Following the well-received return of “People’s Champ” Luke Toki to this year’s Australian Survivor, it’s been confirmed that next season of the TV WEEK Logie award-winning show could be an all-star special.
Instead of this year’s winner being announced at a studio reunion back in Australia, this season’s finale was filmed in Fiji – fuelling speculation that some of this year’s contestants were already back in Fiji to film for the next season.
Now, the theory has been confirmed by Network 10 with the first release of the Australian Survivor: All Stars trailer at the end of last night’s finale.
“Early next year, we are turning Australian Survivor up a notch,” host Jonathan LaPaglia says in the trailer. “The game’s biggest all-stars return, to go head-to-head in the ultimate battle.
“They might be the best of the best, but this time, we’re not going to make it easy.”
WATCH: The first trailer for Australian Survivor: All Stars. Story continues after video…
Jonathan tells TV WEEK that filming back-to-back seasons – in the same vein as the US – is “tough”.
“Jeff [Probst] must be incredibly exhausted by the end of those,” he says. “Doing two of ours back-to-back… it would be downright cruel!”
Cruel or not, it’s clear JLP is ready for the challenge.
Network 10’s Chief Content Officer, Beverley McGarvey, says there will be even more twists in the next season.
“Over the past four sensational seasons of Australian Survivor, we have watched almost 100 fantastic contestants play the game. Now with the next All Stars season, we have the exciting opportunity to invite some of our most memorable players back for another chance to take home the title of Sole Survivor.
“Australian viewers have embraced the game play, the physical challenges, and the passionate characters that makes Survivor so unique and compelling. We can’t wait to return in 2020 with more twists and turns from the All Stars cast.”
JLP says filming back-to-back is “tough.”
This year’s contestants are keen to follow in Luke’s footsteps by returning to the show for a second shot at success.
“Luke should’ve been one of the first to go but he managed to turn it around,” runner-up Baden Gilbert, 23, explains. “Props to him for that. Would I go back? Yes, in a heartbeat.
“Watching it all back, it’s the constant unknown, the comradery you build out there, the people you meet… I do miss that whole experience [of the show].
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“If I was lucky enough to go back I’d have to play a much more dynamic, aggressive game. I’d have to play so much harder.”
Baden admits he’d play “much harder” if he returns for All-Stars.
