Worst Cooks in America is back for its ninth celebrity edition, titled “Reality Check,” and features ten legendary reality TV stars as recruits for its culinary boot camp. Worst Cooks in America: Reality Check is the first edition of the show to air following the death of Anne Burrell, who has served as a mentor to the series for all but one season since its premiere in 2010, in both the regular and celebrity editions.
According to a Discovery of Warner Bros. press release, Worst Cooks in America: Reality Checkwill premiere Sunday, January 4, 2026 at 8 p.m. ET on Food Network and stream the following day on HBO Max. Chefs Jeff Mauro and Tiffany Derry will serve as mentors and work to turn reality TV stars into culinary masters through an intense culinary boot camp. Jeff has previously been a mentor on the show three times and he won season 16. Tiffany won season 27, which was the only previous episode of the show in which she served as a mentor.
Worst Cooks in America: Reality Check will again divide the recruits into two teams. The last contestant standing will win $25,000 for the charity of their choice. The finale will air on Sunday, February 1, 2026, during which the final two recruits will create a restaurant-quality three-course meal for the guest judges. Here are the ten reality TV stars who will compete Worst Cooks in America: Reality Check.
Lisa Barlow
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City
Lisa Barlow is best known for her role in The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. She is a businesswoman who founded LUXE Marketing. She also co-owns Vida Tequila with her husband, John Barlow.
Downtown Julie Brown
Club MTV
Downtown, Julie Brown was the host of MTV shows Club MTVaired from 1987 to 1992. Since then, she has appeared in numerous scripted films and television series. Julie’s reality TV experiences include I’m a celebrity… Get me out of here! season 1, RuPaul’s Drag Race season 5, in which she was a recurring guest judge, and Celebrity Wife Swap.
Val Chmerkovsky
Dancing with the stars
Valentin “Val” Chmerkovskiy is a professional dancer, best known for competing on Dancing with the stars. Val won the show three times during season 20 with Rumer Willis, season 23 with Laurie Hernandez, and season 32 with Xochitl Gomez.
Most recently, Val placed second in Dancing with the stars season 34 with his partner, Alix Earle. Val also participated in the Hulu series 2025 I have to go outduring which he stayed in until the end of the show, and he shared the $687,940 pot with 15 other players, winning $42,996.
Reza Farahan
Sunset Shahs
Reza Farahan is a real estate agent in Los Angeles, best known for starring in Bravo’s Sunset Shahs. Reza also participated in The GOAT And The traitors season 1.
Amara La Negra
Love & Hip Hop: Miami
Amara La Negra is a singer, actress, dancer, author and television host who is best known for starring on the VH1 reality television show. Love & Hip Hop: Miami. The series documented Amara’s attempt to enter the mainstream American music market from Latin music. She later won a multi-album deal with BMG.
Ryan Lochte
The traitors
Ryan Lochte is a competitive swimmer and 12-time Olympic medalist. In the world of reality television, Ryan has starred in What would Ryan Lochte do? in 2013, a show that tells the story of his life. He also participated in Dancing with the stars season 23 with his professional dance partner, Cheryl Burke, during which he placed 7th. In 2019, Ryan participated in Celebrity Big Brother season 2, finishing in 10th place. He also placed 14th American traitors season 1.
Manila Luzon
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Manila Luzon has participated and made numerous appearances in various episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race. She was a finalist in season 3 and placed 7/8th in All the stars season 1 and 6 in All the stars season 4. Manila was also the host of Drag ita Filipino reality competition series.
Romeo Miller
Growing up in hip-hop
Romeo Miller, formerly known as Lil’ Romeo, is a rapper, singer and actor who has appeared in several scripted films and television shows. Her reality TV appearances include Growing up in hip-hopin which he played for six seasons. The show documented the lives of the children of hip hop legends; Roméo is the son of rappers Master P and Sonya C.
Romeo also participated in Dancing with the stars season 12, in which he placed 5th with his professional dance partner, Cheslie Hightower. He also participated in MTV The challenge: champions versus stars season 1. Romeo also hosted Ex on the beach for seasons 1 to 4. In 2020, he had a recurring role in Celebrity watch party.
Beverly Mitchell
Special Forces: the toughest test in the world
Best known for playing Lucy Camden in 7th heaven From 1996 to 2007, Beverley Mitchell ventured into the world of reality television by participating in Special Forces: the toughest test in the world season 1. Although she voluntarily withdrew from the series, she worked hard to step out of her comfort zone during her time there and gained a lot of self-confidence.
Tambourine CT
The challenge
CT Tamburello got his start on MTV The real world: Paris in 2003, but in competition The challenge it’s what made him a reality TV legend. He won several seasons, including The Challenge: Rivals II, The Challenge: Invasion of the Champions, The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars 1, The Challenge: War of the Worlds 2, The Challenge: Double Agents, And The challenge: spies, lies and allies. CT was also co-winner of the American traitors season 2, with fellow Faithful, MTV star and good friend, Trishelle Cannatella.
Worst Cooks in America: Reality Check is the famous ninth installment of the series. Previous celebrity winners include Jenni “JWoww” Farley, Loni Love, Perez Hilton, LaToya Jackson, Tonya Harding, Wells Adams, Tracey Gold and Corinne Olympios. The ten new recruits will be in good hands with Jeff and Tiffany as mentors. It’s always very inspiring to see contestants gain confidence in the kitchen and learn how to cook restaurant-quality meals from their mentors. Worst Cooks in America: Reality Check is certainly a sweet and spicy culinary adventure.
Worst Cooks in America: Reality Check premieres Sunday, January 4, 2026 at 8 p.m. ET on Food Network.
Source: Discovery of Warner Bros.
