Emil Helge Svendsen is making a comeback, now set to compete alongside Liv Grete Skjelbreid.

The two biathletes form one of six pairs in this year’s season of ‘Champion of Champions’ on NRK.

NRK is changing the format of the popular reality series. Instead of individual athletes competing until only one remains, it will now feature a competition between six teams, each consisting of two athletes. The two biathlon stars will be teammates.

“It will be an adventure. It was incredibly fun to participate last time, and I have the same expectations now, so I think it will be fantastic,” says Svendsen to NRK.

Although biathlon is an individual sport, he believes being part of a team is not entirely foreign to him.

“We were on the national team, so we are used to working for each other and with each other, sharing things, experiences, and pulling together,” he says.

Svendsen retired in 2018; Skjelbreid in 2006.

All participants have previously competed in ‘Champion of Champions.’ Skjelbreid is the most “rusty”; her last participation was in 2011.

The newest participants are Helene Spilling (2023) and Emil Lybekk from last season.

Filming starts this week in Greece. Aksel Lund Svindal remains the host.

The series will air on NRK this fall. The team competition season will run alongside season 18, which will follow the traditional format and air in the new year.

The six teams are as follows:

• Liv Grete Skjelbreid (biathlon) and Emil Hegle Svendsen (biathlon)
• Kjersti Grini (handball) and Steffen Iversen (football)
• Astrid Lødemel (alpine skiing) and Frode Grodås (football)
• Helene Spilling (sports dance) and Stig André Berge (wrestling)
• Johanne Killi (freestyle skiing) and Emil Lybekk (death diving)
• Solveig Gulbrandsen (football) and Marco Elsafadi (basketball)

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