With The Challenge: Battle For a New Champion currently airing on MTV, many viewers are starting to wonder about Season 40 of the competition series.
The Season 39 reunion was recently filmed in Amsterdam, with main cast members and several champions there to discuss what went down during the show.
Ratings have been lower than other seasons for the latest, with some critics suggesting it’s due to the cast.
Based on the latest online spoilers and rumors, casting for the untitled 40th season is currently underway, with potential cast members being speculated about.
Fans are hoping to see many of their favorite competitors back on the show in more prominent roles than just as mercenaries for elimination events.
An online cast list has recently added three more individuals’ names as possible cast members for Season 40.
Three competitors added to the Season 40 cast list
Monsters and Critics reported about Survivor winner and multi-time competitor Michele Fitzgerald as the first name to go on the speculative list for Season 40.
According to recent online spoilers and rumors from @GamerVev on Twitter, three more individuals are now considered “potential” cast members or alternates for the season.
Joining Michele is one of her Season 39 castmates, Kyland Young. He’s been winning over fans during Battle For a New Champion after winning three eliminations, including two against former champions.
Along with Kyland, The Challenge: Ride or Dies winners are now on the list. Devin Walker and his friend Tori Deal are potential cast members to compete in Season 40.
In addition to those four names, numerous names appear on the “Up in the air” list and the list of cast members not to expect.
For those “Up in the air” right now, some fan favorites like Ashley “Millionaire” Mitchell, Cara Maria Sorbello, Chris “CT” Tamburello, and Johnny Bananas are on the list.
Some cast members listed as not to expect include Nelson Thomas, Kam Williams, Jenna Compono, Zach Nichols, and Joss Mooney.
Since filming begins in March, the Season 40 cast list should become more official in the coming months.
Battle For a New Champion ratings remain low
Recent seasons of MTV’s The Challenge have experienced a decline in terms of ratings, with Season 39 continuing the trend. According to Spoiler TV, the recent Episode 13 featured the return of former winner Brad Fiorenza as a mercenary, had 528,000 viewers, and a 0.21 rating in the key 18-49 demographic.
The Challenge was seventh overall for cable programs shown in primetime on Wednesday, January 10. The new Battle For a New Champion episode finished behind Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, an NBA game on ESPN, and the latest episode of AEW: All Elite Wrestling Dynamite on TBS.
Based on stats from The Challenge Wiki Fandom page, the three most recent episodes of The Challenge scored the most viewers. Episode 11 had 450,000 viewers, while Episode 12 had 500,000 viewers.
These episodes featured returning champions Laurel Stucky and Cara Maria, but only at the end of the episode for their elimination appearances.
Episode 14 promises to bring in the viewers as Chris “CT” Tamburello returns to the show for an elimination.
Season 39 hit a low of 190,000 viewers for Episode 4, aired on Wednesday, November 8. This episode featured no champions. Many critics contend that the Season 39 cast has viewers choosing not to watch.
Time will tell if MTV’s competition series can assemble the sort of cast viewers want to watch weekly for Season 40.
The Challenge: Battle For a New Champion airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on MTV.
It wasn’t because of the cast. I never had to pay to watch the Challenge. This year season 39 we had to pay to watch. Will we have to pay for season 40, if we do you may lose more viewers.
I have been trying to watch different seasons of the Challenge and when you get about halfway through they say the remaining episodes are not available. This is on Paramount
The biggest issue for me isn’t the cast, it’s the challenges. They have gotten so weak. Step it up! We want bangers and hard finals. No more survivor challenges.
Enjoying this season….not because of the current players but for the eliminator being brought on to knock these cocky kids off their high horses…