Vanderpump Rules’ Tom Sandoval in New Zealand filming Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test

Tom Sandoval skips Vanderpump Rules filming to compete on season two of Special Forces: World's Toughest Test in New Zealand. Photo / Getty Images

Tom Sandoval is currently on Kiwi shores.

The actor is skipping filming of the 11th season of Vanderpump Rules in Los Angeles, which features his ex-girlfriend Ariana Madix, to film the second season of reality competition Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test here in New Zealand.

Various sources with inside information have come forward saying that the reality star - who is turning 40 next week - has been challenged physically and mentally while taking part in the 10-day boot camp-style television series alongside 15 other big Hollywood names, reports TMZ.

“You’ll be a changed person,” Rudy Reyes told contestants during the first season, which was filmed in Jordan. Reyes is not only the Directing Staff instructor but a former US Recon Marine.

“For damn sure, you’ll be a better person.”

Sandoval last visited New Zealand with his former screen girlfriend, whom he referred to as his “adventure buddy for life.”

Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix. Photo / Getty Images

Big names in the last season of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test included Jamie Lynn Spears, Kenya Moore, and Danny Amendola. Out of the 16 competitors on the show, 13 voluntarily left the competition early and one contestant, Dwight Howard, was disqualified.

Only two contestants made it to the finale and the end of the boot camp course, which incorporated special forces training. Both the finalists were women: The Bachelorette #15 Hannah Brown and retired soccer player Carli Lloyd.

“They put you on a calorie deficit for a reason. You’re not sleeping. It really wreaks havoc on your body. I felt bad for the bigger guys. We were all getting the same [amount of food], so it was really tough,” the 28-year-old Miss Alabama 2018 told TV Insider.

“I didn’t want to give up. I knew that I would regret it if I quit in a weak moment, so I think that was also something I knew going in. It was still surprising when you see some of these really amazing, talented, athletic people that didn’t make it through and I did. It’s the part that I think is really shocking and something I am really proud of.”