Chris “CT” Tamburello could be preparing for a return to the show he’s become famous for, as he recently revealed he’s back on his journey to get physically fit.
Viewers last saw him competing in MTV’s The Challenge: Spies, Lies & Allies season, which he won alongside his partner for the final, Kaycee Clark.
However, many Challenge fans were disappointed when CT didn’t show up among The Challenge: World Championship cast as one of the MTV Legends along with winners including Jordan Wiseley, Wes Bergmann, and Johnny Bananas.
The 42-year-old reality TV star has been involved in a messy divorce with ex Lilianet Solares since last November.
However, he seems to be refusing to let that take its toll on his health, even teasing that he could be getting “maybe Challenge ready” with his return to intense workouts.
The five-time Challenge champion shared a series of Instagram Story videos in the past week to provide a look at his fitness journey.
CT Tamburello shares his return to fitness in a series of videos
In a series of IG Story clips, CT chronicles his return to working out as he heads to the gym. In one video, he appears from inside a car wearing a Boston Red Sox baseball cap and black hoodie as he speaks to the camera briefly.
“Let’s go- first day of training. I’m bout to walk in to meet my trainer,” CT says in a video clip, including the hashtags #Day1 and #LegDay.
He joked that he was trying to talk his trainer out of doing leg day for his first day back at the gym.
“Pray for Me,” CT said at the end of his video and also wrote the words over the IG Story video clip.
The footage shifts from CT’s car to a first-person view as he walks into the gym and greets trainer Paul Rosenthal as he loads weights onto a hack squat machine.
“You done warming up or what? Let’s go. I thought we were gonna get serious,” CT jokes, pretending he’s ready to start.
After a bit more joking around, CT is shown getting serious as he performs three sets of rack pulls with a barbell loaded with about six 45-pound weight plates.
CT adds text on the slide, calling the routine “BACK TO BASICS.” It includes three sets of squats and finishing with leg extensions, leg curls, and drop sets.
“NothingFancy,” text says over the slide as CT is seen performing the moves with heavy weights.
In another video, it’s “Day 2” for CT, and he’s on to his cardio. Based on the details in the clip, he’s attempting seven miles, which is definitely the sort of endurance training one needs to prepare for a Challenge final.
CT was ‘offered’ to return to The Challenge but said it was ‘just not the right time’
According to People, CT teased his return to The Challenge during one of his other videos a week ago before embarking on his fitness journey.
The multi-time Challenge winner said he was training to go “from being a fat a** to getting maybe Challenge ready.”
CT revealed he was “offered” to return to the competition show. However, he mentioned it was “just not the right time because of all that’s going on.” That includes spending time with his son, CJ, and dealing with his divorce, which hasn’t been the smoothest for the reality TV star.
He filed for divorce from his wife, Lilianet Solares, in November 2022 and has been dealing with the messy aspects since then, including most recently, his wife filing for emergency sole custody of their son Christopher Tamburello, Jr., aka CJ Tamburello.
Monsters and Critics previously reported about CT’s divorce situation, including him getting full ownership of the home he and Lilianet had lived in, with Lilianet having to find another place to move into. In other comments, he spoke about having no regrets about marrying Lilianet because it brought him his son, whom CT credited for multiple Challenge wins.
The topic of a potential return to MTV’s The Challenge or one of the newer versions of the show also came up during CT’s videos ahead of his fitness journey beginning.
“I don’t know,” Tamburello said in his video. “Look, I’m not saying… never say never, okay? I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss The Challenge at times.”
“But with all these spinoffs coming and going, I may have to grab that bag,” CT said, per the outlet’s report.
As of this writing, The Challenge: USA Season 2 is filming, with MTV cast members now part of the competition. In addition, All Stars 4 episodes are on the way, likely after The Challenge: World Championship episodes wrap up on Paramount Plus.
Details about MTV’s 39th season of The Challenge have yet to be revealed in spoilers or elsewhere. However, all of these certainly give the five-time champ some options.
The Challenge: World Championship episodes arrive Wednesdays on Paramount Plus.