The Challenge Season 42, titled Cutthroat, streams on Paramount+ with new episodes every Wednesday, and the two-part final wraps up on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. Twenty-four players started in three teams, nine are left in the final, and the winning team shares a $500,000 prize. Below are the cast and teams, the full episode schedule, who has been eliminated so far, the finale date and where to watch.
Last updated on October 23, 2026, after Finale Part 1. This page has no spoilers for Part 2, and we update it with the result once Part 2 streams. For other shows airing this week, see our reality TV schedule.
The Challenge Season 42 at a Glance
| Question | Answer |
| Title | The Challenge: Cutthroat (Season 42) |
| Where to watch | Paramount+, which is the franchise’s new home after MTV |
| Premiere | Wednesday, August 5, 2026 |
| New episodes | Every Wednesday at 3 a.m. ET (12 a.m. PT) |
| Finale | The Final, Part 2, on Wednesday, October 28, 2026 (Part 1 streamed October 21) |
| Episodes | 14, with the final split into two parts |
| Host | TJ Lavin |
| Location | Thailand |
| Players | 24, in three teams: Orange, Grey and Blue |
| Prize | $500,000, shared by the winning team, with the winning captain deciding the split |
How The Challenge: Cutthroat Works
Cutthroat splits 24 players into three teams, and the team has to cross each finish line together to earn any share of the cash. Each team started with a rotating captain, and from Episode 5 every team named one permanent captain for the rest of the season. Captains have to balance winning with loyalty, because they can lose their power, and solo players have to prove they can work as part of a team. After Episode 8, Team Blue merged into Team Grey and the game became two teams.
The Challenge Season 42 Cast and Teams
The 24 players are listed below by their starting team. The cast includes returning veterans and players new to the franchise from shows such as Big Brother, Love Island, The Amazing Race and Deal or No Deal Island. Each card below is the official Paramount+ cast card, with the player’s team and status underneath.
TJ LavinHost of the showHOST
Johnny Bananas DevenanzioTeam OrangeIN THE FINAL
CT TamburelloTeam OrangeIN THE FINAL
Tori DealTeam OrangeIN THE FINAL
Michele FitzgeraldTeam OrangeIN THE FINAL
Will GagnonTeam OrangeIN THE FINAL
Justin HinsleyTeam OrangeOUT IN EPISODE 12
Izzy FairthorneTeam OrangeOUT IN EPISODE 8
Deb ChubbTeam OrangeOUT IN EPISODE 6
Adrienne NaylorTeam GreyIN THE FINAL
Cassidy ClarkTeam GreyIN THE FINAL
Chris UnderwoodTeam GreyOUT IN EPISODE 9
Keanu SotoTeam GreyOUT IN EPISODE 5
Cory WhartonTeam GreyLEFT IN EPISODE 7
Sydney SegalTeam GreyLEFT IN EPISODE 5
Leo DionicioTeam GreyREMOVED IN EPISODE 8
Nurys MateoTeam GreyOUT IN EPISODE 4 (21ST)
Alexis LeteTeam BlueIN THE FINAL
Cara Maria SorbelloTeam BlueIN THE FINAL
Anna Leigh WilsonTeam BlueOUT IN EPISODE 11
Josh GoldsteinTeam BlueREMOVED IN EPISODE 8
Nelson ThomasTeam BlueREMOVED IN EPISODE 8
Brad FiorenzaTeam BlueOUT IN EPISODE 3 (22ND)
Reilly SmedleyTeam BlueOUT IN EPISODE 2 (23RD)
Cedric HodgesTeam BlueOUT IN EPISODE 1 (24TH)
Who is left in The Challenge final?
Nine players are left. Team Orange has Johnny Bananas, CT Tamburello, Tori Deal, Michele Fitzgerald and Will Gagnon, and Team Grey has Adrienne Naylor, Alexis Lete, Cara Maria Sorbello and Cassidy Clark. The Grey team is all women and Orange is veteran-heavy, and the two face off over the final.
The Challenge Season 42 Episode Schedule and Eliminations
| Ep. | Title | Date | Who went out |
| 1 | Return to Cutthroat | Aug 5 | Cedric Hodges (24th) |
| 2 | Crying Won’t Get You Off This Roof | Aug 5 | Reilly Smedley (23rd) |
| 3 | Keep My Name Out Your Mouth | Aug 12 | Brad Fiorenza (22nd) |
| 4 | Say It to My Face | Aug 19 | Nurys Mateo (21st) |
| 5 | Down and Dirty | Aug 26 | Keanu Soto eliminated, Sydney Segal left the game |
| 6 | Leave Room for Jesus | Sep 2 | Deb Chubb |
| 7 | You Need Me | Sep 9 | Cory Wharton left the game |
| 8 | Is This Safe? | Sep 16 | Izzy Fairthorne eliminated, Josh Goldstein, Leo Dionicio and Nelson Thomas removed |
| 9 | A Captain’s Worst Nightmare | Sep 23 | Chris Underwood |
| 10 | Trial by Combat | Sep 30 | No one went out |
| 11 | Underwear Gate | Oct 7 | Anna Leigh Wilson |
| 12 | Participation Trophies | Oct 14 | Justin Hinsley, who lost the Pressure Puzzles arena to Alexis Lete |
| 13 | The Final, Part 1 | Oct 21 | No elimination |
| 14 | The Final, Part 2 | Oct 28 | Winner revealed |
Episodes 1 and 2 streamed together on the premiere date. The first four finishing places are confirmed as 24th to 21st, and later exits are listed by episode.
The Challenge Season 42 Finale: Part 1 Recap and Part 2 Date
Part 1 of the final streamed on Wednesday, October 21, with Team Orange and Team Grey going head to head in Thailand. No one was eliminated. Orange captain Tori Deal urged CT Tamburello to put his health first after he felt ill and was checked by medical staff during the day, and Alexis Lete told Adrienne Naylor she might sabotage the Grey team before ultimately helping it. Part 2 streams on Wednesday, October 28, and reveals the winning team and how the $500,000 is split.
Who Won The Challenge Season 42?
The winner has not been announced on screen yet. The result comes in The Final, Part 2, on Wednesday, October 28, on Paramount+. We do not publish unconfirmed spoilers, and we will add the winning team, the runners-up and the captain’s split to this page once Part 2 streams.
Where to Watch The Challenge Season 42
Every episode is streaming on Paramount+, with new episodes arriving on Wednesdays at 3 a.m. ET. If you follow other reality competitions, see what else is on in our reality TV this week guide, the Survivor 51 eliminations tracker and the Amazing Race 39 elimination order, since several Challenge players come from those franchises.
The Challenge Season 42 FAQ
When does The Challenge Season 42 finale air?
The Final, Part 2 streams on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, on Paramount+. Part 1 streamed on October 21.
How many episodes are in The Challenge Season 42?
There are 14 episodes, with the final split into Part 1 (Episode 13) and Part 2 (Episode 14).
Where can I watch The Challenge Season 42?
On Paramount+, with new episodes every Wednesday at 3 a.m. ET (12 a.m. PT).
Who is the host of The Challenge Season 42?
TJ Lavin.
How much is the prize on The Challenge Cutthroat?
$500,000. The winning team shares it, and the winning captain decides the split.
Where was The Challenge Season 42 filmed?
In Thailand.
Who is left on The Challenge Season 42?
Nine players: Johnny Bananas, CT Tamburello, Tori Deal, Michele Fitzgerald and Will Gagnon on Team Orange, and Adrienne Naylor, Alexis Lete, Cara Maria Sorbello and Cassidy Clark on Team Grey.
Who was eliminated in the last episode before the final?
Justin Hinsley went out in Episode 12 after losing the Pressure Puzzles arena to Alexis Lete.
Who was on each team in The Challenge Season 42?
Team Orange started with Justin Hinsley, Deb Chubb, Izzy Fairthorne, Johnny Bananas, CT Tamburello, Michele Fitzgerald, Tori Deal and Will Gagnon. Team Grey started with Chris Underwood, Adrienne Naylor, Sydney Segal, Nurys Mateo, Cory Wharton, Cassidy Clark, Keanu Soto and Leo Dionicio. Team Blue started with Anna Leigh Wilson, Cedric Hodges, Reilly Smedley, Alexis Lete, Brad Fiorenza, Nelson Thomas, Josh Goldstein and Cara Maria Sorbello.
Is there a reunion for The Challenge Season 42?
No reunion has been announced as of October 23, 2026.
Cast, teams, episode titles and results are based on Paramount+ and coverage from TVLine, DirecTV Insider, Primetimer and Wikipedia, and this page is updated after each episode.
Image credits: the cast cards on this page are official promotional images for The Challenge: Cutthroat from Paramount+, shared with the press. If you are the rights holder of an image on this page and would like it removed or credited differently, see our Terms of Service or contact us and we will act promptly.
