Survivor is consistently a ratings hit (Picture: ROBERT VOETS/CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)
Since Candid Camera heralded the dawn of reality TV in 1948, the genre has grown into a billion-dollar industry — and Survivor has come out on top.
We’ve seen an endless amount of programmes that would fall into the category. There are dating shows which have included everything from people trying to find love in the nude to singletons marrying strangers.
The competition sector has seen sewing, cooking, and drag queen artistry all getting their moment, and TV bosses have even commissioned series just documenting the everyday lives of ‘ordinary’ people. While many have stuck around nobody has done it quite to the level of Survivor. The wilderness-themed competition has reached its 47th series in the USA.
While you may have thought ITV were extra with their winter Love Island and summer original, American Survivor has been pulling off the single-year double hitter since launching in 2000.
What is Survivor?
The format originally came from the Swedish television series Expedition Robinson (a reference to the adventure novel Robinson Crusoe), which began airing in 1997 and saw a bunch of strangers placed in an isolated location.
The contestants compete in tough physical and psychological challenges and must themselves with food, fire, and shelter.
Survivor has reached its 47th series (Picture: Robert Voets/CBS via Getty Images)
Survivor around the world
Sweden
Costing £2 million, the original Survivor became the most expensive commission in the history of Swedish TV and it was money well spent as series one’s finale was watched by half the Swedish population.
Australia
People aren’t just interested in watching Survivor, they want to be part of the show. A mammoth 20,000 people applied to be on season 4 ofAustralia’s Survivor in 2017.
Denmark
The first country to bring out their own version after the Sweden original has been very consistent. They have released a new series every year since it began in 1998, aside from 2012 and 2020 due to the Covid pandemic. They are currently airing their 25th season.
Greece
Although it was cancelled after two series in 2004, when it returned in 2007 it was able to find firm footing and has become an integral part of Greek TV. The seasons are long to satisfy viewer demand – the most recent one began on January 27 and ended on June 24, and was 116 episodes in total.
USA
A total of 715 contestants have put themselves to the test across the 47 series of Survivor in the US.
Although they work in tribes, and alliances quickly form, as the days progress, people are eliminated from the competition in vote-offs. Eventually, it is whittled to just one person – the Sole Survivor – who takes the cash prize of $1,000,000.
Survivor has been recognised with 63 Emmy Award nominations (winning two) and consistently brings in the largest audience for a reality show. It’s provided viewers with many watercooler moments, starting Sue Hawk’s scathing speech in season one.
She told fellow contestant Kelly Wiglesworth: ‘If I were to ever pass …read more
Source:: Metro
