The BBC has cancelled its £30 million reboot of Survivor after just one series, making it one of the most expensive flops in British television history. The show, hosted by Joel Dommett, aired in a primetime slot after Strictly Come Dancing but averaged only 2.6 million viewers.
Dommett expressed shock at the cancellation, telling The Sun: 'It just shows you how nothing is a given in telly. I thought Survivor would be huge.' The format, a global hit for decades, sees contestants marooned in a remote location competing in gruelling challenges.
This is the second time Survivor has failed in the UK; an ITV version in 2001 also lasted only two series. The BBC reboot, filmed in the Dominican Republic, was criticised by viewers as 'boring' and ill-suited to Saturday nights. One fan posted on X: 'Good grief. Is this really what the BBC think the great British public want to watch on a Saturday night?'
Speculation about the show's future began in February when the BBC paused applications for a second series. Insiders have now confirmed the axe, with one source calling it 'TV’s most expensive flop ever'. Despite this, Dommett remains in demand, set to host the National Television Awards and a new reality show, Celebrity Sabotage.
