SURVIVOR SET FOR UK TV COMEBACK WITH BBC IN ADVANCED TALKS

The UK version of reality gameshow Survival is reportedly returning to screens, with the BBC in talks with producers according to new reports..

The format follows the 'players' split into teams and taken to a remote location where they're forced to live for a numbers of weeks, competing in a series of physical and mental challenges during their time. At the end of the series, the 'Ultimate Survivor' could win one million pounds.

The series aired on ITV, airing 24 episodes over two series in 2001 and 2002, with hosts Mark Austin and Mark Nicholas for its first and second series respectively.

New reports from Broadcast suggest the BBC are 'on the brink' of commissioning a 13-episode series to shot in an exotic location next year. The BBC declined to comment when approached by TV Zone.

A source told Broadcast: "It’s up there alongside Big Brother as a classic social experiment that’s exciting to watch. There will be a whole generation of youngsters who won’t have seen anything like it. Sometimes formats change when they return but this will stay true to its origins with a modern twist."

A source earlier told The Sun: "The BBC have been working hard on getting Survivor back on the box and the deal is almost done. They have been working on a big contract with a production company to reboot the series...

"It made for great telly back in the early Noughties and they think it would do incredibly well now too. The dream would be to have it going out at prime time on BBC One. A lot of work has gone into this and all being well, casting will begin in the coming months.,,

"The BBC could not be more excited about the prospect of bringing Survivor back and given the budget and resources they could invest in it – it could be absolutely amazing."

The Sun's source continued: "It is early days for Survivor on the BBC and the details are being hashed out. But they have a couple of presenters in mind to host the show. It’s a really exciting time for those working on the revamped programme and the sky is the limit."

More details will be revealed in due course.