Fessy Shafaat on ‘The Challenge’: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Fessy Shafaat

MTV Fessy Shafaat

Season 37 of MTV’s “The Challenge” is kicking off on August 11 and will feature the return of powerhouse Faysal “Fessy” Shafaat, who made the final in his first two seasons of the show but became a divisive figure on “Double Agents.” Although he had a strong couple of seasons and was considered a physical threat, Fessy was unable to continue on the “Double Agents” final and is back for his third shot on “Spies, Lies and Allies.”

The “Big Brother 20” alum will be heading into the “Challenge” house with some strong alliances since he is a part of the “Big Brother” family of Josh Martinez and Kaycee Clark. Fessy also got along well with Nelson Thomas and Cory Wharton on his rookie season but will have to navigate those complicated relationships after betraying Nelson on “Double Agents.”

Here’s what you need to know about Fessy Shafaat:


1. He Appeared on Season 20 of ‘Big Brother’ & Finished in 9th Place

Fessy appeared on season 20 of “Big Brother,” which aired in 2018. Although he was quite good at competitions, winning three overall, he was on the wrong end of the strategy for most of his time in the house and was frequently blindsided.

He finished in 9th place and was a member of the jury. He also started a showmance with fellow house guest Haleigh Broucher, which turned into a real-life relationship after the show for a couple of years.

The season was eventually won by Fessy’s fellow “Challenge” competitor, Kaycee Clark.


2. He Played College Football & Often Posts About the Gym & Fitness

Fessy Shafaat played football in college for the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga. On the roster, he was listed as being a 6’5″, 235-lb tight end. He had a great college football career and is listed as a two-time All-American and three-time All-Southern Conference tight end, a four-year starter with 125 career catches and 18 touchdowns.

In an interview prior to his appearance on “Big Brother 20,” Fessy said: “I think, me being a former college athlete, I am very competitive, and I tend to… show emotion when competitions arise.”

Fessy was preparing to make the NFL as a football player and received the third team All American his senior year but tore his ACL that season and needed a couple of years to recover. On his Instagram story, Fessy thanked MTV and “The Challenge” for providing him an opportunity to compete in physical challenges after his injury:

I’m a confident person because I worked for everything I received. Every award there was so many hours of work put behind that. Now when I line up to compete I’d be damned if I’ma let you out shine me. Grateful for @challengemtv to let me put my abilities on display after the @nfl door shut in my face.


3. He Is From Orlando Florida & Is Close to His Family

The 28-year-old was born on October 17, 1991. He was born and raised in Orlando, Florida to parents Michelle and Rizvan Shafaat. He is the eldest of three kids, with a younger brother named Imran and a younger sister named Alia.

Fessy attended Orlando Lutheran Academy before going to the University of Tennessee. He graduated from the University of Tennessee with a psychology degree in December 2014.

On August 12, Fessy wrote on Instagram, “I’ve been very fortunate to be in the situation I’m in and I wanted to treat the entire family. Damn near brought tears to my eyes flying them all out to a 5 star all inclusive resort in riviera maya for a week. Told them not to worry about anything. I got it. That’s an amazing feeling considering how much they’ve always believed in me.”


4. Fessy Broke Up With His Girlfriend Haleigh Broucher Who He Met on His Season of ‘Big Brother’

Fessy started a showmance with Haleigh Broucher during “Big Brother 20,” and continued their relationship outside of the show. However, the couple announced their breakup on July 14, 2020, two years after they first met. The 23-year-old Texas native was eliminated from the “Big Brother” house shortly after Fessy, placing 7th overall and becoming a member of the jury.

Haleigh announced their breakup and wrote that the two were from very different backgrounds and struggled to maintain the long-distance relationship. “To all of the fans, It is with a heavy heart that Fes and I have made the decision to split ways and focus on ourselves,” she wrote. “This was not an easy decision, and we have truly tried every possible thing we could to continue in this relationship.”

Fessy had a showmance with rookie Gabby Allen on “Double Agents” and at the reunion, he revealed that he traveled to Turks and Caicos with newly single Tori Deal but the two decided to be friends on that trip.


5. He Practices Islam & Recently Visited Family in Pakistan

Fessy has opened up about observing Ramadan during “Spies, Lies and Allies” and also spoke about being Muslim while on his rookie season of “Total Madness.” In an interview during that season, Fessy spoke about being Muslim in the U.S. in the wake of 9/11 and on May 2020, he tweeted, “after 9/11 I dealt with racism because some people viewed every middle eastern person or Muslim as a potential terrorist.”

Fessy’s family is originally from Pakistan and he has some family there who he went to visit recently, opening up on social media about his trip. He said the trip, which he was initially supposed to take in 2018 but delayed it to appear on “Big Brother,” opened his eyes. “These aren’t just going to be vacation trips, I am going to be coming out here every year more than once now,” he wrote. “Pakistan has a special place in my heart now, it is half of me, it’s apart of me.” He also shared:

1 week in Pakistan and I’m already in love… I love my culture, this place has soul, and you can just feel it. I love the people, i love the food, I love the city, and I love spending time with my family. Can’t believe I waited this long to come back when this is half of me, just as much as I am American, I am Pakistani. Embrace your culture. It will change your life.

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