Samoa wins over Survivor Australia

23 March 2016, 12:00AM

Australian Survivor will be shot in Samoa over the next few months.

According to the Daily Telegraph yesterday, the producers have chosen tropical Samoa over other possible locations because of its stunning landscape.

The much-anticipated Channel Ten reality series will air on the network later this year.

Channel Ten wouldn’t comment on the location but it is understood the production will begin over the coming weeks.

It was not possible to get a comment from the Samoa Tourism Authority (S.T.A) yesterday.

The Samoa Observer, however, understands that the crew are expected to start arriving next week before the contestants are flown over and taken to the different locations around Samoa.

The Samoa Observer also understands that a scouting team from Survivor Australia has been working with local agents – including S.T.A – to organise the logistics for the filming which is expected to take up to four months.

According to the Daily Telegraph yesterday, it was initially reported in January that the series would be shot on the Malaysian island of Pulau Tiga, where the first ever American season was filmed in 2000.

But it is believed Samoa has been selected for its dramatic and stunning volcanic island landscape.

Samoa too has also featured on the U.S. version but not until 2009.

It is the latest revamp of the format locally with Seven’s 2006 season the last spin off and Nine having a go in 2002. The U.S. version has been running for 31 seasons.

Ten is still casting for the series that will see a group of hopefuls living rough and taking part in various endurance challenges as they vie for the series title.

The network is yet to announce a host for the series that will shoot for about three months and go to air later in the year.

More than 15,000 eager hopefuls have sent in applications to take part in the show.  “We’ll end up collecting an island location, most likely a location that has had a series of Survivor shot there before,” Ten’s Chief Programming Officer Beverley McGarvey has said in an interview. 

“Bringing that expertise to the table is really critical. We think the purity of the concept is something that will really resonate with Australian audiences.”

23 March 2016, 12:00AM
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