The Challenge 40- Meet the host

The Challenge season 40 (Image via Instagram/@thechallenge)
The Challenge season 40 (Image via Instagram/@thechallenge)

The highly anticipated season 40 of The Challenge has finally announced its premiere date and confirmed the roster of competitors. T.J. Lavin will host The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras, which is scheduled to release on Wednesday, August 14. The show will also feature a kickoff special, titled The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras: Countdown Begins, which will air on August 7 at 8 pm ET/PT.

The title has aired for 39 seasons and has led to numerous spin-offs. It holds the record for being the longest-running reality series. Over the years, the series has featured several iconic moments, unforgettable milestones, and impressive accomplishments. To mark its 40th season, the MTV show is bringing 40 veterans together to determine which era of the show emerges victorious.

Season 40 contestants ( Image via Instagram/@thechallenge)
Season 40 contestants ( Image via Instagram/@thechallenge)

Meet The Challenge season 40 host

Thomas Joseph "TJ" Lavin is popularly known as a BMX legend. He has been the host of MTV's The Challenge since 2005 and was first seen as the show's host in The Gauntlet 2. He has hosted every flagship season since and also every installment of the All Stars series.

He is an actor and composer, known for Beast: A Monster Among Men (2013), Viena and the Fantomes (2020), and more. He also featured in his video game MTV Sports: T.J. Lavin's Ultimate BMX and was seen in the 2022 documentary The Challenge: Untold History.

Viewers may also recognize him from the X Games and the Dew Tour. In the former, he won bronze three times, silver once, and gold three times. He has also been a DK Dirt Circuit Champion, a Gravity Games champion, and a CFB Champion. In 1995, he was named the "King of Dirt." He also has a 1-acre BMX track in his backyard with well-maintained trails and dirt jumps.

He got married to Roxanne Siordia in November 2012.

TJ Lavin (Image via Instagram/@tjlavin)
TJ Lavin (Image via Instagram/@tjlavin)

More about the show

In Battle of the Eras, the 40 contestants will be divided into four teams. A press release for the season hinted at an "Era Invitational" where participants will have to prove themselves to secure a spot on their team. The release also hinted at upcoming exciting challenges and surprises. It is currently unclear if the winner will be a team, a duo, or an individual, but fans are eager to see who emerges victorious and wins the one-million-dollar prize.

Five years ago, the show's episodes went from being 60 minutes to 90 minutes long. It is expected that the upcoming episode will also follow this pattern.

The new season will focus on 40 contestants from the show's past seasons, who will be divided into four different eras. Some of the well-known Challenge personalities competing in the upcoming installment include Johnny "Bananas" Devenanzio, Leroy Garrett, Cara Maria Sorbello, Darrell Taylor, Jordan Wiseley, and many more.


The Challenge 40 is set to release on MTV on August 14 after a kickoff special airs on August 7.

Edited by Adelle Fernandes
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