Special Forces Season 5 Is Bringing 15 Celebrities to Malaysia
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test is returning for its fifth season with a new group of celebrity recruits and an especially demanding setting.
FOX has confirmed that Special Forces season 5 premieres Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. New episodes will air on FOX and become available to stream on Hulu the following day.
This time, the celebrity recruits will leave familiar surroundings behind and head to Malaysia. There, they will face military-inspired exercises designed to test their physical strength, mental resilience and ability to cope under pressure.
The new season features 15 recruits from television, sports, entertainment and public life. Among them are Candace Cameron Bure, Oliver Hudson, Ruby Rose and former U.S. Representative George Santos.
When Does Special Forces Season 5 Premiere?
Special Forces season 5 premieres September 24, 2026, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on FOX.
The season will continue the show’s unusual approach to reality competition. Rather than relying on audience voting or weekly elimination rounds, contestants must endure the training and prove they can keep going.
Episodes will be available on Hulu the day after their FOX broadcast.
That format remains one of the show’s biggest differences from conventional celebrity competition series.
Who Is in the Special Forces Season 5 Cast?
FOX has announced a 15-person lineup for the new season. The cast includes celebrities with very different backgrounds, which should make the military-style training even more unpredictable.
The Special Forces season 5 cast are:
- Matt Barnes
- Alycia Baumgardner
- Candace Cameron Bure
- David Charvet
- Brandi Glanville
- Collin Gosselin
- Oliver Hudson
- LeSean McCoy
- Maxim Naumov
- Ruby Rose
- George Santos
- Hannah Stocking
- Breana Tiesi
- Alexia Umansky
- Mauricio Umansky
FOX officially announced the full lineup in July 2026.
Candace Cameron Bure Joins the Recruits
Bure is among the season’s most recognisable television names. The Full House and Fuller House actress will face the same demanding course as the rest of the recruits.
Her participation puts another familiar entertainment figure into a competition where celebrity status offers little advantage.
Collin Gosselin Returns to Reality Television
Collin Gosselin, known from Jon & Kate Plus 8, is also joining the fifth season.
His appearance marks a return to reality television. His mother, Kate Gosselin, previously competed on the first season of Special Forces.
George Santos Takes on the Challenge
Former U.S. Representative George Santos is another notable addition to the cast.
He will compete alongside actors, reality stars, athletes and other public figures. The diverse lineup gives the fifth season a particularly broad mix of personalities and professional backgrounds.
Where Was Special Forces Season 5 Filmed?
The fifth season was filmed in Malaysia, with the recruits facing the country’s challenging jungle environment.
FOX describes the new location as one of the harshest environments featured in the series. The recruits must adapt to difficult terrain while completing tasks based on Special Forces-style training.
The Malaysian setting also changes the type of challenges viewers can expect compared with previous instalments.
What Challenges Will the Celebrities Face?
Season 5 is designed to push the recruits well beyond ordinary reality-TV challenges.
According to FOX, the course includes jungle warfare tasks and several high-pressure exercises. These include searching an underground bunker, retrieving supplies while suspended high above the jungle floor and dealing with chemical exposure during a mission involving an enemy vessel.
The challenges are inspired by the selection process associated with real Special Forces training. However, the series is a television competition featuring celebrities rather than an actual military selection course.
That distinction is important because the show uses the training concept as the basis for its reality-TV format.
There Are No Traditional Eliminations
One of the defining features of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test is its lack of conventional competition rules.
There are no audience votes and no standard weekly eliminations. Instead, recruits can leave the course voluntarily, become unable to continue because of injury or medical concerns, or be removed by the directing staff.
As a result, simply reaching the end of the course becomes the central objective.
That makes the show less about defeating another contestant and more about surviving the demands placed on each individual.
Who Leads the Special Forces Training?
The celebrity recruits are guided by former Special Forces operatives who serve as the show’s directing staff.
The season 5 team includes Rudy Reyes, Mark “Billy” Billingham, Jason “Foxy” Fox and Jovon “Q” Quarles.
Their role is to put the recruits through demanding exercises while assessing how they respond to pressure, discomfort and uncertainty.
What Makes Season 5 Different?
The Malaysian jungle gives the fifth season a new environment, but the show’s central idea remains the same: remove celebrities from their usual comfort zones and see how they respond.
This season combines actors, reality personalities, athletes, an influencer and a former politician. Their different levels of athletic experience could make the competition particularly interesting.
More importantly, the absence of traditional eliminations means viewers will be watching to see who can endure the course, rather than simply predicting who will receive the most votes.
Where Can You Watch Special Forces Season 5?
Viewers in the United States can watch Special Forces season 5 on FOX beginning September 24, 2026, at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
For streaming viewers, new episodes will be available on Hulu the following day. Hulu currently carries the show’s previous seasons as well.
Can You Catch Up Before Season 5?
Yes. The previous four seasons are available through Hulu, giving new viewers an opportunity to understand the show’s format before the Malaysian adventure begins.
Final Takeaway
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test season 5 is set to bring a fresh group of celebrities into one of television’s most physically demanding reality formats.
With 15 recruits, a Malaysian jungle setting and military-inspired challenges, the new season promises a very different experience from a conventional celebrity competition.
The biggest question is not who will win a prize. It is much simpler: who will manage to stay in the course until the end?