Tyler Duckworth, ‘The Challenge’ Reality Show Winner, Dies at 44

Home TV News Aug 13, 2026 3:23pm PT Tyler Duckworth, ‘The Challenge’ Reality Show Winner, Dies at 44 By Pat Saperstein, Emily Longeretta Paramount Plus Tyler Duckworth, who competed on six seasons of reality show “The Challenge” and also appeared on MTV’s “The Real World: Key West,” has died in North Dakota. His mother, Joni, announced his death on Facebook Thursday, writing, “My son, Tyler, passed away earlier this week. Cause of death has yet to be determined.

I will post on Facebook about services as soon as his dad and I figure it out.” Related Stories FCC Slammed by Former Agency Officials Over Review of ABC's Licenses: 'An Assault on Free Speech Disguised as Regulatory Process' ACLU Demands FCC Release Records Pertaining to ABC Early License Renewal, Alleging Agency's Stated Rationale for Review 'Does Not Seem Credible' Duckworth first appeared on MTV’s “The Real World: Key West” in 2006 and went on to compete on four seasons of “The Challenge” — “The Duel,” “The Gauntlet III,” “Cutthroat,” “Rivals” — and two of the spinoffs, “All Stars 2” in 2021 and “All Stars 3” in 2022. He won “Cutthroat,” with team members Brad Fiorenza, Dunbar Merrill and Tori Fiorenza, and “Rivals” alongside partner Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio. blogherads.adq.push(function () { blogherads .defineSlot( 'medrec', 'gpt-variety-article-mid-article-uid0' ) .setTargeting( 'pos', ["mid-article1","mid-articleX","mid","mid-article"] ) .setTargeting( 'viewable', 'yes' ) .setSubAdUnitPath("ros\/mid-article") .addSize([[300,250],[2,2],[300,251],[2,4],[4,2],[320,480],[620,366]]) .setClsOptimization("minsize") ; }); Popular on Variety if ( !window.pmc.harmony?.isEventAdScheduledTime() ) } }, playerId: 'fdaee7b3-292f-4a85-89bb-29a56b567de3', playlistId: '019eb8f5-8351-7af5-8dd4-29ad0d5ed821', }).render("connatix_contextual_player_div"); }); } else “Tyler was truly part of the Bunim/Murray family, he was an exceptional human being and beloved by both fans and his fellow contestants alike on ‘The Challenge,'” the Bunim/Murray Productions team said in a statement to Variety. The young man who first came into our universe as a comical and sensitive personality developed into a force who would become a two-time champion, and he will be sorely missed.

We are devastated, and we send our most heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. Rest in peace, young man.” blogherads.adq.push(function () { blogherads .defineSlot( 'medrec', 'gpt-dsk-tab-mid-article2-uid1' ) .setTargeting( 'pos', ["mid","mid-article2","mid-articleX"] ) .setTargeting( 'viewable', 'yes' ) .setSubAdUnitPath("ros\/mid-article2") .addSize([[320,480],[300,250],[300,251],[2,4],[4,2],[620,366]]) .setClsOptimization("minsize") ; }); Duckworth made his last public appearance at a “Challenge Mania” fan event in Minneapolis on July 31, and posted about it on his Instagram alongside “Challenge” competitors Rachel Robinson, Fiorenza, Tina Barta, Paul Califiore and Mark Long. Many cast members have since taken to social media to share their shock and sadness over the passing, including Barta, who competed alongside Duckworth multiple times over the last 20 years.

How blessed am I to be surprised by your visit to Challengemania where I got to hug and kiss you one last time. We didn’t want to leave each other. I love you.” Read More About: The Challenge Jump to Comments blogherads.adq.push(function () { blogherads .defineSlot( 'nativecontent', 'gpt-ap-native-bottom-uid5' ) .setTargeting( 'pos', ["native","article-bottom-dsk-tab"] ) .setSubAdUnitPath("native\/article-bottom") .addSize([[1,1],[6,6]]) ; }); JavaScript is required to load the comments.

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