CMT has announced the premiere date and nine celebrities who will be competing on Ty Murray's Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge, a new Dancing with the Stars and Skating with Celebrities-like reality series that will follow the cast as they try their hand at bull riding under the tutelage of Murray.
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The six-episode series, which is currently filming in Texas, is scheduled to premiere Friday, August 10 at 9PM ET/PT on CMT.
"Ty Murray's Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge might be the most loud, over-the-top series we've ever done on CMT," the network's head of development Bob Kusbit told The Hollywood Reporter Wednesday. "Ty Murray is the brightest star there is in bull riding, a true world champion, but he's got his work cut out for him training a cast of celebrities who are certainly brave -- but way out of their element. It's definitely the most dangerous celebrity competition on television."
For many of the celebrities competing on the show, Ty Murray's Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge isn't their first -- or second or third -- reality TV experience.
In addition to rapper and musician Rob Van Winkle (aka Vanilla Ice) -- who appeared on Fox's Celebrity Boxing in 2002, The Surreal Life's second season in 2004 as well as The Surreal Life: Fame Games in 2007, both on VH1, and NBC's Hit Me Baby One More Time in 2005 -- the cast also includes actor Stephen Baldwin, who competed on ABC's Celebrity Mole Hawaii and Celebrity Mole Yucatan in addition to hosting Sci Fi Channel's Scare Tactics; singer Leif Garrett, who competed on a celebrity edition of Fear Factor in 2006; former American Gladiators gladiator Dan "Nitro" Clark; and Survivor: Pearl Islands' Jonny "Fairplay" Dalton, who has also made appearances on E!'s Kill Reality, A&E's Inked, and 2006's Fear Factor reality-stars special.
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Former NFL star Raghib "Rocket" Ismail; Moto-X rider Kenny Bartram; Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Josh Haynes; and actor Francesco Quinn, who has appeared on Fox's 24 and in the movie Platoon, round out the rest of the show's cast.
It will be up to Murray -- a seven-time All-Around World Champion and accomplished rodeo athlete -- to teach the celebrities everything, from how to mount a bull in the chute to how to handle a major fall, over the course of 10 days. Those who survive the intense training will compete at a Professional Bull Riders event in Nashville and hope to prove Murray proud as they attempt to survive eight second on a bucking bull.
"Teaching anyone to ride a bull in 10 days is a challenge, so I hope these celebrities are in good shape and ready to get roughed up cowboy style," Murray told The Hollywood Reporter.
Previously announced as under development in April, Ty Murray's Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge is produced by Scott Messick at Got Sports Productions.
About The Author: Christopher Rocchio