'The Challenge' Podcast Is About More Than Just Post-Show Recaps

The only thing The Challenge was lacking for the past couple of decades it has been on TV is a proper after-show of sorts to really round out each episode. It's no secret that some episodes of The Challenge can be a lot to take in, and with Season 36 (Double Agents) comes MTV’s Official Challenge Podcast. It was a long time coming and, even if you listen to an unofficial podcast about The Challenge, this might be the best way to get all of the juiciest information after each episode.

The Challenge: Double Agents premieres on MTV on Dec. 9 at 8:00 p.m. ET, followed the next day by the podcast, which will drop every Thursday to recap the preceding episode. It will also give listeners little tidbits of trivia they might not know otherwise, as well as some behind-the-scenes scoops which you may not be able to get with other similar podcasts.

It would be one thing if a couple of super-fans took the reins and hosted MTV’s Official Challenge Podcast. Instead, however, MTV has two veteran players on hand to make it work — Tori Deal and Aneesa Ferreira. Both women are former competitors on the show and have left their marks in their own ways. It makes sense for the two of them to be given the chance to host the first official Challenge podcast.

Tori has been in six seasons of The Challenge overall, including Double Agents. While she hasn't won a season yet, she has made a name for herself among the respected veteran players. She was also once engaged to fellow Challenge vet Jordan Wiseley. Now that they have separated, viewers may see a different kind of competitor in Tori this season and hear some of the details on the podcast.

Aneesa is also on The Challenge: Double Agents. She has been in 14 seasons of The Challenge, though she also has zero Challenge wins under her belt. That could change with Double Agents, though she's been away from the game for a little while — she took a 3-year hiatus between Champs vs. Stars and Total Madness. Now she's back once again — in full force it seems, thanks to the podcast.

Not only are both of the host Challenge legends in their own ways, but they are also competitors on the very season they will be covering in the first episodes of The Challenge podcast. Tori and Aneesa will definitely be letting listeners in on the inner workings of different alliances, what the cast eats between competitions, and how some of the wildest stunts are performed.

While most seasons of The Challenge are difficult for pretty much anyone, The Challenge: Double Agents seems especially grueling. Instead of being plopped in a tropical location or even in a dry desert, the competitors are fighting for their place on the show and their shot at the prize money in Iceland.

Not every season of The Challenge has been in a hot and humid locale, but with the players forced to battle each other in a brutally cold climate, things could get even more dire. Luckily, Aneesa and Tori will be with you every step of the way.

Watch The Challenge: Double Agents on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on MTV and listen to MTV’s Official Challenge Podcast on Thursdays on most podcast platforms.