‘Tough as Nails’ Host Phil Keoghan Teases Season 4, Reveals ‘Logistically Challenging’ Premiere (Exclusive)

Tough As Nails fans have long been waiting for the Season 4 premiere, and the big day is finally upon us when we’ll see a new crew of working-class contests facing off in teams and against one another for the title of Tough as Nails champ. The show’s season premiere is just hours away and, according to host Phil Keoghan, was quite “logistically really challenging” to pull off. Ahead of the show’s Season 4 debut, PopCulture.com had a chance to speak with Keoghan about all things Tough As Nails, and the seasoned reality TV host teased what’s to come and detailed what all went into executing the epic season opener.

“We went to Catalina for the opening show of Season 4. We moved everybody across, logistically really challenging,” Keoghan explained. “It’s only 23 miles off the coast of California. You’d think it’d be easier, but we moved our entire production out to Catalina for the first episode, for that opening episode… And in that opening challenge, as you know, the very first challenge that everybody does is a challenge to determine two winners that will pick the two teams that stay intact for the entire episode.” For the premiere challenge, Keoghan explained that the contestants “had to change out the mooring system for the permanent moorings that were out in some of them, that were out in Catalina.” He added, “And so again, it’s always about trying to show the audience something new and different about the world that they live in, that maybe they haven’t considered before. They have no idea.”

Keoghan — who also hosts CBS’ hit competition series — went on to note how this Tough as Nails Season 4 premiere episode is an excellent example of the show’s educational elements. “It’s so interesting to find out, wow, that mooring system is actually really complicated with all the different chains and swivels and hooks and ropes and lines, and they’ve got the wand so that the boater can grab it to come in,” he said. “So you’re learning something always on Tough as Nails, and that’s something that we always try to do, that there’s just an endless supply of incredible challenges.”

He continued, “You’ll see V8s this season. You’re going to see some shipping containers that are turned into amazing homes and offices, lots of grinding and cutting and we get into the fishing industry, we get into nurseries with trees. We actually shot in a big storm.”

Keoghan revealed that “back in November of 2021 there was a big storm” in California, and it happened to show up right as they were in production on Season 4. “We were shooting that day and some people questioned whether we would be shooting. I said, ‘Listen, this is Tough as Nails. We’re going to work. Let’s go.” The host pointed out that his persistence was directly equal to the work ethic of the show’s blue-collar fanbase. “Anybody who’s tough as nails in America, they don’t sit at home and go, ‘Oh, it’s raining. I can’t go to work.’ They go to work, so I said, ‘That’s what we’re going to do.’”

The Tough as Nails co-creator added, “It’s about opening people’s eyes up and to new and different jobs. Of course, ultimately, it doesn’t matter how good our challenges are, how well we shoot it. It really does come down to the 12 people that we put in front of the camera. And there’s just such a great mix of people, big age range, all the way from early 20s to close to 60, so you’ve got that generational thing going on. I love that.” 

Elaborating on the importance of the contestants coming from different levels of experience, Keoghan explained, “I love seeing the young guns who don’t have the hours in their hands and they don’t have the hours of experience, but they’ve got all that physicality and that energy and that gusto. And then the older competitor, who’s got the 10,000 hours, who’s really wise and who’s used to working smarter, not harder, who maybe is not as fast as they were, but they’ve got those skills. And then it’s that balance of, okay, is it the young gun who’s going to outwork the older person or is the older person going to outwork the young gun because they’ve got more knowledge?”

Finally, Keoghan added, “It’s very competitive, this season, and lots of heart and lots of humor. I mean, I promise you in the first episode you’ll cry and you will laugh a lot and that’ll be the same through the whole season, lots of tears of joy and also just heartfelt tears as well.” 

Tough as Nails Season 4 kicks off with a two-hour premiere on Wednesday, Jan. 4 at 9:00 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+. Those interested in trying out a free trial of Paramount+ can do so by clicking here.