The Truth About Rylie Parlett From Naked And Afraid XL

Naked and Afraid XL stans are anxiously awaiting the premiere of the series' new season set to air at 8 p.m. ET/PT sharp on April 25, 2021, per an official statement by Discovery. Be there or be square! While the series is known for being the ultimate in survival shows, the upcoming season of the XL series vows to take their antics to "new extremes" with 12 veteran survivors embarking on a whopping 60-day challenge set in a Louisiana bayou complete with giant alligators and venomous snakes. A far cry from the painstaking 40-day challenges the contestant have grown accustomed to.

One of those contestants is none other than Rylie Parlett — a survivalist from Season 9. On April 11, 2021, the self-professed "adventurer" took to her Instagram account to announce that she would be featured on the show's newest season. "The secret is out, I took on a 60 Day Elite challenge in Louisiana in the middle of winter!" she penned in the post followed by a call to action. "Tune in April 25th to follow the challenge! Thank you all for being part of my day, I'm excited to share this adventure with you." 

But besides being a fearless spirit with an insatiable appetite for adventure, what else is there to know about the Naked and Afraid XL contestant? Keep reading to find out!

During a candid podcast interview with Hobo Trashcan, Maryland native Rylie Parlett explained what initially caused her to develop a penchant for exploring the outdoors and eventually a willingness to compete on Discovery's harrowing Naked and Afraid series. 

According to Rylie, it was her early childhood experiences that formed her adventurous spirit. "I grew up playing outside. We didn't have a lot of stuff. My mom would just cut us loose and let us play and we'd come back. We made our own fun climbing trees and making stuff," she told the podcast host.

But it wasn't until she started working a corporate job and became burned out by the monotony of the job and the long commute that she decided to take matters into her own hands. While she had racked up many hours of paid time off at her job, she came to the sickening realization that she didn't have the funds to travel and vacation like some of her friends were doing. So she decided to go rogue and do things a little bit different. "I said you know screw it. I'll just go camping. Pretty much it's free if you bring your own food and gear," Rylie said. And so her passion for bushcraft and venturing "off the grid" was born.

Don't forget to tune in on April 25, 2021, to watch Rylie embark on yet another adventure — this time in the reptile-infested swamp waters of Louisiana!