The trials are more extreme... the competition is the fiercest ever... and only the sharpest shooter will claim the $100,000 prize package and reign as HISTORY's next...

TOP SHOT Season Three of the Competition Series from HISTORY(R) returns on Tuesday, August 9 at 10pm ET

Hosted by "Survivor" Contestant Colby Donaldson

New York, July 13, 2011- With the most physically demanding challenges yet and more surprising twists than ever before, the hit competition series TOP SHOT is back for a third season premiering on Tuesday, August 9 at 10pm ET on HISTORY. This time, an all-new arsenal of history-inspired challenges awaits 16 fearless contestants as they vie for a $100,000 prize package and the right to claim the title of "Top Shot."

The 14 marksmen and two markswomen were carefully selected from thousands of applicants to participate in this season of TOP SHOT. The contestants include a national revolver champion, two homeland security agents (who also happen to be close friends), a former Navy SEAL, two cops, a nurse and several firearms instructors. Two of the contestants, a restaurant owner and Christian camp director, are self-taught.

The shooters will have to display mastery of weapons from all eras of human history, from the most primitive (rocks) to the most sophisticated tactical firearms. Contestants will employ some of the biggest munitions ever featured on TOP SHOT, including the Gatling gun, the Hotchkiss mountain gun and the CornerShot. In addition, they must endure extreme physical tests to stay in the game. High-speed HD cameras capture the skillful execution of each test in extreme slow-motion.

The premiere of season three begins with a gauntlet of extreme challenges. 16 marksmen immediately pair off and duel with one of the world's biggest handguns. Teams are then divided into winners and losers before facing off in a surprise military challenge. In the elimination challenge, two competitors get the ride of their life on a horse-drawn stagecoach as they shoot to stay in the competition.

Survivor contestant, athlete and adventurer Colby Donaldson returns as host of HISTORY's third season of the elimination series.

TOP SHOT is produced for HISTORY by Pilgrim Films & Television. Executive Producers for HISTORY are Dirk Hoogstra and Paul Cabana. Craig Piligian is Executive Producer for Pilgrim Films & Television.

HISTORY(R) and HISTORY HD(R) are the leading destinations for revealing, award-winning original non-fiction series and event specials that connect history with viewers in an informative, immersive and entertaining manner across multiple platforms. Programming covers a diverse variety of historical genres ranging from military history to contemporary history, technology to natural history, as well as science, archaeology and pop culture. Among the network's program offerings are hit series such as American Pickers, Ax Men, American Restoration, Ice Road Truckers, Top Gear, Pawn Stars and Top Shot, as well as acclaimed specials including Gettysburg, America the Story of Us, WWII in HD, 102 Minutes That Changed America and Life After People. HISTORY has earned four Peabody Awards, seven Primetime Emmy(R) Awards, 12 News & Documentary Emmy(R) Awards and received the prestigious Governor's Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the network's Save Our History(R) campaign dedicated to historic preservation and history education. Take a Veteran to School Day is the network's signature initiative connecting America's schools and communities with veterans from all wars. The HISTORY website, located at www.history.com, is the leading online resource for all things history, featuring over 20,000 videos, images, audio clips, articles and interactive features that allow visitors to dig deeper into a broad range of thousands of historical topics.