Found among the 11 new teams are 'Big Brother' winner Rachel Reilly and her fiance Brendon Villegas who also appeared on the reality show.
- Jan 26, 2012
AceShowbiz - The 20th season of "The Amazing Race" brings in two familiar faces in the reality TV world. Rachel Reilly and Brendon Villegas of "Big Brother" are teaming up against 10 other teams as engaged couple. Villegas met Reilly in the 12th season of "Big Brother" and they returned as couple in the following season in which she won.
In its announcement on Wednesday, January 25, CBS calls this season "one of the most competitive courses ever". Added to the race are married clowns, dating divorcees, border patrol agents pair, soccer player twins and federal agents in addition to the usual family/friend relationship.
They will travel through five continents, 22 cities and nearly 40,000 miles. Executive producer Bertram van Munster said the route "is so off the wall and so crazy that it almost killed us. It's really very original - the whole ensemble, the cast and the route and the challenges are really unique, it's probably one of the best [seasons] we've ever done - and very competitive."
They will be skydiving in Argentina, training with Masai warriors in Tanzania and visit new "Amazing Race" territories, Paraguay and Azerbaijan. The new season premieres Sunday, February 19 at 8 P.M. on CBS.
- Brendon Villegas, 31; Westwood, Calif.; Ph.D. student; Rachel Reilly, 27; Westwood, Calif.; event hostess (engaged)
- Dave Gregg, 44; New Port Richey, Fla.; "Ambassador of; Laughter"; Cherie Gregg, 44; New Port Richey, Fla.; "Ambassador of; Laughter" (married clowns)
- Art Velez, 43; Temecula, Calif.; border patrol agent; J.J. Carrell, 42; Carlsbad, Calif.; border patrol agent (friends)
- Nary Ebeid, 32; Los Angeles; federal agent; Jamie Graetz, 33; Los Angeles; federal agent (friends)
- Vanessa Macias, 31; San Antonio; freelance writer; Ralph Kelley, 36; San Antonio; bar owner (dating divorcees)
- Misa Tanaka, 27; San Diego; car buyer; Maiya Tanaka, 25; San Diego; professional golfer (sisters)
- Dave Brown Jr., 33; Madison, Wis.; U.S. Army Officer; Rachel Brown, 30; Madison, Wis.; project manager (married)
- William "Bopper" Minton, 41; Manchester, KY.; motorcycle mechanic; Mark Jackson, 45; Manchester, Ky.; former state inspector (best friends)
- Joey "Fitness" Lasalla, 29; Whitestone, N.Y.; trainer/supplement; company owner; Danny Horal, 27; Holbrook, N.Y.; nightclub promoter (friends)
- Elliot Weber, 28; Scottsdale, Ariz.; musician; Andrew Weber, 28; Menlo Park, Calif.; professional soccer player (twins)
- Kerri Paul, 30; Gulfport, Miss.; program coordinator; Stacy Bowers, 30; Gulfport, Miss.; self-employed/"basketball" wife (cousins)
