"It's not worth it to me" — Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test star Stephen Baldwin chimes in on his early exit

Stephen Baldwin, known for his acting career and being a member of the Baldwin family, made an early exit from Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test in its premiere episode on January 8, 2025. Baldwin's exit came after he expressed concerns about an injury and questioned the risks involved in continuing the challenges. He said in his statement:

“It’s not worth it to me. It’s not worth it to have to go into a hospital for a couple of weeks,” signaling his decision to leave the show after a short but intense experience.

Baldwin’s early departure highlighted the physical and mental challenges that participants face in the series, and the decision to leave became a pivotal moment in the episode on Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.

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Stephen Baldwin’s initial struggles and the decision to leave Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test

During the first task of the show, Baldwin was among the eight celebrities who completed the challenge. This involved jumping from a speeding boat to a helicopter and climbing aboard while it was still moving. However, despite completing the task, Baldwin began to experience physical discomfort.

He explained that he had sustained an injury to his meniscus and was also experiencing severe back pain, saying:

“I smashed my meniscus on the helicopter today and my back is in knots and I can’t turn my head past there.”

Baldwin, worried about his health, sought a consultation with the on-duty doctor from Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test. The consultation took an unexpected turn when Baldwin expressed frustration and hostility toward the doctor. He questioned the doctor’s motivations, asking,

“Are you being paid to do this?.. If right after this gig you had another one that paid you 10 times what they are paying you now, would you do it?”

The doctor, unsure of where the conversation was headed, responded cautiously, which only led Baldwin to further clarify his thoughts on the situation.

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The turning point

Baldwin revealed that he had prior commitments that required him to avoid injury. He underscored his position on the matter — he was not willing to risk further injury for the sake of the competition, saying,

“I have a gig right after this. The one condition for that gig is that I not get injured.”

Despite the challenges he had faced, Baldwin emphasized that the potential for injury was simply too high for him to continue. In response to the doctor’s inquiry about Baldwin’s awareness of the risks involved, Baldwin affirmed that he was fully aware of the challenges but had not anticipated sustaining an injury so early on, saying:

“Yes, but I didn’t know I would definitely get injured...I cannot get injured.”

As Baldwin grew increasingly adamant about the need to avoid injury, further highlighting the importance of his decision to leave.

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The show’s response and Baldwin's exit

After Baldwin expressed his concerns, the staff of ex-Special Forces operatives, who were overseeing the training, were consulted. They appeared to believe that Baldwin was searching for an excuse to leave Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test and thus decided to dismiss him from the course, saying:

“No. 5, you failed this course and you failed yourself. Go.”

They informed him that he had failed the course and, by extension, failed himself. His exit was confirmed by a voiceover in the episode, which stated that Baldwin was the first recruit to leave the course, having made it just one day into the selection process.

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Stay tuned for new episodes of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test on Fox every Wednesday at 8 PM ET.