It wouldn’t be The Challenge without TJ Lavin, but the host of the long-running MTV series has a lot more to him than just TV credits. There’s no denying that TJ is one of the best components of The Challenge each season, and fans love how passionate he is about the show. The former BMX champ knows a thing or two about competition and giving it your all. TJ has many layers, and being host of The Challenge is just the tip of the iceberg.
Since season 11, TJ has served as host of The Challenge, and unlike some reality show hosts, TJ has always been very involved in the competition. He is on hand to explain every daily challenge and elimination challenge, and he seems to genuinely enjoy being a part of the show. His gleeful cackling as contestants endure off-the-wall challenges is infectious for viewers, and fans often say he’s one of the best parts of the show.
However, before TJ hosted The Challenge, he was a big deal on the BMX circuit. Over the course of his 15-year BMX career, TJ racked up two gold medals, one silver medal, and three bronze medals at the American X-Games. But unfortunately his riding career was cut short in 2010 when he suffered a horrific crash. According to MTV News, in the crash, TJ shattered his wrist, fractured an orbital bone, broke several ribs, and suffered swelling of the brain that required doctors to put him into a medically-induced coma.
Thankfully, TJ recovered from his grievous injuries, but he knew his riding days were behind him. However, TJ was still one of the best things about The Challenge, and he had other things going for him too. Since 2004, TJ had been dating Roxanne Siordia, and in 2012, two years after the crash, the couple finally tied the knot on their eighth anniversary. TJ also formally adopted Roxanne’s daughter Raquel from a previous marriage, and the three have been a happy family ever since.
The long-time host of The Challenge hasn’t indicated that he intends to leave the series, so fans can rest easy that they’ll get more TJ in season 37. TJ’s life has been a bumpy road, but if his joyful attitude and Instagram feed are any indication, he’s definitely found his peace. Though he notoriously hates quitters, TJ also has a good sense of humor, and overall checks all the boxes in what viewers could ever want in the host of the popular MTV competition show.