In a press release:

UPDATED Wed 2/24/16

MEET THE FIERCE COMPETITORS OF “AMERICAN GRIT,”

WHO WILL BE PUT THROUGH THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGES

BEGINNING THURSDAY, APRIL 14, ON FOX

 

Sixteen of the country’s toughest men and women will face a variety of military-grade and survival-themed challenges set in the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest, on the series premiere of AMERICAN GRIT, airing Thursday, April 14 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. WWE® Superstar John Cena and an elite group of mentors from the nation’s most exclusive military units – Navy Seal Commander Rorke Denver, Army Sergeant Noah Galloway, Marine Gunnery Sergeant Tawanda “Tee” Hanible and Army Ranger Nick “The Reaper” Irving – will push these fierce contestants beyond their limits while instilling in them the ethos of leaving no teammate behind. The diverse group of civilians will be divided into four teams, hand-picked by the military mentors, known as “the cadre.” With up to a million dollars of prize money at stake, this is the ultimate competition and test of courage, determination and, most importantly, teamwork. As these competitors work together, they will only have two options: to persevere and win or give up and “ring out.”

 

Throughout the season, “the cadre,” who represent top branches of the U.S. Armed Forces and real-life heroes, will impart their first-hand knowledge and experience to help their team work together to surmount near-impossible mental and physical challenges. No test these competitors have ever faced will prepare them for the extreme military-inspired training they will undergo. Each week, the teams will compete in survival-themed challenges, incorporating basic needs, as well as communication, mental prowess, physical strength and adaptability, in some of America’s harshest conditions. The team that wins the challenge each week is safe from elimination, and “the cadre” leaders from the remaining teams must select one contestant to face “The Circus,” a grueling obstacle course built into the wilderness that tests both strength and endurance. The only way for a contestant to lose is to “ring out,” at which point they must leave the competition and forfeit their chance to take home the grand prize.

 

Meet the AMERICAN GRIT competitors in this first look: https://youtu.be/vrpOqBtuPic

 

Mark Bouquin – “The Lumberjack”                                                   Age: 26 Hometown: Colden, NY Occupation: Timbersports Athlete

 

Tabatha Chandler – “The Roller Girl”                                      Age: 39 Hometown: Chattanooga, TN Occupation: Registered Nurse

 

Ashley Hazlett – “The Marine’s Daughter”                                          Age: 31 Hometown: Cincinnati, OH Occupation: Event Coordinator

 

Maria Kang – “The No Excuses Mom”                                                 Age: 35 Hometown: Elk Grove, CA Occupation: Nonprofit Founder and Author

 

Chris Krueger – “The Hollywood Trainer”                                           Age: 32 Hometown: Los Angeles, CA Occupation: Strength and Performance Coach

 

Kimberly Joy “KJoy” Lipson – “The Yogi”                  Age: 38 Hometown: Houston, TX Occupation: Yoga Instructor

 

Marc Lobliner – “The Machine”                                     Age: 35 Hometown: Elgin, IL Occupation: CEO of Nutrition Company

 

David Neville – “The Olympian”                                    Age: 31 Hometown: Fort Wayne, IN Occupation: College Track and Field Head Coach

 

Clare Painter – “The Fisherman”                                             Age: 47 Hometown: Omak, WA Occupation: Horse Trainer and Fisherman

 

Mario Robinson – “The Triathlete”                                         Age: 25 Hometown: Queens, NY Occupation: Personal Trainer

 

Ivette Saucedo – “The Equestrian”                                           Age: 35 Hometown: Los Angeles, CA Occupation: Model

 

Tony Simmons – “Touchdown Tony”                                      Age: 41 Hometown: Chicago, IL Occupation: Sports Performance Coach and Former NFL Player

Lisa Traugott – “The Bikini Bodybuilder”                                           Age: 42 Hometown: Austin, TX Occupation: Trainer and Author

 

Jim Vaglica – “The Boston Cop”                                                          Age: 54 Hometown: Billerica, MA Occupation: Police Officer

 

Brooke Van Paris – “The Obstacle Course Junkie”                                      Age: 25 Hometown: Indianapolis, IN Occupation: Sales Rep

 

Cameron Zagami – “The Wrestler”                                           Age: 22 Hometown: Salem, NH Occupation: Professional Wrestler

 

 

AMERICAN GRIT is produced by Leftfield Pictures and executive-produced by Brent Montgomery, David George, Adam Sher, Will Nothacker, Simon Thomas, Anthony Carbone and Jon Kroll. John Cena also serves as executive producer. “Like” AMERICAN GRIT on Facebook at facebook.com/AmericanGritFOX/. Follow the series on Twitter @AmericanGritFOX and join the conversation using #AmericanGrit. See photos and videos on Instagram @instagram.com/americangritfox/.

 

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AMERICAN GRIT

NEW MILITARY-INSPIRED COMPETITION SERIES STARRING

WWE® SUPERSTAR JOHN CENA®,

TO AIR IN 2016 ON FOX

Military Heroes Rorke Denver, Noah Galloway, Tawanda “Tee” Hanible and

Nick “The Reaper” Irving Serve as Contestant Mentors

 $1 Million Prize Money at Stake

 

FOX has ordered AMERICAN GRIT, a new, 10-episode competition series starring WWE Superstar John Cena. Sixteen of the country’s toughest men and women will be split into four teams as they work together to face a variety of military-grade and survival-themed challenges. Cena and an elite group of mentors from the nation’s most exclusive military units will push these civilians beyond their limits. The mentors, known as “The Cadre,” include Rorke Denver, Noah Galloway, Tawanda “Tee” Hanible and Nick “The Reaper” Irving. These real-life heroes, who represent diverse backgrounds and top branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, will impart their first-hand knowledge and experience to help the competitors work together as teams to surmount near-impossible mental and physical challenges. AMERICAN GRIT embodies the military ethos “no man left behind,” because only the first team to complete the challenges together is safe from elimination. Each episode will culminate in “The Circus,” a punishing, endurance-based obstacle course designed to break the weakest competitors. With up to a million dollars of prize money at stake, this is the ultimate test of strength, grit, the human spirit and, most importantly, teamwork. The series is produced by Leftfield Pictures.

“The U.S Military is the epitome of resolve and dedication, which is why I am so excited to be a part of AMERICAN GRIT,” said Cena. “This show will not only be a challenging and fierce competition, but it will give viewers a glimpse into the perseverance and training of the men and women of the Armed Forces.”

“AMERICAN GRIT is a bold, aspirational competition series that aligns with the spirit of the FOX unscripted brand,” said David Madden, President, Entertainment, FOX Broadcasting Company. “The team at Leftfield and the incredible John Cena have created a series built on the pillars of determination, dedication and strength that we know will resonate with our audience. John is not only a phenomenal athlete but a motivational force, who inspires fans around the world, and we are thrilled he is leading the charge.”

“We are excited to be working with FOX and John Cena on a show that highlights the American spirit of competition, which is epitomized by Cena,” said executive producer and CEO, Leftfield Entertainment, Brent Montgomery. “With John as their inspiration, our contestants will show viewers what happens when you swing for the fences with focus, commitment and teamwork.”

 

About John Cena:

With more than 38 million followers on Facebook and nearly 7.5 million on Twitter, WWE Superstar John Cena is respected by his fans for his strong work ethic and his authentic and charismatic personality. Inside and outside of the ring, Cena is also known for his accessibility to his fans, as well as his philanthropic work.  Notably, he is a Celebrity Wish Granter and Ambassador for Make-A-Wish. Cena has granted more than 500 wishes, the most ever granted by a single person in Make-A-Wish’s history. Cena, along with WWE, also launched the “Rise Above Cancer” campaign to support Susan G. Komen’s mission to save lives and end breast cancer. Most recently, Cena starred in Judd Apatow’s “Trainwreck,” and can be seen in the upcoming film “Sisters,” alongside Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

 

About “The Cadre”:

• Rorke Denver – Commander Rorke Denver has led Special Forces missions around the world, and has run every phase of training for the U.S. Navy SEALS. He starred in the film “Act of Valor,” and wrote the book “Damn Few: Making the Modern SEAL Warrior.” Denver uses the skills he’s gained from training SEALS to teach leadership and motivate company teams to perform at their highest potential.
• Noah Galloway – A Purple Heart recipient, Noah Galloway served in the 1^st Battalion of the 502^nd Infantry with the Army’s 101^st Airborne Division. Having lost his left arm and leg during deployment, Galloway had to learn to overcome his disability and, in turn, has dedicated his life to empowering fellow veterans through fitness and motivational speaking. He started the No Excuses Charitable Fund, and works closely with Operation Enduring Warrior and Homes for Our Troops. He placed third on “Dancing with the Stars” on Season 20.
• Tawanda “Tee” Hanible – A Gunnery Sergeant with the U.S. Marines, Hanible recently retired from 19 years in the Marine Corps. She deployed to Iraq for the initial invasion in 2003, and was the only female to go out with her unit. Her organization, Operation Heroes Connect, connects at-risk youth with service members and veterans as full-time mentors.
• Nick “The Reaper” Irving – The first African-American sniper in the U.S. Army’s 3^rd Ranger Battalion to deploy in the Global War On Terrorism, Nick Irving earned his nickname, “The Reaper,” from his fellow soldiers for his sharp shooting. Irving is the deadliest sniper in the Army’s 3^rd Ranger Battalion, with 33 confirmed enemy kills in less than four months. He wrote the New York Times Best Seller “The Reaper,” chronicling his experiences. He owns and operates a training facility company, HardShoot.

 

AMERICAN GRIT is produced by Leftfield Pictures and executive-produced by Brent Montgomery, David George, Adam Sher, Will Nothacker and Jon Kroll. John Cena also serves as executive producer.

 

About Leftfield Pictures

Leftfield Pictures, best known for producing breakout hit “Pawn Stars,” and spawning the “hidden treasures” genre of programming, produces an array of projects across the broadcast, cable and digital landscape, including “Counting Cars” (History), “Blood, Sweat and Heels” (Bravo), “Alone” (History), “Cutting It: In the ATL” (WE tv), “Lost and Found” (Discovery Family) and “Football Town: Barrow, Alaska” (NFL). The company has also recently joined with National Geographic Channel and its brand partner, Mental Floss, to produce a slate of series and specials, and Leftfield has additional series in production and development with networks including Bravo, History, Lifetime, Discovery, VH1, FYI, E!, Animal Planet, HGTV and more. Leftfield Pictures is part of Leftfield Entertainment, an ITV Studios company. Other Leftfield Entertainment companies include Sirens Media (“Real Housewives of New Jersey”), Loud TV (“Tiny House Nation”), Outpost Entertainment (“Forged in Fire”) and Riot Creative.

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