Plot Synopsis

Hosted and executive produced by Phil Keoghan, TOUGH AS NAILS is a one-hour competition series that celebrates everyday Americans who consider the calluses on their hands a badge of honor. Competitors are tested for their strength, endurance, agility and mental toughness in challenges that take place in the real world. One by one, they are eliminated until the TOUGH AS NAILS winner is named, but nobody goes home. Even after they "punch out" of the individual competition, they have the opportunity to win additional prizes in the team competitions that continue throughout the season. The 12 competitors include: Young An (Occupation: Firefighter; Age: 36; Hometown: Alexandria, VA); Melissa Burns (Farmer; 27; Milford Center, OH); Callie Cattell (Fisherman; 28; Bend, OR); Tara Davis (Ironworker; 30; Elk Plain, WA); Linda Goodridge (Deputy Sheriff; 29; Marion, NY); Linnett Key (Welder; 34; Lecanto, FL); Michelle S. Kiddy (Gate Agent; 62; Alexandria, KY); Lee Marshall (Roofer; 61; St. Louis, MO); Danny Moody (Drywaller; 33; Spokane, WA); Kelly 'Murph' Murphy (Marine Corps Veteran; 47; Paragon, IN); Myles V. Polk (Forestry Tech; 28; Tuskegee, AL); and Luis Yuli (Scaffolder; 35; The Bronx, NY).

The sophomore season of TOUGH AS NAILS premiered on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 8pm ET/PT on CBS. The new season opens with 12 new everyday heroes taking on their first job -- making concrete -- with the first two to complete the individual task named crew bosses who get to select their own crews for the team competitions. Competitors in the second season include: Tara Alverson (occupation: Mariner; age: 38; current residence: Endurance, a tug boat in Alaska); Sarah Burkett (Pipe Welder; 41; Petersburg, PA); Angel Castillo (Construction Foreman; 29; Miami, FL); Aracelis 'Celi' Garcia (Travel Nurse; 31; Philadelphia, PA); Michael 'Eyebrows' Guerriero (Bricklayer; 43; Staten Island, NY); Patrick 'Freight Train' Hargan (UPS Delivery Driver; 49; Flourtown, PA); Scott Henry (Construction Superintendent; 40; Ogden, UT); Iraida Mujica (Transport Track Repair; 43; Miramar, FL); Liz 'Knuckles' Nichols (Cement Mason; 36; Portland, OR); Cyril 'Zeus' Ontai III (Lineman; 29; Honolulu, HI); Swifty Sanders (Steelworker; 43; Merrillville, IN); and Merryl Tengesdal (Retired Air Force Colonel; 49; Sacramento, CA).

Season 3 of TOUGH AS NAILS premiered on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 at 9pm ET/PT on CBS. Phil Keoghan is the creator, host and showrunner. Twelve new competitors kick off the third season from Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base in Southern California, when Season 1's winner, Marine veteran Kelly "Murph" Murphy, returns to lead the crews through a series of military-style challenges. Throughout the season, crews must complete their jobs at other renowned locations, including Mt. Baldy, the highest peak in Los Angeles, the U.S. Coast Guard in San Pedro, and the Irwindale Speedway, a motorsports facility, leading to one competitor being crowned the champion and winning the coveted TOUGH AS NAILS belt. However, anyone who "punches out" of the individual competition can still win additional cash prizes in the team competitions that continue throughout the season. Season 3 competitors include: Kelsy Reynolds (career: Crop duster; age: 30; hometown: Mansfield, IL); Christine Connors (Ironworker; 29; Johnstown, PA); Takeru "Tak" Tanabe (Construction foreman; 35; Kailua-Kona, HI); Jerome Kupuka'a (Heavy equipment operator; 48; Ewa Beach, Hawai'i); Lamar Edwin Hanger (Carpenter; 54; Orange County, CA); Lia Mort (Jill-of-all-trades; 54; Lititz, PA); Dequincey "Quincey" Walker (Diesel mechanic; 34; Lamar, SC); Kalimba Edwards (Fire captain; 43; Wallace, NE); Mike Shaffer (Lineman; 32; Brewerton, NY); Elizabeth Rillera (Contractor; 37; Shelton, WA); Sarah Ham (Cement mason; 30; Queens, NY); and Alfredo "Alfie" P. Rivera (Construction supervisor; 55; Santiago, Chile).

TOUGH AS NAILS returned for its fourth season on Wednesday, January 4, 2023 from 9-11pm ET/PT on CBS. The best of the best essential workers will test their life skills at real job sites, including construction, welding, fishing, farming, carpentry and more. One by one, they are eliminated from the individual competition until a winner is crowned, but what sets TOUGH AS NAILS apart is nobody goes home. Contestants who "punch out" of the individual competition continue to compete until the end of the season in a team competition with a chance of winning additional cash prizes. The competition begins on Catalina Island off the coast of Los Angeles. Competitors will sink or swim when they face a grueling first challenge in the Pacific Ocean where they are tasked with replacing old boat moorings. The first two to complete the job earn the privilege of selecting the two teams of six that will make up Dirty Hands and Savage Crew. Then competitors look to prove they're the strongest when they take on the first individual competition: building a concrete retaining wall. The stakes are higher this season for the individual competition because not only are contestants trying to avoid the weekly elimination challenge and win the final $200,000 grand prize, but there is an additional cash bonus reward on the line. The 12 competitors in Season 4 are: Jake Cope (Job: pipeline laborer; Age: 34; Hometown: Little Meadows, PA); Ilima Shim (construction worker; 34; Waianae, HI); Laura Bernotas (general contractor; 35; Current Residence: Norfolk, VA); Sergio Robles (foreman; 51; Huntington Beach, CA); Renee Kolar (dry mason; 52; Marshfield, MA); Larron Ables (diesel technician; 22; Austin, TX); Synethia Bland (carpenter; 38; Roselle, NJ); Aly Bala (laborer; 25; Covington, GA); Mister Frost (welder; 36; Spencer, OK); Beth Salva-Clifford (shipboard electrician; 42; Norfolk, VA); Jorge Zavala (concrete form setter; 25; Ontario, CA); and Ellery Liburd (firefighter; 54; Bronx, NY).

On Sunday, July 2, 2023 from 8-10pm ET/PT, TOUGH AS NAILS returned for its fifth season with two new episodes. Subsequent episodes debut on Fridays and Sundays at 8pm. For the first time, the show filmed in the Canadian "Steeltown" of Hamilton, Ontario, and features essential workers from both the United States and Canada who are ready to test their strength, endurance, life skills and mental toughness in challenges that take place in real-world scenarios. One by one, these workers are eliminated from the individual competition until a winner is crowned, but nobody goes home. Contestants who "punch out" of the individual competition continue to compete until the end of the season in a team competition with a chance of winning additional cash prizes. The 12 competitors for Season 5 include: Paul Hamilton (Job: Maintenance supervisor; Age: 56; Hometown: Airdrie, Alberta); Carolina Paredes (Motorcycle builder; 42; Houston, TX); Dustin Bradford (Firefighter; 34; Edmonton, Alberta); Marcus Jones (CO2 technician; 49; Fort Worth, TX); Jessica Hayes (Remodeling contractor; 35; Cedar Park, TX); Kenji Ngo (Jack of all trades; 39; Delaware, OH); Cheryl Lieteau (Carpenter; 55; Dudley, MA); Ben Dempsey (Tile setter; 33; Halifax, Nova Scotia); Akeela Al-Hameed (Firefighter; 34; Fridley, MN); Todd Anderson (Toolmaker; 58; Janesville, WI); Yesi Reyes (Ironworker; 31; Los Angeles, CA); and Carly Steiman (Electrician; 32; North Vancouver, British Columbia).
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On Sunday, July 30, 2023 at 8pm ET/PT, CBS premiered "Ready for Take Off," the Season 5 of TOUGH AS NAILS. The final three compete in the most challenging gauntlet yet for the title of TOUGH AS NAILS champion and the coveted winner's belt.