Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
WhatToWatch
WhatToWatch
Entertainment
Martin Shore

Survivor UK season 1: trailer, host and everything we know

Survivor UK host Joel Dommett attends the UK premiere of Shazam! Fury of the Gods at Cineworld Leicester Square in London wearing a mustard jumper

Survivor UK will see the BBC rebooting the global entertainment franchise for a new run on British TV screens.

The Survivor format was created by Charlie Parsons decades ago and has gone on to become one of the biggest shows worldwide, with over 50 adaptations having aired so far. 

Survivor previously had a short-lived UK outing in the early 2000s, but Remarkable Entertainment (a Banijay UK company) is set to bring the series back in a big way. Expect to see a fresh batch of contestants take on some brutal challenges when Survivor UK airs later this year.

Here's what we know about Survivor UK right now...

Survivor UK release date

The BBC hasn't confirmed the Survivor UK release date just yet, though they have teased that filming is ongoing (as of July 2023) and the series will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in Autumn 2023. The new series will be 16 episodes long.

In the meantime, be sure to check out our recommendations for the best BBC dramas you should be streaming right now. 

Who's hosting Survivor UK?

Joel Dommett is the host of Survivor UK. (Image credit: Antony Jones/BAFTA/Getty Images for BAFTA)

The Masked Singer UK frontman Joel Dommett has been drafted in to host Survivor UK.

When he was announced in February 2023, Joel Dommet said: "I'm the new host of the UK's Survivor! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! A huge thank you to the BBC for trusting me with this. It's such a hugely popular format all over the world and I'm super excited to help bring it to our sweet little country. Let the tribal councils BEGIN!"

Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment for the BBC, said of him: "Having Joel on board is brilliant! With his natural comedic charm we are thrilled that he is going to be on hand guiding, encouraging and challenging our contestants as they all try to be the sole survivor!"

How does Survivor UK work?

The Survivor reboot will see a group of people from all walks of life being marooned in a remote location. There, they'll be forced to try and outlast one another in a daring, strategic game. 

As the BBC explains: "Survivor, which is being made by Remarkable Entertainment (a Banijay UK company), is the reality competition series that maroons people from all walks of life in a remote location to play the ultimate strategic and social game. Deprived of everyday basic comforts, with little more than the clothes on their back, they will need to outwit, outplay and outlast each other to get to the end.

They’ll form their own tribal societies, catch their own food, build their own shelter and compete against each other in epic challenges for reward or immunity. Those who win immunity are safe from being voted out of the game at the iconic Tribal Council. At each Tribal Council, each tribe must vote out one of their own, until the Sole Survivor emerges and wins a life-changing £100,000 cash prize."

Survivor UK contestants: who is taking part?

At the time of writing, we don't know who will take part in Survivor UK, save for the fact that there'll be 18 competitors attempting to claim the title of Sole Survivor later this year. 

Applications to take part in Survivor UK opened earlier this year and closed on March 6.

Is there a Survivor UK trailer? 

The first teaser for Survivor UK was shown on Saturday, July 15 during the Women's Wimbledon 2023 Final on BBC One. It's since been shared on BBC social channels, and you can check it out below. 

In the brief clip, Joel Dommett introduces what's to come for our group of survivors who will all face challenges that are set to push them 'physically, mentally and emotionally', in his words. 

A post shared by BBC (@bbc)

A photo posted by on

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.