Fans of the popular reality competition series, Big Brother, will probably remember Fessy Shafaat from his time as a HouseGuest in season 20. Despite not winning the season, Fessy became a popular contestant, particularly for his relationship with fellow HouseGuest, Haleigh Broucher. It brought him a good number of fans, but not enough to make him a mainstay in an ever-shifting pop culture landscape.
Then in 2020, Fessy reignited his reality TV career with an appearance on MTV’s The Challenge: Total Madness. He was a fierce competitor on the show and managed to finish fourth, behind Johnny Bananas, Kyle Christie, and Cory Wharton. Still, the fourth-place finish improved his public profile, enough to draw the attention of a curious public and earn subsequent appearances. Here are ten facts to know about The Challenge star.
1. He Was A College Football Player
Fessy was a competitive athlete for most of his life. He grew up playing football and became a standout athlete in high school. His hard work and dedication earned him a football scholarship to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. During his time on the football team, he started all for your years, was a two-time All-American, and three-time All-Conference.
2. He Tried Out For American Ninja Warrior
Once his days playing football competitively were over, Fessy Shafaat was looking for a new challenge that would allow him to utilize his athletic abilities. He tried out for American Ninja Warrior and thought he would be a great fit to meet the physical demands of the show. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it past the qualifying round.
3. He Studied Psychology
Football isn’t the only thing Fessy got out of his time at The University of Tennessee. While there, he majored in Psychology. Ironically, this is also what his girlfriend, Haleigh, majored in at Texas A&M. Fessy graduated from college in 2014 and was working as a substitute teacher when he joined the cast of Big Brother.
4. He’s A Swiftie
When you think of a Swiftie, someone like Fessy Shafaat probably isn’t the profile that comes to mind. This is exactly why it’s never safe to assume. According to Fessy’s bio on the CBS website, he is secretly a Taylor Swift fan and enjoys listening to her music while working out. He says that his favorite line is “It’s a love story, baby just say yessss.” For those who don’t know what song, it’s Love Story from Taylor’s Fearless album.
5. He Shares Exclusive Content On Patreon
More and more social media influencers have started creating separate accounts on platforms like Patreon and Cameo where fans can pay to get access to exclusive content. Fessy has a page on Patreon where he offers two subscription options. For $9.99 a month, fans can get early access to his social media posts and a weekly break down of each episode of The Challenge. For $24.99 a month, users get everything from the lower tier plus 24/7 access to message Fessy one on one and early access to his weekly break down videos.
6. Fessy Shafaat Wet The Bed As A Child
Bedwetting is something that lots of kids struggle with. However, most kids grow out of it by the time they’re about five or six. That wasn’t the case for Fessy, though. He went the bed until he was about 10 years old. While this was definitely an inconvenience and a source of embarrassment, it gave him an early crash course in doing laundry.
7. Fessy Is His Nickname
Most people who are familiar with him from his time on reality TV know him by the name Fessy. However, that is actually just a nickname. One that birthed another, Messy Fessy, because of his loud mouth and tendency to court drama. His first name is Faysal, but he’s chosen to go by Fessy because many people struggle to pronounce his name. According to BabyNames.com, the name Faysal is Arabic and means judge or mediator.
8. Family Is Important To Him
Fessy Shafaat was born and raised in Orlando, FL, and comes from a very close-knit family. His family has always been the base of his support system and he has a tight relationship with his parents and his siblings. He has a younger brother named Imran and a younger sister named Alia.
9. His Dream Was To Be In The NFL
Like most people who have successful athletic careers in college, Fessy’s dream was to play in the NFL. After finishing his final college season, he hoped to be picked up as a free agent in the league. He was devastated when that time never came. He told the Chattanooga Times Free Press that not making it to the NFL was a very humbling experience for him because he thought he was “the hottest thing out” in college.
10. He Auditioned For Survivor
Being on a reality competition show has been a goal of Fessy Shafaat long before he was chosen for Big Brother. In addition to trying out for American Ninja Warrior, Fessy also auditioned for a chance to be on Survivor. Even though the opportunity for Survivor didn’t work out, he lead him to Big Brother.
Read Next: The Top 5 Seasons of Big Brother (U.S.)
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