BBC finally AXE £30million show Survivor after it tanked in the ratings as series becomes TV's most expensive flop EVER

Scottish Sun

14 hours ago

The BBC was confident that two decades on it was worth giving Survivor another go
NOT A SURVIVOR BBC finally AXE £30million show Survivor after it tanked in the ratings as series becomes TV's most expensive flop EVER
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THE BBC has officially axed challenge show Survivor despite splurging a reported £30million on the reboot.
The decision means the reality programme is being seen as television's most expensive flop.
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The BBC have axed their expensive reboot of Survivor after just one series
Credit: BBC
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An average of only 2.6 million viewers tuned in to watch Survivor when it aired in late 2023
Credit: BBC
After the new version tanked in the ratings, there had been speculation that a second series was paused.
Now, host Joel Dommett has posted an update revealing that it has gone for good.
Former I'm A Celebrity star Joel, 40, said: 'It just shows you how nothing is a given in telly.
'I thought Survivor would be huge. I thought that would be my job for the next 20 years.
'I've done shows and thought that's not coming back and it keeps coming back and then you do something like Survivor, which you think is guaranteed and it doesn't come back.'
The format is a huge hit across the world, particularly in the US where it was aired for 25 years.
It involves contestants being marooned in a remote location where they compete in challenges to win rations, supplies and rewards, plus immunity from elimination.
ITV launched a UK version in 2001, hosted by Mark Austin and then Mark Nicholas, but it folded after just two series.
However, the BBC was confident that, more than two decades on, it was worth giving it another go.
The latest version, filmed in the Dominican Republic in the summer of 2023 was said to have cost £30million to make.
Survivor shock as contestant suffers gruesome head injury in brutal challenge
But it attracted an average of only 2.6million viewers when it aired that October.
A source said: 'Survivor was given a plum spot in the schedule right after Strictly Come Dancing but totally tanked.
I thought Survivor would be huge. I thought that would be my job for the next 20 years
Joel Dommett
'Execs just can't get their head around why the UK just can't find any love for a format which is beloved around the globe.
'After a year of speculation that the BBC's remake was facing the chop, it's now official.
'It's looking like TV's most expensive flop ever.'
However, Joel remains one of TV's most popular presenters and will soon be seen hosting next month's National Television Awards on ITV.
He is also part of ITV's new show, Celebrity Sabotage.
A dedicated website for Survivor holds the message: 'As things stand, we are not processing or taking any further applications at this time.'