"Too embarrassed to even say anything"— Denise Richards opens up about medical ordeal on Special Forces: World's Toughest Test

Episodes 1 and 2 of Special Forces: World's Toughest Test season 3 premiered on FOX on January 8, 2025. Denise Richards was one of the 16 celebrities pushing their limits by undergoing an actual Special Forces selection process and participating in some of its tough challenges.

Even before the episode was aired, she had revealed on the January 3 episode of Jeff Lewis Live that she had ruptured her implants while performing one of the challenges on the reality show, which involved jumping off a bridge.

Later, after her elimination in episode 2, she shared in a January 10 interview with Entertainment Weekly that she wanted to see a doctor to make sure that the bridge jumping challenge didn't damage her past hernias.

While she felt that she could continue on the show with her medical ordeal, she was "too embarrassed" to share her situation with her fellow cast and crew.

"I knew the implants, and that was something I knew I could still continue [with]. I was too embarrassed to even say anything about those. But it was where I had my surgery before with my hernias that I wanted to make sure," she said.

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Special Forces: World's Toughest Test star Denise Richards reflects on being on the reality show

Denise Richards removed her armband in Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test episode 2 and chose to voluntarily eliminate herself due to a back injury. A day after her elimination, she told Entertainment Weekly that her situation was more complicated than what was shown in the FOX series.

She shared that she had four hernias surgically repaired a couple of years ago, around the time she was filming The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

So when it was time for her to perform the bridge jump on Special Forces: World's Toughest Test, she had to wear a harness that was placed around her lower body and chest. It caused her concern because it put pressure on the area. She thought the damage might have been severe, but fortunately, the swelling went down, and she didn’t need surgery again.

"I still have to have surgery with my implants. I just haven't had the downtime yet. I'm hoping to do it in a couple weeks. Either [replaced] or removed, whatever I decide to do. The ones that are there have to come out," she continued.

Richards added that she wanted to see a doctor to make sure that she was okay to continue with the weights the Special Forces: World's Toughest Test contestants had to carry with them. However, she was told by the crew that she could either continue in her condition or take medical assistance and leave the competition.

"I felt like I had no choice, but I did want to stay as long as I could," the Special Forces: World's Toughest Test contestant said.

Richards noted that she wanted the medical attention as she wanted to make sure that she was okay. She was initially hesitant to share her medical ordeal with her fellow cast and crew.

However, she ultimately decided to be honest, adding that instead of suffering, she could have easily stayed in a hotel and ordered room service instead.

"I am actually very proud of myself. I had the guts to jump off a bridge… I was so happy. Even though I couldn't climb in that helicopter, I was very happy. I was able to at least grab on and hang from there. I never in a million years thought I could do that," she concluded.

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New episodes of Special Forces: World's Toughest Test season 3 will air every Wednesday on FOX.