). The champs may not party like they used to, but they have a ton of experience on how to twist a dagger into a friend’s back all in the name of some straight cash homie.

Anyway, it’s great to see that the big dogs like CT and Bananas are back. Plus as MTV showed us last season, they have no problem putting in a last minute twist that could CHANGE EVERYTHING and blow everyone’s mind. Which is good because if we are being honest, The Challenge had some struggles the last few seasons. But with a cast like this and the entertainment world still buzzing about the Bananas Bombs, we may be well on the road to recovery.

Speaking of the cast, here is the preview for the cast members that I wrote a few months ago. Since the rumors were basically perfect, there is no need to really change anything.

We get back an all-time classic competitor in Darrell. There are some Challenge fans that don’t know much about Darrell, but he was an absolute stud back in the day that was like Adrian Peterson. Talented and athletic as hell. Oh yeah and I have to include the time Darrell knocked Brad’s block off

Consider me one of the people that is shocked…SHOCKED… that Camila has unretired less than 4 months after she announced her retirement despite her two bachelor degrees.

Now hit her music!

JK, I don’t know if that’s Camila’s song. But that’s what I hear every time The Camilanator comes out.

Moving along, we have Cara Maria coming back to The Challenge either because she wants more money, needed some time away from her BELOVED cousin, or figured Thailand was safer than an America with Abe in it. I don’t really have an opinion on Ashley or Sam other than that Real World: San Diego cast unleashed the biggest sociopath The Challenge has seen in years (Frank) and it’s a damn shame he is not on this list.

Next up we have Laurel. I love having Laurel back because she is one of the best girl competitors ever. I hate having Laurel back because she scares me and is the meanest drunk I have ever seen in my life.

Nobody picks on Big E and gets away with it. #BigGuyTwitter for life.

Next up we have Zach. I hate having Zach back because he has popcorn muscles and always lets his team and the audience down. I REALLY hate having Zach back because he broke the heart of Jenna AKA America’s Sweetheart. And that’s all I have to say about Zach. Actually fuck you Zach. Okay, now that’s all I have to say about Zach.

And of course Johnny Bananas is back. If you ever wondered what it would have been like if Michael Jordan returned the season after hitting that shot in Game 6 against the Jazz, this Challenge is your answer. Still the best moment I have seen on TV in years.

Collllld bloodeddddddd. So happy the money hasn’t changed Johnathan Nanners.

And some quick thoughts on each of The Challengers.

- Shane: He was on Road Rules Campus Crawl. I Googled “Road Rules Campus Crawl” and the top result was “Road Rules Campus Crawl Where Are They Now”. That can’t be good for Shane considering he’s in a house with a ton of boozed up, sex crazed, over competitive 20-somethings.

- Cory: We could talk about Cory being the worst personal trainer ever or we could talk about the time he hooked up with Aneesa. Or we could jump off of the tallest building in your city. All three are about equal.

- Tony: TONY!!! I leapt out of my chair when I saw he was on the cast. I’m pissed that we got Road Rules Shane instead of Tony Brother Shane AKA Electric Bugaloo. But I’ll take Tony and his utterly ridiculous love of women. The over/under for girls he kisses this season has been conservatively set at 12.5.

- Bruno: I’m terrified of Bruno. I’m not sure who saw his Real World season, but he stopped speaking to his brother over a tuna fish sandwich. And he almost murdered someone for eating his burger.

And him and Tony have some history.

Complete loose cannon. So when I say I’m terrified of Bruno it means I LOVE THAT BRUNO IS ON THIS SEASON! What the fuck took you so long, MTV? Are You The One cast members was better than this?

- Theo: I watch the new Real World episode on DVR during the weekend. Not bad but not great so far. Theo seems like a cool ass guy though and he doesn’t seem crazy. Need a few guys like that in The Challenge house. It’s like the opposite of a sports team. You can have 1 crazy guy in sports as long as everyone else is sane. In The Challenge house, you can have 1 sane guy if everyone else is crazy.

- Dario: Baby ARod himself. I hate everything about Dario and I love everything about Dario. He’s a complete meathead but he is flat-out hilarious with his unintentional comedy. Happy to have him back. His spelling of Bananas and Wes was a high-water mark for last season.

- Everyone from Are You The One: Don’t care. Almost all of them stink on Challenges. But here is my #BarstoolConfession of the day. I watched the last Are You The One (season 4). It’s a good, fun show. But it’s soooo much different than The Challenge. Which is why I think the cast members don’t translate from one show to the other.

- Everyone From Real World St. Thomas: I didn’t watch this season, so I know next to nothing about them. I will blindly say they are better than any Are You The One Trash.

- Nicole: Thickest Staten Island accent you will ever hear in your life. Is a triplet, an EMT and seemed pretty cool on her show. Feels like a one and done appearance for her.

- Sylvia: I couldn’t remember how Sylvia was on her season. Wifey Clem called her a firecracker. I love having firecrackers on The Challenge. This is a good thing. I think.

- Kailah: Do you like Challenge cast members that seem to have a billion daddy issues? If so, you are going to LOVE Kailah. Don’t believe me?

- Anika: Streaked naked in the first episode. Don’t remember much else about her but what else do you really need to know.

- Ashley: She exudes crazy like Odell Beckham exudes athleticism. Absolute superstar in the making.

Super duper star.

Reminder: She has a thigh tattoo. Girls like Ashley is the reason these shows are so good. She’ll be in wherever the Hall of Fame is for The Challenge one day. I think Cancun would be the perfect place for a Challenge Hall of Fame personally

- Jenna: All she does is make the Challenge finals and steal the hearts of millions every season. I love Jenna and you should love Jenna (unless you are Zach. You don’t deserve her).

Be still my heart.

– And after all that, this is just a reminder that CT is back. CT IS BACK. CT ISSSS BACKKKKKKK! Time to get hyped.