Stephen Baldwin. Pete Dadds/FOX
Stephen Baldwin’s stint on Special Forces was short but memorable — and we’re not just talking about his skinny black headband.
Hailey Bieber’s 58-year-old dad was the first star to leave during the Wednesday, January 8, premiere of the Fox show, which brings together celebrities from all genres attempting to pass training exercises led by a team of ex-Special Forces operatives. Season 3 takes place in North Wales and features Stephen, Bachelor Nation’s Trista Sutter and Ali Fedotowsky, Brody Jenner, Denise Richards and more.
“I’m the youngest Baldwin brother. I’m a thespian,” Stephen told the cameras. “I’ve trained twice with military technical advisers. Am I a Special Forces guy? No, but I’ve played one on TV.”
For the first task, the 16 celebrities had to jump from a speeding boat to a speeding helicopter and climb into the helicopter — and Stephen was actually one of the eight cast members who was able to complete the challenge. Before the end of the episode, however, the actor worried that he was injured and requested a medical consultation with the on-duty doctor.
“I smashed my meniscus on the helicopter today and my back is in knots and I can’t turn my head past there,” Stephen said before the doctor asked if he wanted him to look at his knee.
Things subsequently take a bit of a weird turn as Stephen becomes hostile. “It really, at this point, doesn’t matter,” Stephen said before asking the doctor, “Are you being paid to do this?”
“I’m curious — if right after this gig you had another one that paid you 10 times what they are paying you know, would you do it?” he continued. When the doctor replied that he wasn’t sure “where this conversation is going” as he thought Stephen wanted a medical consultation, Stephen declared that he had a “decision to make.”
“OK, what’s your decision?” the doctor asked.
“I have a gig right after this.The one condition for that gig is that I not get injured. It’s not worth it to me. It’s not worth it to have to go into a hospital for a couple of weeks,” Stephen said.
When the doctor asked if Stephen was aware of the type of tasks on the show, he responded, “Yes, but I didn’t know I would definitely get injured.” Stephen then appeared to get heated and spoke louder, repeating twice: “I cannot get injured.”
When the doc filled in the “staff” — a.k.a. the ex-Special Forces operatives who lead the show — they said they believed Stephen was looking for “an excuse” and subsequently dismissed him from the show, saying: “No. 5, you failed this course and you failed yourself. Go.”
The voiceover then confirmed, “Just one day into selection, actor Stephen Baldwin is the first recruit to leave the course.”
Stephen previously spoke to Us Weekly about his filming the show, noting he had “multiple breaking points” during production.
“I had some challenges going in with asthma, and it just became very real, very fast,” he said.
Special Forces: The World’s Toughest Test airs on Fox Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
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