Tough as Nails season 4 cast revealed

A dry mason, a diesel technician, a concrete form setter, and a shipboard electrician are just four of the crew members who will be battling it out for the $200,000 grand prize when season 4 of Tough as Nails kicks off with a special two-hour premiere Jan. 4 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

EW has the exclusive full cast reveal as well as intel from host and showrunner Phil Keoghan about the new season, which will begin on southern California's Catalina Island, as 12 new competitors will race to replace old boat moorings. The two winners will then engage in a schoolyard pick 'em to select the teams that will comprise the dueling Dirty Hands and Savage Crew squads before taking part in the season's first individual competition of building a concrete retaining wall.

But, in a twist, in addition to the $200,000 grand prize, the new season will feature additional bonus cash rewards that can be earned during individual competitions along the way. We've got the full cast photos and bios below, along with our chat with Keoghan.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Every cast can have a different vibe or feel to them. How would you describe this new group of Tough as Nails competitors?

PHIL KEOGHAN: There's more humor this season than ever before. From the beginning of their journey together, everyone set about going all out in the competition but also taking time to really smell the roses and enjoy the journey. What makes TAN different is that we have two mutually exclusive competitions — the Team and Individual — and nobody goes home.

This sets up the opportunity for incredible moments of redemption. In the end, only one person goes home with the Tough as Nails title, but everyone is part of a team, and everyone is motivated to be a valuable teammate because that's where most contestants make their money. I love that on TAN nobody goes home empty handed — everyone gets a pay day winning with their team.

While you once again have a big age range, with cast members as young as 22 and as old as 52, your casts are always a bit older than typical for a reality competition show. Why do you all tend to gravitate towards players with a little more experience?

One analogy I tell people about this season of Tough as Nails is that it's a bit like The Lion King, in that we have older contestants who have been honing their skills longer than some of our young contestants have been alive. Skilled trades people who have more than 10,000 hours under their belt who are going up against the raw talent of the next generation who make up for any lack of experience with speed and agility. This season has some wonderful moments when seasoned professionals, those who know how to work smarter, not harder, face up against youthful enthusiasm.

What can you say about the challenges this season?

I love that every season we are able to open people's eyes up to so many jobs that are hidden away. What's great about going into a season 4 is that our audience alerts us to challenge ideas. This season we are in the ocean, campgrounds, pouring concrete, running around a plant nursery in a massive thunderstorm, building engines, breaking ice, in pallet yards, repurposing shipping containers, taking part in a massive cleanup exercise, plugging up leaks, working with metal, heavy equipment, jack hammers … and on and on. Then, of course, there's the gauntlet for the final 3, a medley of everything contestants face during the competition — a challenge that has been called the toughest in reality television!

Any other new wrinkles this season?

This is the most competitive season to date. As word spreads, we continue to get the best of the best applying to be part of the show. Consequently, we have to keep amping up the challenges to match their abilities — challenges that are designed to break the very best, and every season they have.

The range of emotions on TAN covers the full spectrum — a lovely mix of heart felt emotions, humor, humility and heartache. Our goal is to have the audience fall in love with our characters, because they see themselves or people they love represented in a once in a lifetime opportunity. Unlike so many reality shows that feature celebrities, TAN is about the celebration of relatable people who deserve to be put in the spotlight for a change.

Name: Jake CopeJob: Pipeline LaborerAge: 34Hometown: Little Meadows, PA

Name: Ilima ShimJob: Construction WorkerAge: 34Hometown: Waianae, HI

Name: Laura BernotasJob: General ContractorAge: 35Current Residence: Norfolk, VA

Name: Sergio RoblesJob: ForemanAge: 51Hometown: Huntington Beach, CA

Name: Renèe KolarJob: Dry MasonAge: 52Current Residence: Marshfield, MA

Name: Larron AblesJob: Diesel TechnicianAge: 22Hometown: Austin, TX

Name: Synethia BlandJob: CarpenterAge: 38Hometown: Roselle, NJ

Name: Aly Bala Job: LaborerAge: 25Current Residence: Covington, GA

Name: Mister FrostJob: WelderAge: 36Hometown: Spencer, OK

Name: Beth Salva-CliffordJob: Shipboard ElectricianAge: 42Hometown: Norfolk, VA

Name: Jorge ZavalaJob: Concrete Form SetterAge: 25Hometown: Ontario, CA

Name: Ellery LiburdJob: FirefighterAge: 54Hometown: Bronx, NY

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly 's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Related content: