If the cast of CBS’ new extreme celebrity reality series “Beyond the Edge” had an MVP, members agree it would be country singer Craig Morgan.
Morgan, a former paratrooper who served in combat, was the only celebrity on the cast who had experience living in such extreme conditions. Members say they don’t know how they would have made it in the Panamanian jungle without him.
“Without Craig Morgan, none of us would be alive by now,” said supermodel Paulina Porizkova on Wednesday during the CBS Spring Press Day. “He was definitely the most MVP by miles because this guy knows how to do everything. He knew how to make a fire in the rain. He knew how to do the roofs. He knew how to collect food. He taught me and Ebony and Jody how to get food. I personally don’t think that we could have done it. So definitely the most helpful, Captain Morgan.”
“Beyond the Edge” airs 9 p.m. (ET) Wednesdays on CBS Television Network and will be available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+*. In addition to Morgan and Porizkova, the cast also includes country singer and Grand Ole Opry member Lauren Alaina, Super Bowl MVP Ray Lewis, NBA champion Metta World Peace, NFL legend Mike Singletary, “Full House” actress Jodie Sweetin and television personalities Colton Underwood (“The Bachelor”) and Eboni K. Williams (“The Real Housewives of New York City”). During the show, the celebrities trade the comforts of their daily lives for two weeks of brutal living conditions and intense physical and emotional challenges to raise money for their favorite charities.
“There was no whining,” Morgan said. “I know you might not believe this … that’s the truth. It was the opposite. There were moments when everyone there, they could have whined. And no one would’ve said anything when Paulina was absolutely soaking, drenched, wet, and woke up shivering. She had a positive attitude. When people got hurt, every time something happened, they were upset that they may have let people down. It was unbelievable. I think it’s keeping perspective of why we were there.”
The charities are Alaina (The Next Door); Morgan (Operation Finally Home); Lewis (Johns Hopkins Children’s Center); Peace (The Artest University); Porizkova (ACLU Foundation); Singletary (Changing Our Perspective); Sweetin (Girls Inc.); Underwood (Colton Underwood Legacy Foundation); and Williams (Safe Horizons).
At the end of two weeks, the top two earners will face off in one final adventure to compete for the title of BEYOND THE EDGE champion and win even more money for their charity of choice.
In addition to leaving the show with money for their charities, Morgan said he also made friends for life.
“I immediately just fell in love with every one of these people,” Morgan said. “I’ve used Paulina as an example a lot. I don’t know if it weren’t for this show if Paulina and I may have, and Ebony as well, we may have never met each other. In fact, if we had met each other at some event or some function in New York, there’s a good chance we wouldn’t have spent much time together because we all, I mean, it this is the truth. And I’m being transparent. We all have these preconceived ideas about who people are and the lifestyle they live. This supermodel and this famous lawyer TV person probably would’ve never come over and talked to this country, boy. But here we got to really know each other. For me, the biggest thing was the emotion of the experience. It wasn’t the physical aspects. I could have stayed there for another month. I would’ve had a house built.”