Tula Fazakerley. You probably know her as Big T. If you’ve spent any time watching MTV over the last few years, you’ve seen the transformation. It wasn't just some produced "growth arc" you see on scripted TV. It was real. Honestly, when she first stepped onto the set of War of the Worlds 2 back in 2019, most fans (and definitely most of the cast) didn't give her a second look. She was the "easy vote." The layup.
Then everything changed.
Big T on The Challenge became a case study in how social capital can actually outweigh brute force in a game designed to break you physically. She isn't a CrossFit champion. She isn't a professional athlete. She's a classically trained chef with a dry British wit who figured out how to make herself indispensable in a house full of ego-driven giants.
The Evolution of the Layout Tag
Let’s be real for a second. The Challenge is a brutal environment. You have people like Jenny West or Kaycee Clark who are basically human machines. In that world, Big T started as an anomaly. On her debut season, she was eliminated early by Georgia Harrison. It was quick. It was quiet. Most people thought that was the end of the road for the Londoner.
But then came Double Agents.
This is where the Big T The Challenge narrative shifted from "brief cameo" to "central protagonist." Her partnership with CT Tamburello is arguably one of the most significant dynamics in the modern era of the show. You had the ultimate veteran, a guy known for being a "Castle" of a human being, paired with the girl everyone wanted to go against in an elimination.
✨ Don't miss: Who was the voice of Yoda? The real story behind the Jedi Master
It was messy. Remember the "Big T, Logan" moment? Or rather, the moment CT won his gold skull and basically did a victory lap that involved dumping Tula as a partner in the most public way possible? It was heartbreaking to watch. But that rejection fueled a specific kind of underdog energy that the show had been missing for years. She didn't just go home and cry; she came back and won a freaking mission. She proved that political savvy and heart could actually win out against the "numbers" game.
What People Get Wrong About Her Game
A lot of viewers think Big T is just there for the vibes. That’s a mistake. If you look at the stats and the way she maneuvers through the house, there’s a lot of intentionality. She understands the "social game" in a way that many of the heavy hitters don't. While the meatheads are screaming at each other over pizza or who slept in whose bed, Tula is in the kitchen. She's talking. She's making people feel comfortable.
In a game where your life depends on people not saying your name, being the person everyone likes is a legitimate strategy.
However, we have to talk about the physical side. Big T has struggled in traditional "hall brawl" scenarios. She knows it. We know it. But she’s worked on it. Between Double Agents and Spies, Lies & Allies, she clearly put in the work. She started showing up with more endurance. She started winning eliminations—like the one against Aneesa Ferreira.
Is she ever going to be the person who wins a 10-mile final carrying a 50-pound ruck? Maybe not. But The Challenge isn't just a marathon. It's a psychological experiment. Big T excels at the part of the game that involves not losing your mind when everyone is trying to gaslight you.
🔗 Read more: Not the Nine O'Clock News: Why the Satirical Giant Still Matters
The Reality of Being a "Small" Character in a Big Game
There’s a specific pressure that comes with being a fan favorite who isn't a physical powerhouse. You see it on Reddit and Twitter all the time. People love to root for Big T, but they also love to claim she’s "taking up a spot" from a more athletic competitor.
That's a weird way to look at reality TV.
If we wanted to watch pure athletics, we'd watch the Olympics. We watch The Challenge for the drama, the politics, and the personal growth. Big T provides that in spades. Her journey through Battle for a New Champion (Season 39) showed a much more hardened version of her. She was battle-tested. She wasn't just the "sweet girl" anymore. She was a veteran who knew exactly how the cameras worked and exactly how to push the buttons of the rookies.
Why She’s Essential for the Franchise
- Relatability. Most of us aren't CT. Most of us aren't Cara Maria. Most of us are Big T. We’re the ones trying our best in a room full of experts.
- The British Infusion. She was part of that wave of UK contestants that saved the show from getting stale. Her humor is different. It’s self-deprecating but sharp.
- The Partner Factor. She makes her partners better humans. Even CT had to admit that she taught him how to have fun again.
Honestly, the show is better when there are stakes beyond "who can lift the heavy thing." Big T represents the "everyman" (or everywoman) who refuses to be told they don't belong. When she won that "Fire Escape" mission in Double Agents, it wasn't just a win for her. It was a middle finger to everyone who told her she was a liability.
The Future of Big T on The Challenge
Where does she go from here? She’s taken some breaks. She’s focused on her culinary career—which, by the way, is legit. She’s a trained chef from Le Cordon Bleu. That kind of discipline doesn't just disappear when you put on an Under Armour jersey.
💡 You might also like: New Movies in Theatre: What Most People Get Wrong About This Month's Picks
There have been rumors about her returning for future All-Stars seasons or main-line seasons. The fans clearly want it. But the game is getting harder. With the "Eras" concept and the influx of athletes from Survivor and Big Brother, the room for "social-first" players is shrinking.
If Big T wants to actually win a final, she has to solve the "endurance gap." She’s proven she can win an elimination. She’s proven she can run a political alliance. The final boss is the mountain. Literally. Most Challenge finals end on a mountain.
But even if she never holds the trophy and the check for $500,000, her impact is already cemented. She changed the prototype of what a "recurrent character" looks like. She didn't need a showmance to stay relevant (though she’s had her share of house flirtations). She didn't need to be the loudest person in the room. She just had to be Tula.
Actionable Takeaways for Challenge Fans
If you're watching Big T's journey and trying to apply her "social win" logic to your own life or just trying to understand the show better, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the background. In scenes where people are arguing, look for where Big T is. She is almost always positioned near the decision-makers but rarely the target of the rage. That's a skill.
- Don't ignore the "mid-tier" players. The winner of the season isn't always the person who provided the most value to the franchise. Big T’s "value" is in her confessionals and her ability to bridge gaps between alliances.
- Acknowledge the training. If you follow her on social media, you’ll see she doesn't just sit around between seasons. She hits the gym. She swims. She prepares. Respect the hustle, even if the results aren't "Hall of Fame" level yet.
- Re-watch Double Agents. If you want to see the peak of her narrative, go back to that season. It’s the perfect tutorial on how to handle being underestimated.
The Challenge is a beast. It eats people up and spits them out. Big T has survived multiple seasons, earned the respect of the GOATs, and maintained a massive following without ever having to compromise who she is. That's a win, regardless of what the scoreboard says at the end of the final.