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Kody Brown reveals this ‘Sister Wives’ star begged him not to join ‘Special Forces’: ‘She’s a worrier’

The risks of ‘Special Forces’ were real, and even Kody Brown admits his wife had every reason to worry.

Reality television star Kody Brown has weathered many personal and public challenges throughout his years on TLC’s ‘Sister Wives.’ However, the father of 18 admits nothing quite compares to the physical and mental trial he recently endured on Fox’s high-stakes competition ‘Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.’ The 56-year-old spoke candidly about his experience and revealed that while he was eager to take on the grueling challenge, his wife, Robyn Brown, was far less enthusiastic about the idea. “She was like, ‘I just don’t think I would.’ She is the kind of wife that has concern for everybody, and so she’s a worrier,” Kody explained in an interview with US Weekly on Wednesday, September 10.

Robyn’s hesitation was rooted in fear for her husband’s safety. It’s something Kody himself admitted was understandable after hearing the show’s initial warning. “She’s going to worry about me, and she’s like, ‘I don’t want you doing that,’” he recalled. “It’s the first thing you learn when you step into it, is like, ‘This could kill you. You might die. And we’re serious, so don’t be stupid.’” For those unfamiliar, ‘Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test’ strips away the glamour of celebrity life and places contestants in real military-style situations. Each participant is put through rigorous drills and survival tasks inspired by training exercises that U.S. Special Forces soldiers endure.

The group is pushed to extremes by former operatives who are unrelenting in their demands, making it one of the most physically punishing reality shows on television. Kody shared that his wife’s opposition didn’t immediately shift. In fact, she barely wanted to discuss the subject at all when he first received the offer. “When they called me about ‘Special Forces,’ I’m telling my wife, and she’s like, ‘We’re going to have to discuss this,’” he said. “One month went by, another month, we never discussed it. [I’m like], ‘We’re not going to discuss it, are we?’ She says, ‘I know you’re going to do it. There’s no way I can stop you.’”

Despite her reluctance, Robyn eventually accepted her husband’s decision, and Kody admitted that diving headfirst into the challenge may not have been entirely wise. “Maybe going was stupid, but it’s the kind of challenge that you almost relish,” he said, adding that preparing for the show gave him unexpected motivation. “It’s like, in my age, the idea of having a purpose to get into the kind of shape you need to be for this was just marvelous. It was almost spiritual.” Though Robyn initially didn’t want him to compete, Kody said her perspective shifted once it was all over. “After the experience,” he revealed, “she told me, ‘Now, I want to watch it.’ We don’t want to watch each other on television [but] she wants to watch me on ‘Special Forces.’”

Fans of ‘Sister Wives’ know that Robyn has been a central figure in Kody’s life since they spiritually wed in 2010. They later married legally in 2014, as per People. Together, they share two children (Solomon, 13, and Ariella, 9), and Kody adopted Robyn’s three children from her previous marriage. Over the past few years, as Kody’s marriages with Meri, Janelle, and Christine unraveled, Robyn remained the only wife still by his side. Through that lens, Robyn’s concern about his participation in ‘Special Forces’ makes even more sense, as she has watched Kody weather not only family upheaval but also one of the toughest physical trials of his life.

Kody described the show as relentless. “The experience was interesting. There’s not a dull moment,” he said. “Even when you’re sleeping, you’re just worried you’re gonna get woken up in the middle of the night and dragged out into a pool of cold water.” The training pushed him past his limits at times. “There was one time when my muscles gave out. We were supposed to be swinging across monkey bars, and I had sand on my hands, and I couldn’t cup the monkey bars. I just didn’t have the strength anymore to do it,” he recalled. While he admitted he wasn’t the strongest among the male contestants, Kody insisted that his ability to endure made the difference.

Despite his self-doubts, Kody emphasized that Robyn has remained supportive of his journey, even if she doesn’t always approve of everything he says or does on-screen. He acknowledged that she dislikes when he is “not well behaved” or “says mean things about people,” but he added that she continues to be his “No. 1 fan.” With ‘Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test’ returning for season 4 on Thursday, September 25, at 9 p.m. ET on Fox, viewers will soon get to watch Kody face the obstacles head-on.