Fear Factor was an iconic competition show back in the early aughts, forcing contestants to face their fears in pursuit of a grand cash prize. Facing those fears wasn't for the faint of heart, with challenges ranging from physically challenging to downright disgusting. It was fun to vicariously watch from the fear-free safety of the couch back in the day, but why am I talking about that series at this point in the 2025 TV schedule? Well, Fear Factor is coming back, with a new network and a new host who already seems like the perfect fit.
Yes, Fear Factor is returning, more than a year after rumors began to circulate about another reboot. The new version comes to Fox with the working title of Fear Factor: The Next Chapter, with Jackass vet Johnny Knoxville stepping up as host. This wouldn't just be a repeat of the version of the show that aired on NBC for six seasons from 2001-2006 under host Joe Rogan. In a statement, President of FOX Television Network Michael Thorn commented on Knoxville being tapped as the new host:
Johnny Knoxville is the champion of fearless entertainment. His wild sense of humor, unmatched ability to push boundaries and take on the extreme makes him the perfect fit to lead this bold new reinvention of Fear Factor
According to Fox's announcement, the brand new format will feature strangers dropped into an "unforgiving, remote location" and living together while also facing stunts, challenges, and – of course – fears. Throw in social strategy, and only one contestant will end the season with a grand cash prize. Fear Factor: The Next Chapter is slated to air on Fox in the 2025-2026 TV season.
In the meantime, it's not hard to find episodes from the original run of Fear Factor to scratch the itch. Seasons are available streaming with a Hulu subscription, a Peacock subscription, and an Amazon Prime Video subscription. At this point, however, my mind isn't so much on revisiting episodes from the early 2000s, but rather considering the criteria for getting cast.
To be clear – I watched enough of the original series to know that there's no reality in which I would ever want to be a contestant, but I did check out the elibigility requirements for open casting. The listing states that the show is looking "for people of all ages (18+) who are ready to face their fears and prove FEAR IS NOT A FACTOR." Applications are open to people over the age of 18 from the U.S. and Canada. Along with standard questions like name, age, and location, required questions in the application include:
- Occupation *
- Facebook *
- TikTok *
- YouTube *
- Twitter/X *
- What are your best characteristics? *
- What are your best characteristics? *
- What is more important – having the title of winner or the actual prize? *
- Close up photo of yourself *
- Full body shot of yourself *
The application also asks the potential contestant if they're fully available during "current filming dates of mid August 2025 - mid September 2025," which suggests that Fear Factor's newest incarnation likely won't be ready for Fox's early fall lineup, but could possibly premiere before the end of the year or early 2026.
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