Fox will put a group of celebrities through intense military-style training in a new competition show.
The network has set a January premiere date for Special Forces: The Ultimate Test, which will follow 16 celebs as they take on a series of challenges pulled from the actual special forces selection process under the eye of four former military operatives.
Fox announced the series Wednesday during its time at the Television Critics Association press tour. The network has also added six actors — including Emmy winner Margo Martindale and Emmy nominee Molly Parker — to its courtroom anthology Accused and set a premiere date for its previously announced Lego Masters celebrity holiday edition.
Special Forces is based on a British show, SAS: Who Dares Wins, that has aired 11 cycles (four with celebrities) on Channel 4. The show won’t feature any eliminations — the goal for the participants is just to make it through the training.
“Special Forces: The Ultimate Test puts celebrities you know and love through the most pure and authentic test of endurance that I have ever seen. In many ways, it is more about mental strength than physical strength,” said Rob Wade, president alternative entertainment and specials at Fox. “It’s an eye-opening glimpse into the most intense training in the world and gives a taste of the grit and bravery our armed forces show on a daily basis, which was a life-changing experience for these celebrities.”
The 16 participants are a mix of athletes (Danny Amendola, Dwight Howard, Gus Kenworthy, Nastia Liukin, Carli Lloyd, Mike Piazza), reality TV veterans (Hannah Brown, Kate Gosselin, Kenya Moore, Dr. Drew Pinsky) and actors, singers and TV personalities (Mel B., Tyler Florence, Montell Jordan, Beverley Mitchell, Anthony Scaramucci and Jamie Lynn Spears). Minnow Films produces, with Sophie Leonard, Alicia Kerr, and Becky Clarke serving as executive producers.
On Accused, Martindale (Justified, The Americans) and Parker (Deadwood) will star in an episode tackling conspiracy theories. The episodic anthology has also cast Rachel Bilson, Jack Davenport, Reid Miller, August Maturo, J. Harrison Ghee, Ian Anthony Dale, Kyle Schmid, Blaine Kern, Chris Coy, Kristen Connolly, Willam Belli, Robert I. Mesa, Natalie Benally, Julia Chan and Takashi Yamaguchi to appear during its season.
Additionally, Indigenous filmmaker Tazbah Rose Chavez (Reservation Dogs, Resident Alien) will write and direct an episode about Native American activists protesting a uranium mine that has polluted tribal lands for decades. Brad Turner, Jonathan Mostow and Lee Rose will also direct episodes.
Lego Masters: Celebrity Holiday Bricktacular will air over three consecutive nights starting Dec. 19. The show will feature Leslie Jordan, Robin Thicke, Cheryl Hines and Finesse Mitchell teaming up with past Lego Masters contestants to build holiday-themed creations.
