The high stakes reality competition series hosted by Brandon Gonez returns February 27 with stops in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia
Download photos of the Players here
Watch Canada’s Ultimate Challenge Season Three trailer here
January 23, 2025 – CBC today announced the 20 Players who will compete on the third season of CANADA’S ULTIMATE CHALLENGE (7×60), the original reality competition format that transforms Canada into a giant obstacle course. This season, 20 extraordinary Canadians are split into five teams to face relentless challenges that demand physical grit, mental sharpness, and the ability to navigate fiery team dynamics. At stake is the incredible opportunity to cheer on Team Canada at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Produced by Insight Productions and The Gurin Company, CANADA’S ULTIMATE CHALLENGE returns to CBC and CBC Gem on Thursday, February 27 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT).
Host Brandon Gonez returns to guide audiences through another electrifying season of CANADA’S ULTIMATE CHALLENGE where the stakes are higher, the challenges are tougher, and the drama is dialed up to eleven. Once again, Canada is turned into a massive obstacle course, starting in the majestic surf town of Tofino, BC and spanning iconic stops in Vancouver, BC, Drumheller, AB, Saskatoon, SK, Sault Ste. Marie, ON, Mont Tremblant, QC and Halifax, NS. This season, CANADA’S ULTIMATE CHALLENGE is proud to welcome WestJet as a new sponsor.
As the drama reaches a fever pitch, audiences will experience unforgettable clashes, awe-inspiring locations, and the kind of no-holds-barred competition that builds with every twist, turn, and confrontation. Only those who prove they have the grit, guts, and game to thrive will claim victory and secure their place as Canada’s Ultimate Challenge champions.
Meet the 20 Players competing on season three of CANADA’S ULTIMATE CHALLENGE:
Team Blue
- Mariam Allam – 38, a fitness trainer and former engineer with a PhD from MIT who was born in Saudi Arabia, raised in Egypt, and now lives in Toronto, ON
- Aaron Chapplain – 30, a former competitive and professional figure skater, and past competitor on For the Love of DILFs from Toronto, ON
- Tulio Hsu – 25, an event promoter, content creator, martial artist, and gymnast from Richmond Hill, ON
- McKiya Mazur – 22, a strength and conditioning coach from Russell, MB who trains hockey players
Team Green
- Veronica Beltran-Flores – 27, a marketing strategist from Langley, BC
- Gabriel Daoust – 28, a firefighter from Quebec City, QC
- Ashlyn Gunderson – 33, a fitness model and coach from Lethbridge, AB
- Steve Vetsavong – 40, a correctional officer and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor from Beamsville, ON
Team Orange
- Ayjay Colley – 30, a tumbling coach from Halifax, NS
- Willow Morton – 24, a mixed martial arts fighter from Sault Ste Marie, ON
- Becky Ostep – 29, a communications advisor and fitness enthusiast from Ottawa, ON
- Deymien Rosemberg – 25, a content creator from Montreal, QC
Team Red
- Steph Beck – 32, an entrepreneur and professional bodybuilder from Conception Bay South, NL
- Santina Carlson – 31, a construction worker and former houseguest on Big Brother Canada from Edmonton, AB
- Mark Manysiac – 35, a former solid waste service operator from Canmore, AB
- Keenan Wong – 26, a personal trainer from Surrey, BC
Team Yellow
- Kelly Babstock – 32, a professional hockey player in the PWHL from Mississauga, ON
- Eddie Brahimir – 27, a fence-building business owner who competes in UFC’s Power Slap from Caledonia, ON
- Gracia Gajinga – 25, a student and former competitor on Love Island Quebec from Montreal, QC
- Ene Mwadi – 27, a youth club facilitator and mentor, originally from the Congo and now based in Edmonton, AB
Commissioned by CBC, season three of CANADA’S ULTIMATE CHALLENGE is executive produced by Erin Brock, John Brunton, and Mark Lysakowski for Insight Productions (A Boat Rocker Company) and Phil Gurin for The Gurin Company. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Entertainment, Factual & Sports; Jennifer Dettman is Executive Director, Unscripted Content; and Ann-Marie Redmond is Executive in Charge of Production. The format was co-created by CBC and The Gurin Company. International format rights are handled by TGC Global Entertainment.
For all things CANADA’S ULTIMATE CHALLENGE, including team bios, interviews and updates, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/television/canadasultimatechallenge. Follow CANADA’S ULTIMATE CHALLENGE on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.
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About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.
About Insight Productions (A Boat Rocker Company)
Insight Productions is known for its award-winning ratings juggernauts and is Canada’s most established content producer and an industry leader in the development, financing, and production of hit programming. The company has created some of the most dynamic and top-rated programs including The Amazing Race Canada (the most watched Canadian show on record), Big Brother Canada, Stronger Together/Tous Ensemble, Canada’s New Year’s Eve: Countdown, and The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration, a live concert special on CBC watched by one in three Canadians. Insight has also collaborated with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation as executive producers on Every Child Matters: Reconciliation Through Education and National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. Insight Productions was founded in 1979 and has since created thousands of hours of ground-breaking content. For more information on Insight, please visit www.insighttv.com or on Twitter @insightprod or Facebook at www.facebook.com/InsightProductions
About The Gurin Company
Award-winning Producer/Writer/Creator and President & CEO of The Gurin Company (http://www.gurinco.com), Phil Gurin creates, acquires, sells and produces entertainment programs all over the world. Gurin has won four Prime Time Emmy Awards as an Executive Producer on ABC’s Shark Tank, and an international Rose d’Or (Golden Rose) for the comedy game show Oh Sit! which he co-created for The CW. His hit show The Singing Bee is one of the Top 30 most produced original formats in the world. He has also produced and written over 3,000 hours of television that have been seen in more than 185 countries, and many other formats, including Fridge Wars, Weakest Link, Lingo, Test The Nation, Candid Camera, Double Dare, Remote Control, Before They Were Stars, Your Chance To Dance, Wanna Bet?, All-New 3’s A Crowd, Make The Grade, Win Lose or Pawn, So You Think You’d Survive, FOX’s New Year’s Eve Live, Women Rock, US Olympic Hall of Fame, KISS: Live, Miss America, Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe. Gurin has Executive Produced 11 NAACP Image Awards and he recently Executive Produced Friday Night Vibes with Tiffany Haddish and Deon Cole for TBS, and Honoring Our Kings: A Celebration of Black Fatherhood starring Oprah Winfrey and Sterling K. Brown for OWN. His latest format, The Swap Project, recently debuted in Japan on Fuji Television, and Canada’s Ultimate Challenge has been renewed for its third season on the CBC. Gurin recently launched an independent international distribution company TGC GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT (https://www.tgc-global.com) specializing in formats, entertainment, factual and documentaries. Gurin is Co-Chair of FRAPA (Format Recognition and Protection Association), served on the Board of NATPE and is a member of the Producer’s Peer Group Executive Committee for the Television Academy. He speaks, moderates panels and writes frequently about the world of formats and the international television business. He also makes wine (visit http://www.gurinwines.com ).
Media Contacts
Winston Ma, CBC PR
Gabrielle Free (for Insight Productions)
416-220-0201
Cheryl Clarke at Mushroom Media (for The Gurin Company and TGC Global Entertainment)
+44 (0)7939554109
