MTV’s The Challenge franchise is embracing nostalgia with the return of The Challenge: All Stars Season 5, bringing back the beloved Rivals theme.
Premiering Jan. 29, the new season of MTV‘s The Challenge: All Stars also marks a major shift as the spinoff returns to its original home on MTV after previously streaming on Paramount+.
“It was a long, long, long walk down memory lane,” said showrunner Emer Harkin, explaining that the season’s 13 rival teams were carefully selected based on real, ongoing feuds. Some, like Steve Meinke and Adam Larson, recently clashed on The Challenge: All Stars Season 4, while others, like Veronica Portillo and Katie Doyle, have been at odds since Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Inferno in 2004. The season even includes exes Ashley Kelsey and Dario Medrano, who haven’t spoken in years.
Harkin emphasized the importance of choosing authentic rivalries, diving into long-standing conflicts and even some behind-the-scenes tensions fans may not know about. “It was about looking at those duos and what felt varied, what felt new, what felt fresh,” she said.
Another major talking point is the return of controversial competitors. Ashley Mitchell, absent from The Challenge 40, is back in the mix. Meanwhile, Turbo Çamkıran’s return sparked debate among fans due to past behavior. Harkin noted that cast members’ growth is always considered, saying, “We are in constant conversations with cast about their evolution and the work they do on themselves.”
With an explosive lineup of rivalries, The Challenge: All Stars 5 aims to deliver intense competition and drama, all while celebrating the legacy of the franchise. Fans can tune in when the season kicks off on MTV.
