Player 299 revealed how the challenge that led to his dramatic exit was filmed.
Netflix’s Squid Game: The Challenge has proven to be as much of a stress-inducing a watch as the gruesome drama it’s based on, but few moments in the reality show so far can compete with Player 299’s exit and the circumstances surrounding it.
Following the difficult watch, the contestant himself has taken to social media to shed some light on his elimination and reveal how the infamous Dalgona Challenge played out behind the scenes.
As it turns out, some of that tension was manufactured, with Spencer Hawkins (Player 299), revealing that not all players were competing at the same time.
The reality show put a spin on the series’ brutal cookie cutting game, which saw the players be divided into groups, choose a shape and then attempt to cut said shape out of a cookie mould using nothing but a needle and their own saliva. Those who picked the umbrella were doomed.
The contestants were well aware of the challenge the umbrella posed so, in order to mix things up, the producers split the remaining contestants into four groups. One person from each group was then tasked with selecting their group’s Dalgona shape. If they didn’t reach a unanimous decision – on a timer – they would all be eliminated.
Player 299 decided to pick the umbrella to spare the others from making that decision, leading to some pretty vicious comments from his teammates when they entered the arena – and a lot of anxiety.
In a video shared on TikTok, Hawkins explained that some of the players were actually pretending to be working on getting their umbrellas out of the mould.
@spencer_hawkins299 #duet with @Charlene #spencerhawkins the edit does make it look wild. Houll also notice my closed mouth because im still holding in all my spit for when its my turn to compete. #squidgame #player299 #squidgamethechallenge
♬ Censor Beep Bleep (Version 3) [TV Television Censorship Bleep Out Censored] [Sound Effect] – Finnolia Sound Effects
“Only one-fourth of the room was actually competing [at] a time. The other three-fourths were asked to pretend and just move their fingers around like they were working on a cookie. I was doing a bad job pretending and just watching others try to compete — that’s what was going on in this moment,” he explained.
Read more:
- Squid Game: The Challenge contestants shocked at game change in new twist
- Squid Game: The Challenge producers deny show misses the whole point
Hawkins was ultimately eliminated during the challenge alongside a sizeable chunk of his fellow players in a scene that has since gone viral.
“I think I already ultimately made that decision before I walked into the room and you can see that when I started crying… because, ultimately, I wasn’t going to put the decision of picking [the] umbrella onto anyone else,” he added.
The first five episodes of Squid Game: The Challenge is available to stream on now. Sign up for Netflix from £6.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.