The Challenge veteran and five-time champion CT Tamburello has had a long history with the MTV competitive series. However, his co-stars, the rookies of season 41, were unaware of his identity and reputation. In an exclusive interview with Parade, published on July 31, 2025, CT opened up about his interaction with the newcomers, saying:"So when I’m starting to mingle and talk to people, honestly, it was almost as if they looked at me like I was just part of production, like I wasn’t even a Challenger!"CT made his Challenge debut in season 8 during the early 2000s. He won his first season in 2013, where he was paired with rival Wes Bergmann on The Challenge: Rivals II. As of 2025, the veteran has five wins under his belt. Consequently, he was surprised when the contestants of the younger generation did not recognize him.CT added that although they did not recognize him or his reputation on the show, they were "nice and polite" with him. However, instead of appreciating their welcoming behavior, he became more upset because he believed the newcomers treated him with respect because they saw him as an "old man."CT praises the performance of the new generation on season 41 of The Challenge View this post on Instagram Instagram PostIn the same interview with Parade, CT also discussed the physical aspect of the challenges on the show and the importance of having a fit body. While speaking about the mountain climb task in the premiere, CT confessed that he was in "no shape" to be going up that mountain.Despite training to maintain his physique and stamina, the climb proved to be a challenging feat. However, that was not the case for the newcomers. Reflecting on their performance in the challenge, CT said:"I'm not gonna lie, these young kids, this new generation, man, they look good! They look real good."He shared that while he was on his way up the mountain, the newcomers were already on their way down, which proved how fit they were. He added that, unlike most contestants who mingled and partied at the end of the first night, he had to call it a day because he was hurt and sore all over his body.CT Tamburello from The Challenge (Image via Getty)While talking about his interactions with the rookies, CT mentioned that he felt old in front of them. Their overly polite behavior made him feel like he was incapable of performing his everyday activities and needed assistance with everything."Some people look at me like I’m just this really old guy that’s like, 'What is he still doing here?'" he added.When asked if anyone from the group of rookies stood out to him, CT confessed that he was still trying to get to know them since he was not familiar with every contestant. The Challenge star further added that instead of analyzing the newcomers, he was more concerned about "the vets," as he wanted to see how they would approach the game.As for the "young kids," CT said that he did not fret over them because they did not even consider him a threat. He planned to use that as leverage to "put some chess pieces in place" and figure out his next move.CT Tamburello (Image via Getty)He went on to point out other differences between his generation and the new one, noting that the newcomers played the physical game, while he prioritized the political one. Moreover, CT's peers enjoyed their time on the show, drinking, partying, and having fun. However, the newbies did not engage in such activities.In the concluding segment of the interview, CT stated that although he was old enough to be someone's father from the cast, he "had a lot more fun" filming the series than he did in the previous seasons.The Challenge episodes air every Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET only on MTV.