Few competitors have had a character arc quite like Chris "CT" Tamburello's, and the three-time champ will be returning to television on December 9 for the premiere of considered a legend of The Challenge franchise, CT has both an origin story and a storied career under his belt.
Though the now 40-year-old has embraced his self-proclaimed "dad bod" over the recent years, he is still a force to be reckoned with. CT has earned himself the reputation of one of the most formidable and feared competitors. The Massachusetts native first entered the MTV scene with 2003's The Real World: Paris. Since debuting on The Inferno in 2004, CT has appeared on an impressive 18 seasons of The Challenge, including the current one, as well as three spin-off shows. The Challenge has made him a recognizable face for many viewers, revealing CT's complicated backstory and his path to redemption.
While CT was kicked off of several seasons for his unchecked violence against fellow competitors, he was also able to make a successful redemption. The show vet has made eight finals and won three of them, including War of the Worlds 2 in 2019, and has an overall elimination record of 5-5. He also stands strong with 48 smaller wins, earning $515,000 from the competition due to his many successes. His most memorable moment on The Challenge occurred back in 2010 on Cutthroat, when he wore fellow competitor Johnny "Bananas" Devenanzio as a human backpack during an elimination.
Throughout his run on The Challenge, CT had many romances with fellow competitors. However, none of his on-screen flings compared to his romance with Diem Brown. The former bad boy memorably fell for the ovarian cancer survivor on The Duel in 2006. Their romance, as well as tragically losing his brother in a shooting, prompted CT to evolve from the hothead he started out as to a far more level-headed and mature figure. Diem tragically lost her life to cancer in 2014, though the on-again-off-again couple remained loving until the end and CT professed his love to Diem on his Instagram following her ing.
After overcoming personal tragedies, CT was able to get his happy ending. The father figure is, in fact, a father in real life. He shares young son Chris Jr. with his firecracker wife, Lili. The couple has been together for the past six years, and they said "I do" on the 2018 MTV special The Challenge: CT's Getting Married. CT has been able to earn extra money through sponsored appearances throughout the years, and he now appears to be a happy family man living in Florida. Though he doesn't share too much about his personal life on social media, he frequently praises his wife and son on The Challenge.
When it comes to competition, CT's size, strength, and muscle mass have always made him a physical threat. His strengths are thoroughly well-rounded, as he also shows an aptitude for swimming, running, and puzzles, though he has exhibited a weakness for cold weather. As an added bonus, he also has an iron gut that enables him to dominate in eating competitions. Additionally, his reputation and popularity often protect him from seeing eliminations. Though he has aged over the years, CT has whipped his dad bod back into shape after recently shedding some weight. But is this enough to earn the father of one his fourth win? Fans will have to tune into The Challenge: Double Agents to find out.
The Challenge: Double Agents airs Wednesdays at 8 pm ET on MTV.
Source: The Ringer, CT's Instagram
