What Brianna LaPaglia Learned From Special Forces After Tumultuous Year (Exclusive)

While speaking with TooFab exclusively on the FOX Lot in Los Angeles ahead of her appearance on Special Forces: World's Toughest Test, LaPaglia opened up about how the series helped her after the tumultuous year she has had.

"Yeah, I think it was just to prove that life is so much bigger than the things that happened to us," LaPaglia told TooFab exclusively.

"So it was just like an out-of-this-world experience, and I'm just so glad I got to do it and start it with Chanel," she added referring to Chanel Iman, a former Victoria's Secret Angel who also appeared on the reality series.

LaPaglia and her ex-boyfriend Zach Bryan split in late 2024, which led to numerous headlines after she opened up on her podcast about their relationship, making allegations of emotional abuse.

"The last year of my life has been the hardest year of my life dealing with the abuse from this dude," she said on the podcast. "I'm still scared right now because I'm scared of him. My brain's rewired and I'm scared to make him mad." She also claimed that Bryan offered her $12 million and a New York City apartment in exchange for her silence about the relationship.

Bryan has made some clap backs since the split. In August 2025, the country singer shared a video on his Instagram Stories featuring him setting fire to a flag for Barstool Sports -- the media company which hosts LaPaglia's podcast, BFFs.

Shortly after, many fans assumed LaPaglia responded by posting a selfie on her Instagram Stories with the overlay text: "Nurse he's loose again" with crying and laughing emojis. She then posted a screenshot of a web search for "how do i file a restraining order."

When asked about the whole restraining order bit, LaPaglia told TooFab that it was just a joke -- saying, "Oh no, no. That was like more poking fun at a crazy person." She then added, "I have a lot of stalkers."

Opening up more about her time on Special Forces, she said it was intense from the jump.

"The second we got off the bus, the D.S. grabbed me by my hair. I'm like, 'My weave was falling out... I don't think I can do this,'" LaPaglia recalled of the first day.

As for the training she did prior to the show --- a half a mile run, once.

"And I couldn't breathe," she joked.

Iman, meanwhile, shared that she too didn't do any training for the series.

"Being a Victoria's Secret Angel and training on the runway vs. going to do something to like Special Forces is just not even the same, how you're supposed to be in shape for something like this," Iman told TooFab.

"No, but get you a girl that can do both, because she can be a supermodel, and then she's climbing up all these stairs, pushing through people. She can do it all," LaPaglia quipped.

Watch more of our interview with LaPaglia and Iman above to hear what LaPaglia regrets about the series.

LaPaglia and Iman join the series alongside stars including Brittany Cartwright, Teresa Giudice, Mark Estes and Randall Cobb.

The fourth season of Special Forces: World's Toughest Test premieres September 25 @ 9/8c on Fox and next day on Hulu.