Behind the Scenes Secrets: Offscreen Injuries from Special Forces Season 4 Winners
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test season 4 was exhilarating from start to finish — but what went on behind the scenes?
The champions, Shawn Johnson East and Gia Giudice, shared with Us Weekly exclusive insights into what viewers didn’t see, including every injury the cast endured.
“I suffered a concussion. My husband, Andrew [East], broke two ribs and possibly injured his nose,” Shawn, 33, recounted after the finale aired on Thursday, November 20. “Eric Decker slipped a disc, Mark Estes had cauliflower ear, and Christie Pearce Rampone battled pneumonia.”
Gia, 24, added, “Jussie Smollett had a lung infection. Eva [Marcille] literally almost died, which was terrifying.”
Shawn recalled that during the “backwards dive” challenge, both she and Brianna LaPaglia ended up with “full body bruises.” She noted, “We had black and blue marks all over the front of our bodies.”
“It was wild; you guys needed to eat more meat. Your iron levels must have been low,” Gia commented, pointing out that Brianna’s bruises were “not normal.”
The duo also reminisced about Jessie James Decker falling on her nose and nearly breaking it.
“Everyone had large chunks of missing skin all over their feet and heels,” Shawn revealed. “We all tore our hands up badly.”
Despite the injuries, Shawn and Gia made it to the finale alongside Kody Brown, Brianna, 26, and Andrew, 34. After an intense simulated capture and interrogation challenge, only the three women remained.
The final challenge involved a simulated burial, where Brianna ultimately freed herself before Shawn and Gia were declared the season’s winners.
Shawn and Gia further opened up about their season, telling Us which meals they relished and which they avoided.
“My favorite meal was hard boiled eggs and strawberry jam. I could drink it,” Shawn laughed while speaking to Us.
Gia mentioned she “always loved lunch,” specifically beef with vegetables, but added that she “never ate dinner.”
Shawn related to Gia’s dinner aversion, sharing her “worst meal” experience with carrot soup. “It was like blended carrots with these grayish sausages that were impossible to chew or swallow,” the Olympic gold medalist reminisced.
The food was not the only discomfort during the filming away from civilization. The season 4 winners recalled the limitation on bringing items from home for the entire competition.
“The only items we were allowed were some toiletries. I had face lotion and a toothbrush,” Shawn explained.
Gia managed to bring a few more items, such as “Aquaphor, my face lotion, and my hairbrush.”
She teased that the rest of the cast, including Shawn, often borrowed from her stash. “I think I used all of your stuff, yeah, [I didn’t] have a brush,” Shawn admitted to Gia.
Fortunately for the women, the longest they went without a shower was two days.
Gia mentioned to Us, “I showered every day,” but Shawn reminded her that the finale included two days of continuous challenges, so nobody could shower.
“OK, interrogation day was the longest we ever went without a shower because… we literally couldn’t,” Gia clarified.
Once Shawn and Gia won the show, they shared that the producers treated them to a delicious surprise.
“Production presented me with four ice cream bars, and I just devoured them,” Shawn recalled fondly.
Gia was surprised that Shawn received ice cream, revealing it wasn’t offered to her. “I had a pasta salad and a Snickers bar, but no ice cream,” the Bravo star told Us. “I would have loved ice cream.”
Shawn described the frozen treat as “fantastic,” but seeing Andrew shortly afterward was even better.
“They held Andrew [back] instead of sending him home right away. So I got to see him,” she excitedly shared.
Gia also enjoyed a heartfelt moment with family, telling Us that she called her parents, The Real Housewives of New Jersey stars Teresa Giudice and Joe Giudice, before heading home.
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test is now streaming on Hulu and FOX One.
