Mark Fish To Star in Survivor- South Africa

I have to be honest. I am a huge fan of the original Survivor but was never sold on our local version of the show. I think perhaps it is the celebrity contestants aspect of it. Anyway, Survivor SA is back and its latest installment is touted as having a twist that is rewritting Survivor history. 

In a worldwide first, two sporting legends have been tasked to lead the tribes that will face hunger pains, the elements of nature, nasty creepy crawlies, and the game’s trademark plotting and scheming – all in the quest to become the next Ultimate Survivor.

Soccer superstar, Mark Fish and former Springbok rugby captain, Corné Krige are the two national heroes that will go head to head in M-Net’s brand new Survivor South Africa: Champions.

Unlike their tribe members, who will all be unknown South African citizens, they won’t run the risk of being voted off at the show’s dreaded tribal councils. Yet, every second on the island will be just as important to them.

While the other Survivors are giving all they have to survive the island’s hardships and win the jury’s vote for a cash prize of R1-million, Fish and Krige will be playing their own game, with their eyes set on a separate R500 000, for themselves.

But to get the R500 000 into their bank account, they will first have to impress the most difficult jury of them all – the voting public. While the show is screened on M-Net, these critical Survivor fans will scrutinize Corné and Mark’s every move, maneuver, decision and tactic to determine which of the two proved to be the best tribal captain.

"This addition to the popular reality show format is bound to create many hours of excitable water cooler conversation,” says Pierre Cloete, M-Net director: General Entertainment Channels. 

“Mark and Corné are both highly competitive and physically strong, but have very different personalities. It will be fascinating to see how these tribe captains strategise to get their team ahead and how they deal with the multiple challenges on the island."

"And, this is just the first of many surprises awaiting Survivor South African fans this season," adds Sivan Pillay, managing director of Endemol South Africa, the production company that has produced all seasons of Survivor South Africa to date. 

"Pitting two champions with the gravitas of Mark and Corné against each other opens up plenty opportunities for curveballs and additional pressure on the contestants. You will have to be extra tough to survive this one.”

South African citizens who want to join either Krige's or Fish's tribes, need to keep an eye on M-Net, the M-Net website and the press from the beginning of July to find out more. As in the past, contestants will have to be older than 18, with a valid passport and the determination to remain standing in the harshest of circumstances.

Survivor South Africa: Champions will be filmed at a secret location towards the end of 2013 and Nico Panagio will appear again as the series host.