“Anyone Expecting A Polite, Apologetic Version Of ‘Survivor’ Will Be Completely Surprised”: Creatives Behind UK Reality Series Explain Why They Think BBC Reboot Will Succeed
25.10.2023 - 08:33
/ deadline.com
EXCLUSIVE: “Anyone expecting a polite, apologetic version of Survivor will be completely surprised,” the EP behind the BBC‘s rebooted reality series has proclaimed.
Speaking to Deadline a few days prior to launch, reality TV vet Paul Osborne said Survivor’s producers have leaned into high-production values and high-stakes gameplay in a similar vein to the U.S. team behind the Emmy-winning CBS smash, which has run for 45 seasons and 650 episodes over two decades.
“It feels a long time coming,” Osborne said of the UK version, which is hosted by Masked Singer presenter Joel Dommett and launches on Saturday. “I’m hugely excited to see how the audience responds to British gameplay which they might not necessarily expect. Anyone expecting a polite, apologetic version of Survivor will be completely surprised.”
Having Banijay format consultants based around the world has helped shape the series, Osborne added of the show that has been produced in more than 50 territories. He said there were “lots and lots of things we learned from other territories while we were also able to put our own stamp on this,” citing the way in which the Australian version approaches challenges as one example.
Survivor UK aired on ITV two decades ago but ran for just two series, although ratings at the time weren’t far off Big Brother, which has aired virtually uninterrupted since on three different networks.
While Survivor is considered “the big bang of reality in the States,” Osborne said British commissioners have tended to opt for less adventure-driven shows such as Big Brother, which “made reality TV over here.” “When Survivor didn’t do very well back in the day it was very social experiment driven and was hosted by a newsreader,” he said.