MTV’s long-running competition series The Challenge will launch its 40th season on Wednesday (August 14) by reaching back into its past to bring back iconic personalities to compete again in the landmark series. 

The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras, which debuts August 14, will pit 40 veterans from past seasons against each other in new, physical challenges to pursue a million dollar grand prize, MTV said. The Bunim/Murray-produced series, which first debuted in 1998, is the longest-running reality/competition series on television. 

Bunim/Murray president Julie Pizzi, who worked as a showrunner in the show’s early years, says the show’s iconic personalities and unique challenges have helped endear the show to a generation of fans. 

Also Read: Bunim/Murray’s Julie Pizzi Travels the Road From Superfan to Top Producer

“I believe the audience comes back because of the characters that they know and love, that they see themselves in and actually watched grow up on television,” she said. “People feel like the characters are part of their families, so they kinda watch to see them grow, learn, fail, succeed and ultimately win.” 

Click below to hear more of the interview with Pizzi on the latest episode of the “Content Spotlight” podcast.

BET’s annual Black Girls Rock! special was the most talked about television show on social media Tuesday, according to Nielsen.

The special, which honors the accomplishments of black female entertainers, philanthropists and business leaders, drew 424,000 Twitter and Facebook interactions from 263,000 unique users, according to Nielsen’s daily social content ratings.

USA Network’s WWE SmackDown was second, followed by NBC’s America’s Got Talent, CNN’s CNN Tonight With Don Lemon and MTV’s The Challenge.

MLB Network’s live coverage of the Chicago Cubs-Cincinnati Reds game drew the most social media traffic for a live sports event on Tuesday, according to Nielsen.

MTV has greenlit two pilots to series and renewed two veteran reality series, the network said Friday.

MTV has given 10-episode orders for Girl Code Live, a weekly half-hour late night talk show hosted by Girl Code stars Nessa, Carly and Awkwafina, and Greatest Party Story Ever, a half-hour weekly series that will showcase peoples’ most outrageous epic tales with a comedic tone, according to network officials.

In addition, the network has renewed matchmaking series Are You The One? (pictured) for a third season as well as competition series The Challenge for a 27th season, said MTV.