‘The Challenge’ stars (from left) Chris ‘CT’ Tamburello, Johnny ‘Bananas’ Devenanzio and Trishelle Cannatella.Photo:PEACOCK (3)
PEACOCK (3)
Chris “CT” Tamburello,Trishelle CannatellaandJohnny “Bananas” Devenanziowill make the jump fromThe Challengeto the world ofThe Traitorswhen they compete onseason 2 of the Peacock reality show.
“We’re in a house with people our age, finally,” Tamburello tells PEOPLE in a joint interview with Cannatella, 44, and Devenanzio, 41.
Devenanzio feels like “they’re trying to replace us with this new generation” onThe Challenge.
For one mission, “they gave us wetsuits, and I’m like, ‘That’s so kind,’” Cannatella says. “I felt like I’m thanking people for a human thing that of course you give someone, you don’t want them to get hypothermia. InThe Challenge? No wetsuits, just jump in there, dive 40 feet down, grab something that’s 100 lbs., bring it out.”
Johnny ‘Bananas’ Devenanzio (center) competing on ‘The Traitors’ season 2.Euan Cherry/PEACOCK
Euan Cherry/PEACOCK
Devenanzio says he and hisTraitorscastmates received “a four-hour long safety lesson,” while onThe Challenge, “you come out with a bone sticking out, they’re like, ‘Rub some dirt on it, you’ll be fine. Here, they were like, ‘OK, listen here, the pebbles might be wet, so don’t slip on them. Watch your footing.’”
TheDeath, Taxes, and Bananaspodcast host looked forward to stepping out of the world ofThe Challenge, where he’s competed since 2006.
“What I always say aboutThe Challengeis we are placed in one of the most insane environments with the most complicated set of individuals that exist anywhere on earth,” Devenanzio says. “So it’s like, if you’re able to not only survive but to thrive in that environment and be able to understand people and read people and how people move, I feel like, then coming into this, it’s going to be the ultimate test of being able to see if the skills that we’ve acquired over the years, if they apply somewhere other than justThe Challenge.”
Cannatella admitsThe Challenge“had gotten way too hard for me physically,” but feels like withThe Traitors, “I can still carry my weight.”
The cast of ‘The Traitors’ season 2.Euan Cherry/PEACOCK
The Traitorsalso reinvigorated Cannatella’s love of competing.
“I stopped caring because I didn’t like the people,” she says ofThe Challenge. “There are better people in this show, but this is more of a mental and kind of emotional toughness game. And I’ve always felt like I was super mentally and emotionally tough. And so this is, to me, I was like, ah, this is the perfect game for me because I can actually just thrive and survive.”
Tamburello thinks coming fromThe Challengegives him, Devenanzio and Cannatella an edge over theirTraitorscompetitors.
“I feel likeThe Challengeis likeBig BrotherandSurvivorandFear Factorand any other competition show throw it in there too. And it’s all in one,” the father of one says. “When someone says they come fromSurvivororBig Brotheror something like that, I feel like, oh yeah, I kind of did that. But they can’t say the opposite.”
Devenanzio callsThe Challenge“the most cutthroat, mentally, physically, emotionally draining experience on earth.”
“I’ve made a living off of being manipulative and conniving and backstabbing people and Tom Foolery and Skullduggery,” he continues. “A lot of people know, at least with me, what I bring to the table, front and back. And I think that I have a reputation going toThe Challengeevery season where it’s like I have my back up against the wall Day 1, andI’m like public enemy No. 1. And I feel like coming in [toThe Traitors], for once, I feel like I might be able to take a breath for a second and not have to clock in the day I get here.”
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The Traitorsseason 2 premieres Friday on Peacock.
source: people.com