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Twelve of Naked and Afraid’s toughest survivalists are taking on a new challenge in the upcoming season of Naked and Afraid XL. They’ll head to the brutal Colombian badlands, where they’ll fight to survive for 40 days without food, water, or clothes. 

In a clip from the May 12 season premiere, one of the survivalists makes it clear she has every intention of completing the challenge, no matter what obstacles she faces. 

Lynsey from ‘Naked and Afraid XL’ isn’t intimidated by the Colombian badlands  

In her previous Naked and Afraid appearance in 2021, Lynsey McCarver spent 2021 in the Lapala wilderness of South Africa. She’s ready for whatever the South American jungle throws at her. 

“The Colombian badlands has everything that wants to bite you and eat you,” she says in the premiere episode (via YouTube). “But I will bite back.”

The vet tech from Idaho also plans to lean on her considerable skills as an outdoorswoman in her latest adventure. 

“I can find food anywhere I go. I definitely want to hunt,” she says. “I’m not going to be, like, Susie Homemaker and stay at home boiling water and collecting firewood.”

This ‘Naked and Afraid XL’ will be ‘a true test’ of survival skills, says Sam Mouzer

Kaiela with caiman kill over her shoulder 'Naked and Afraid'
Kaiela with caiman kill in ‘Naked and Afraid XL’ | Discovery Channel

Among the survivalists joining Lynsey in Colombia is Sam Mouzer. He lasted three weeks in a remote part of New Mexico in a 2023 episode of Naked and Afraid. But he knows this latest challenge is not for the faint of heart. 

“This is going to be a true test of all the survivalists out here,” he says in another clip (via YouTube). “I don’t care who they are.” 

Still, Sam is confident in his own abilities. 

“But as a survivalist, I can be quite adaptive,” he says. “Dare I say, a good all-arounder.”

For Sam, who hails from the U.K., teamwork is key to success in survival situations. (His fellow cast members include Andrew Shayde from Naked and Afraid: Castaways and Terra Short from Naked and Afraid: Solo.) But he worries he might not realize what he’s getting into. 

“I find I’m at my strongest when I’m helping others … but compared to where I’m from, this place might as well be a total alien planet for me,” he admits. 

Sam might be right to be concerned. This time around, Naked and Afraid XL is upping the ante by adding an extra twist to the challenge. In addition to facing down a harsh environment filled with blood-sucking mosquitoes, vicious biting ants, and stalking jaguars, the cast will also have to trek 40 miles across six unique terrains if they want to successfully complete the challenge. Will any make it to the end? Tune in to find out. 

Naked and Afraid XL premieres Sunday, May 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Discovery Channel. Episodes also stream on Max. 

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