The Bachelor and Special Forces: Tyler Cameron Reveals the Intricacies of Psychological Warfare
Tyler Cameron, known for his appearances on 'The Bachelorette' and 'Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test,' shares his unique perspective on the intense psychological challenges faced in both reality TV and actual special forces training
Tyler Cameron prefers to search for love on The Bachelorette rather than enduring another season of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test. "Both shows involve psychological warfare," Cameron, 30, told We exclusively on Monday, November 27, before the season 2 finale. "But I would definitely say Special Forces is tougher. I get to visit nice, exotic places on The Bachelor and do all that fun stuff. With Special Forces, I go to exotic, miserable places."
Cameron made his debut in season 2 of Special Forces, which premiered in September, joining reality stars like Bachelor’s Nick Viall, Vanderpump Rules’ Tom Sandoval, and JoJo Siwa. The Fox reality show follows celebrities to a remote location where they undergo training exercises led by special forces operatives. Unlike season 1, which took place in Jordan, season 2 took place in New Zealand’s mountains during the harsh winter, presenting the recruits with challenging terrain and freezing temperatures.
In the final course of season 2, Cameron was "captured" alongside Siwa, Sandoval, Viall, and Olympic gold medalist Erin Jackson. They were forced to navigate through the night and endure a challenging interrogation process meant to test their mental limits. After a strenuous eight days, Cameron learned that he had successfully completed the course.
"I was teetering on the brink the entire time," he recounted of the final challenge. "I just didn't know how I could continue. I felt like I was going to be pushed to my limits. I was beyond cold, it felt like I was getting hypothermia. I've never experienced it, but I was shaking uncontrollably."
Tyler had personal motivations for wanting to succeed during his time on Special Forces. His brother, Austin Cameron, serves as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army. Tyler shared that his sibling was "extremely excited" to hear that he had succeeded, and was incredibly impressed with how well the Bachelorette alum had performed.
Tyler remembered, "He said, 'It's scary how good you are at this. Probably even better than I am." Tyler replied, "Austin, you have to understand, I know there isn't a real gun at the end of this that might shoot me one day. Your mindset and courage are far beyond mine. I wouldn't put myself in those positions, but you're willing to and make that sacrifice."
Tyler likened his time in the Special Forces to a "video game," acknowledging that his brother's work is "real life."
"But when he said that, it was like, 'Wow, I actually did it in his eyes,'" he went on. "That meant a lot. I really wanted to earn his respect. That's what kept me going."
Although Special Forces doesn't offer any gifts or rewards for completing the show, Cameron playfully expressed his hope for a little something extra. "Maybe a trophy or something?" he joked. "I couldn't believe I actually passed. I was so uncertain and my mind was just blank from the cold."
Cameron noted that it took him "a minute" to process the accompaniment, which may explain why viewers perceived "no emotion" on his face during the season 2 finale.
Pete Dadds/ FOX
"I no longer feel like myself," he expressed. "I'm just going through the motions, trying to make it through. It's not until someone reaches out and gives me a hug or something that I realize, 'Oh, I actually made it through and accomplished this.' That's when a feeling of joy and relief washes over me. I feel so much more energized after that."
While individuals enter Special Forces training, they quickly find themselves relying on each other for support during group tasks. Tyler, in particular, was recognized by his fellow recruits as a natural leader and an essential team player—a skill he attributes to his early life experiences.
“It’s almost as if you’re pushing each other to surpass new milestones,” he told Us. “And I believe that facing what we’ve faced has brought us closer together and strengthened our bond. That’s one thing I really appreciate about football. We would be up at 5:30 in the morning, pushing through intense training, workouts, and everything else. It really bonded us because we were working towards something greater than ourselves.”
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Despite his success in the challenging landscape of New Zealand, Tyler seems to have not found love on TV. The model, who was a runner-up on The Bachelorette, recently shared that he turned down the opportunity to become the next Bachelor in August 2021.
"I was curious to explore the opportunities the world had in store for me," he shared in an episode of BroBible’s “Endless Hustle” podcast. "I took a chance on myself and forged my own path. So far, it seems to be paying off."
