Entertainment Weekly – September 01, 2019

An unprecedented look behind the curtain at the making

of THE CHALLENGE as the MTV hit heads into season 34...

yes, you read that right. BY BREANNE L. HELDMAN

AFTER A TWO-HOUR DRIVE INTO A THAILAND JUNGLE, THE ACTION ON THE

set of MTV’s The Challenge is about to begin. But it doesn’t exactly start with

a foghorn and a bunch of competitors clashing. The moment production-van

doors open to reveal lush green surroundings, the skies open and the wind

picks up, taking a tent with it and sending this season’s 32 reality stars scram-

bling for cover in craft services with the crew. The producers and cameramen

are unfazed and laughing off the incident. This is nothing, they say. Last season,

the entire elimination set washed away in a flash flood just four days before the

first face-off. Moments later, the rain stops and, after a few adjustments to the

freshly muddied obstacle course, the first challenge of season 34—“War of the

Worlds 2,” pitting teams of new

and returning American and British

players against each other and

premiering Aug. 28—is underway.

EW is the first publication to

witness that fun firsthand—and

here’s what we learned.

Everyone gets paid.

“It’s a tiered system where people

who’ve been on [ before] are paid

more money than people who

are just starting the franchise,

but everybody receives a weekly

stipend,” says showrunner Justin

Challe

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TOO CHEEKY

FOR TV!

86 SEPTEMBER 2019 EW● COM

SECRETS FROM

THE SET