These Big-Name Players Refused The Call For The Challenge 40, But The Show Is Thriving Without Them

Summary

• Season 40 of The Challenge is already being hailed as the best ever by fans and reviews.
• Some major legends, like Wes Bergmann and Coral Smith, refused to return for the season.
• Despite some favorites declining, the Battle of the Eras theme has been well-received by viewers.

Season 40 of The Challenge premiered on MTV on August 12, 2024. Within days, reviews were already calling it the best ever season of the Reality TV competition series. Even more impressive is that this sentiment came on the back of some major legends saying no to a return.

Thankfully for fans of the long-running show, there are those big hitters who did not shirk the test of taking on The Challenge in the long-awaited all star Season 40. Chris “CT” Tamburello is one of the returnees, having already made a small fortune in his two decade-long career playing the game.

In this article, we take a look at The Challenge alumni who refused to come back, as well as why this season is seen as one of the very best.

Wes Bergmann Is One Of The Major Absentees From Season 40 Of The Challenge

Of all the people that fans were hoping to see return for The Challenge Season 40—titled Battle of the Eras, there aren’t many whose absence has been felt as strongly as Wes Bergmann. The veteran player hails from Leawood in Kansas, and has competed since The Real World: Austin in 2005.

Bergmann earned himself a reputation over the years as a cunning and political player, willing to do whatever it takes to keep moving ahead.

His villainous approach to the game has actually won him many fans over the years, and his absence from Battle of the Eras is very conspicuous.

Although neither him nor MTV have confirmed whether he received a call to challenge in Season 40, showrunner Justin Booth suggested in an interview that he was among the legends who said no to the opportunity.

Booth was speaking to Rolling Stone on the eve of the Season 40 premiere, and agreed when asked whether production attempted to secure Bergmann and other big names for a return.

“Yeah, [we tried], he said. “[But] obviously, these people are adults now. They have their own lives. They have their own jobs. The eight-week commitment to go on these shows is a real commitment. And so, unfortunately, some people just can’t make it work.”

What Other Legends Of The Challenge Refused To Feature In Season 40?

According to the Rolling Stone interview with Justin Booth, Wes Bergmann was not the only favorite who turned their nose up at a spot in Season 40 of The Challenge. In the question, the interviewer also name-dropped Coral Smith, who was a champion in Battle of the Seasons in 2002.

Most Notable Absentees from The Challenge: Battle of the Eras

Like Bergmann, Smith first played in the Real World days, and became known for her “notorious ability to form alliances.” In Fresh Meat, she also made history as part of the first ever team to be disqualified from a Challenge season for medical reasons after she dislocated her knee.

Smith welcomed her daughter, Charlie Beatrice on June 22, 2013. According to a report on E! Online updating readers on old stars of The Challenge, the two live in San Francisco, where she works as a host for an Internet-based travel show and freelance writer.

Booth also appeared to confirm that Evelyn Smith, champion from The Inferno 3, The Island and Rivals received a call to consider playing in 40 but refused. It was a similar story for Landon Lueck of The Inferno II, The Gauntlet 2, Fresh Meat II and The Duel II.

The MTV exec went on to reveal his trick for appealing to former contestants who were lukewarm about a potential return. He said, “I try to employ my old age and my relationships with them when they got started. You go the sentimental route.”

Early Reviews Of The Challenge 40: Battle Of The Eras Have Been Overwhelmingly Positive

It only took one episode for the internet to go crazy over The Challenge: Battle of the Eras. One of the main themes that was constant across social media was a contrast to the preceding season. That particular installment was dubbed Battle for a New Champion, and comprised a cast line-up of newbies only.

"I’m so fking happy about S40 omg!!! S39 had me questioning my entire life,” a Redditor by the username Independent_Bug938 commented on the social media platform.

“If I wasn't such a die hard challenge fan, I would not have been able to finish 39,” one response read, with another saying: “As happy as I am with any season of The Challenge, this one does feel special.”

As its title suggests, Battle of the Eras is themed around competition between players from different generations. According to Justin Booth, this was the most natural direction for The Challenge to take at this point in its evolution.

“It was a very obvious choice,” he said, still in the conversation with Rolling Stone. “There are obviously availability issues with all those guys… [But] we all started this stuff a million years ago together. And so to be able to field these teams and actually realize this concept was exciting for us.”

Will The Legends Who Refused A Spot In Battle Of The Eras Ever Return To The Challenge?

Justin Booth made it clear in his interview that The Challenge production team had pulled all stops to bring back all the heavy hitters back for Season 40. Many who said no did so because their lives and careers have drifted significantly in other directions.

This has raised the question whether the chance remains that some of them might find room for a comeback at some point in the future. As it turns out, there are those who are showing signs of great interest in the show, still.

Wes Bergmann is in fact one of those, as he took to X to criticize some of the current players for complaining about the state of things in the game. “But wait, they treated the cast like s---!” he wrote, sarcastically.

“The show is called The Challenge. It’s in the title,” Bergmann piled on. “If you ever complain about living conditions when on a show called The Challenge you need to clout chase on another channel.”

The Kansas native was in fact taking aim at fellow legend Johnny Bananas, who had expressed displeasure at some elements of the show. Booth hinted that Bergmann said no to Season 40 because of his daughter Lucy Jean, who was born to wife Amanda Hornick in September 2023.

His level of investment in The Challenge gives fans hope of a potential return in the future, and the same could apply to a few more who did turn Battle of the Eras down.