“I didn’t have anyone like me in the public eye when I was growing up”

As the first non-binary host of a reality show in Australia, Brihony Dawson appreciates the lengths to which cast and crew on The Challenge went to familiarise themselves wth ‘They / Them’ pronouns.

Filming for the 10 series took place in Argentina with 22 participants from Reality TV, Entertainment and Sport, with crew from Australia, Argentina, Mexico, Venezuala and more.

“I was really thankful that (because of) 10, Paramount, MTV, it had been talked about, so I didn’t have to start from scratch every time like I normally have to do. Everyone was just so amazing and respectful about how they would talk to me. Whenever I was one on one with someone from the cast, they’d say, ‘I really want to get it right…. how do I say it?’ They were really, really, supportive,” they told TV Tonight.

“The crew had written ‘They / Them’ on the desk as a constant reminder, because they wanted to get it right. And I found that really sweet, that they wanted to get it right.

“For me, visibility is the most important thing.”

“For me, visibility is the most important thing. I didn’t have anyone like me in the public eye when I was growing up. Just to be me, and confident in myself and who I am, I hope sets an example for other people who may be feeling the same way or questioning anything about their gender.

“But just as importantly, I hope that it starts conversations for other people who know nothing about it.”

Dawson has worked in presenting for NYC Pride, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, the Australian Formula One Grand Prix, AFLW Grand Final, W-Awards and Women’s Footy Show. They landed their biggest gig when a TV exec saw them their work at a sports function.

“I didn’t even have to audition!”

“I was hosting an event at the MCG, and one of the people from Paramount was there. Lucky I turned it on that day, because within the month, I had been booked as the host of The Challenge. I didn’t even have to audition!”

An Australian adaptation of a long-running Paramount format, the show sees contestants face off in challenges whilst also living together under the gaze of Reality TV cameras. The winners take home $200,000 and proceed to a global edition of the format.

“I think it’s like Survivor meets Ninja Warrior and they all live in this big house together. They compete in these massive challenges nearly every day we do a challenge and then an elimination.

“It is an absolute reality juggernaut.”

“It is an absolute reality juggernaut. It’s done 38 seasons, it started in 1998 and they’ve given away something like $14.5 million in prize money in that time. It’s absolutely massive. They decided to expand it into other countries, to Australia, UK and Argentina. The winners of each one of those shows, then goes into The Challenge World Championship, which is filming in South Africa now. I got to take over our winners and present our Australian team,” said Dawson.

The cast has included Bachelorette Brooke Blurton, singer Jack Vidgen, Cyrell Paule and Ryan Gallagher from Married at First Sight, David Subritzky from I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!, Johnny Eastoe from Australian Survivor, Marley Biyendolo from Big Brother and more.

Like most reality shows skewed to younger viewers, it happily leans into the drama and romance between its cast.

“There didn’t need to be any encouragement at all! They’re people in their 20s. That’s what they do!” laughs Dawson.

“They’re pretty fit and ridiculously good-looking people in a house together. There’s bound to be a little bit of this, a little bit of that….

“I haven’t watched a lot of Reality TV. I’m a RuPaul person, but that’s about it.”

“I haven’t watched a lot of Reality TV. I’m a RuPaul person, but that’s about it. I’ve watched a little bit of Big Brother. I knew what The Challenge was but everyone sort of went in with a clean slate with me. I got to know them with no pre-conceived ideas.”

Dawson says they also watched the action from the control room and were tempted to intercede when things got heated.

“There’s a pretty sizable altercation about halfway through where producers had to step in and manage a few things. I was like ‘Put me in the game! I want to go into the house and lay down the law!'” they said.

“This is about getting a rose, this isn’t about getting married and finding love.”

So how much of the show is about genuine drama and how much is amplified for the cameras? After all these are mostly seasonsed Reality faces, who know they have been hired to turn it on for the cameras.

“Yes, absolutely, but they’re also trying to win,” Dawson insists.

“This is about getting a rose, this isn’t about getting married and finding love. This is about winning a game and winning $200,000 bucks. So your social game is one of the most important things that you can do on this show.

“Everyone definitely had that in mind.”

The Challenge Australia screens 7:30pm Monday and Tuesday on 10.