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Next month, Naked and Afraid will feature its first-ever double amputee contestant, Mandy.
The long-running Discovery Channel survival series — which sees two strangers brave the wilderness together with no water, no food, and no clothes — will kick off season 18 on March 9.
Mandy will be paired with Jonny, and for 21 days, the duo will be forced to survive unique environments and unprecedented obstacles.
In a new teaser for the hit show, Mandy introduces herself, explaining: “Ten years ago, my life was changed forever.”
As she makes her way out of the back of a pick-up truck, she removes both of her prosthetic legs. “I have died three times and came back from that,” she continues. “There is life after the unimaginable.”
Old clips begin to play, including one of her in a harness as she takes what are presumably her first steps with prosthetic legs and another of her hoisting herself up a snowy mountain.
“My motto is: tell me that I can’t and I will show you that I can. I get to be the first person on Naked and Afraid with no f***ing legs, and I think that’s pretty damn cool,” she says.
According to a press release, Mandy joins the show a decade after losing her legs “in a devastating and tragic accident.”
“She became the first female bilateral amputee to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro and is now ready to take on the Everest of survival challenges — 21 days in the remote jungle and dense rainforest of Belize,” it adds.
“Mandy, alongside her partner, Jonny, will battle heavy rains, swarms of mosquitos, and toxic plants all in a bid to demonstrate that no challenge is too formidable to conquer.”
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New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Naked and Afraid has been airing since 2013, and it has gone on to spawn several spin-off series, including Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing and Naked and Afraid: Solo.
In 2022, Shanika Malcolm made franchise history when she became the first Black female contestant to win the competition after surviving 21 days in the Chiapas rainforest. Her partner, meanwhile, exited the game after 11 days.
“It means everything to me to have made history and to be an inspiration for others,” Malcolm told Discovery at the time. “My girls are super proud of me and I’m glad to be a living example to them and BIPOC girls everywhere. I’m also very proud of my strength and ability to persevere through this challenge. This might have been the most challenging 21 days of my life and I’m so glad I did it.”
The first two episodes of Naked and Afraid season 18 premiere Sunday, March 9 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on the Discovery Channel. They will be available to stream on Max and Discovery+ the next day.
