He lasted 49 days in the Samoan jungle on Season 3 of Australian Survivor. As fans prepare to find out who will come out on top in Survivor: All Stars, former game player Sam Webb dishes some behind-the-scenes secrets.
WATCH: Lee Carseldine leaves Survivor after mother suffers stroke and dies
1. Contestants are paid about $650 a week for their time on the show.
2. They are allowed to take only two sets of clothes from home and the items must be pre-approved by producers.
3. When it comes to using the toilet, there is a ‘drop hole’: a toilet seat and a 10–metre long drop.
4. Each camp has access to hand sanitiser, sunscreen and toilet paper. That’s it!
5. When they’re not busy filming, contestants lie around, telling stories. They don’t have a lot of energy to go exploring. Most of the time they think about what they’ll eat when the game is over.
6. Each contestant is given an apple when they arrive at a challenge.
7. Tribal council lasts about five hours.
8. When Jonathan ‘counts the votes’, he does it off camera, away from everyone for 20 minutes, then returns and reads them out.
9. Once voted out, contestants are taken to the main tent area with producers and weighed to
see how much weight they’ve lost in camp.
10. Filming challenges can be tough. A water challenge takes up to three or four hours.
11. Despite what we see on television, Jonathan gives the contestants a few minutes off camera to discuss the challenges before competing.
12. Even though we see them walking from camp, contestants travel by minivan to challenges and tribal council.
13. Contestants only see Jonathan at challenges and tribal council.
14. Scenes are sometimes re-enacted during tribal council. Everything else is one take.
15. Couples on the show definitely couldn’t have sex as camera crews follow your every move.
16. Before being confirmed as a contestant, applicants need to take a psychological test and a couple of fitness tests.
17. If there’s rain and you can’t cook with fire, contestants only have coconuts to eat.
18. The most common injuries received on the show are scratches and bruises.
19. The producers never intervene when the tribal council makes a decision.
For more, pick up the latest issue of New Idea. Out Now!
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
