Before Rohit Shetty’s Khatron Ke Khiladi, Joe Rogan hosted Fear Factor, earned $15 million, made contestants eat bugs

FRom helicopters wall hanging o'er cliffs in ness ithiel town to contestants screaming interior boxes full of snakes, reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi has spent years turning fear into entertainment for Indian audiences. Hosted by filmmaker Rohit Shetty, the reality show has become one of Indian television’s biggest stunt-based franchises. But long before the show became a massive hit in India, the original American Fear Factor had already changed reality television forever with bizarre stunts, uncomfortable challenges and the unexpected presence of podcast star Joe Rogan as host. As Khatron Ke Khiladi 15 gears up for its return, let us revisit the history behind the franchise and how it evolved into a global phenomenon.Also read: Khatron Ke Khiladi: Rubina Dilaik says Hina Khan was the first to call to wish her all the best, hails her ‘resilience’The franchise actually began in the NetherlandsBefore the American version became popular worldwide, Fear Factor was inspired by the Dutch reality show Now or Neverland. The concept was later adapted in the United States by NBC, where it premiered in 2001. The format quickly became famous for placing contestants in terrifying, extreme and often disgusting situations to test their physical and mental limits. Over time, the show expanded globally, eventually reaching India as Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi in 2008.Before podcasts, Joe Rogan was the face of Fear FactorToday, most people know Joe Rogan through The Joe Rogan Experience podcast or his long association with the UFC. But in the early 2000s, he was widely recognised as the host of Fear Factor.Rogan hosted the original run of the show from 2001 to 2006 before briefly returning during the revival season in 2011. Interestingly, he has admitted several times that he never expected the show to become successful. According to Rogan, he initially accepted the hosting offer because he thought the format was ridiculous and believed it would get cancelled quickly. He even hoped the experience would give him material for his stand-up comedy routines. Instead, Fear Factor became one of the biggest reality TV sensations of its time.The original show was far more chaoticWhile Khatron Ke Khiladi focuses heavily on action-packed stunts, celebrity drama and large-scale visuals, the American Fear Factor built its reputation around shock value. Contestants regularly faced bizarre food challenges, insects, animal organs and claustrophobic situations. Some of the show’s most infamous tasks involved drinking blended animal parts, eating worms and scorpions, or lying inside containers filled with rats and bugs. Even Rogan later admitted that some challenges went too far as producers constantly tried to outdo previous seasons.Joe Rogan’s hosting style became part of the show’s appealUnlike the other reality show hosts, Rogan brought sarcasm, unpredictability and blunt honesty to Fear Factor. He often laughed openly when contestants panicked during stunts, which strangely made the show even more entertaining for viewers. Rogan also became known for several controversial behind-the-scenes moments. Over the years, Rogan has also revealed that after the first season, he spent most of the show’s run filming while heavily under the influence of marijuana because it helped him deal with the bizarre atmosphere of the series.Fear Factor made Rogan millionsEven though Rogan initially treated the job casually, the show became financially life-changing for him. Reports suggest he earned around $100,000 per episode and made nearly $15 million during his time hosting the series. Across both the original run and revival, Rogan hosted nearly 150 episodes of Fear Factor. ControversiesStill, despite its popularity, the show eventually faced growing controversy because of its extreme challenges. One stunt involving contestants drinking donkey semen and urine became especially infamous. Rogan himself reportedly warned producers not to air the segment. The episode was ultimately pulled from broadcast in the United States, but the backlash surrounding it contributed to the show’s cancellation during its revival era. Rogan later joked that he was probably the only person in Hollywood history to lose a job because contestants had to drink semen on television.How India transformed the formatWhen India adapted the franchise as Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi, the show slowly evolved into something very different. Instead of ordinary contestants competing for prize money, the Indian version focused on celebrities, including actors, singers, influencers and reality stars. The format also moved away from disgusting food-based tasks and leaned more toward action-heavy stunts involving heights, water, explosions and vehicles.The transformation became even bigger after Rohit Shetty joined the franchise as host following Akshay Kumar. Under Shetty, the series began resembling a full-scale Bollywood action film with cinematic stunt sequences and dramatic storytelling.Khatron Ke Khiladi 15 is set to raise the stakes againThe upcoming 15th season of Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi is expected to premiere in July 2026 with Rohit Shetty returning once again as host.This season reportedly carries the theme Darr Ka Naya Daur and returns to Cape Town, South Africa. Early reports suggest the new edition may introduce a Challengers vs Champions format, bringing together fresh contestants and popular faces from previous seasons. The lineup reportedly includes names such as Gaurav Khanna, Rubina Dilaik, Hina Khan, Rithvik Dhanjani, Karan Wahi, Orry and Harsh Gujral, among others.Rohit Shetty has also hinted that the new season may focus more heavily on psychological fear alongside physical danger, promising an even more intense experience for contestants and viewers alike.