Denise Richards Originally 'Passed' on “Special Forces: World's Toughest Test” After Seeing Season 1: 'There's No Way'

Denise Richards overcame her initial fears to appear on Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.

The actress, 53, admitted that she originally “passed” on the opportunity to compete on the second season of the Fox bootcamp-style reality series before agreeing to join the cast for the upcoming third season.

"It was an opportunity to do something I’ve never done before, very challenging and completely out of my comfort zone," she shared during an interview with E! News. "It’s unlike anything I’ve ever done and I was scared to death to do it. I actually passed on season 2 because I saw season 1 and I said 'there’s no way.'”

She added: “And then [I’m] grateful they asked me for season 3, but it was challenging."

Related: Denise Richards Reveals She 'Ruptured' Both Breast Implants While Filming Special Forces Season 3

Despite her initial reservations, she learned that “I'm stronger than I thought," adding, "But, I wish that I was stronger."

"I learned that when you put your mind to do something, even if you go as far as you can go, at least trying,” she said. “I think that's something also important for my kids to see too."

While the show may teach The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum’s daughters — Sami, 20, Lola, 19, and Eloise, 13 — an important lesson, they were not "not very happy" that Richards agreed to do the show.

While Richards was “in the gym every single day” for three weeks ahead of the show, she shared that her daughters had their doubts about the competition, explaining, “My daughters were terrified. They did not want me to do it. They [thought] that I was maybe not gonna make it home."

Richards shares her older daughters, Sami and Lola, with her ex-husband Charlie Sheen. She later adopted Eloise in 2011, and her current husband, Aaron Phypers, began the process of legally adopting Eloise following their surprise Malibu wedding in 2018.

Related: Trista Sutter, Denise Richards and Stephen Baldwin Among Stars to Face Their Fears on Special Forces Season 3

Richards previously told PEOPLE that her daughters were “very upset” when signed on for season 3.

“They did not want me to do it,” she recalled. “They were afraid I was going to get hurt or get killed, and they were actually really angry. It was the first time of all the times I've done different projects or traveled they were very upset with me.”

Still, Richards says she was up for the task and ready to go beyond her comfort zone.

“I'm not athletic at all — I was so intimidated by everyone,” she shared. “I didn't know who was going to be there, but I did hear there were some athletes, and I can't compete with that. But that's the greatest thing too, is it's not about competing against anybody but myself, and that's why they strip us down raw, physically and mentally and emotionally and all of that.”

“I thought, ‘This is the most challenging thing I'll ever do, and why not do it?’” she continued. “I was terrified, but once I made the commitment to do it, I was there.”

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Special Forces: World's Toughest Test season 3 premieres with a two-hour episode on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.

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