Australian Celebrity Survivor

Does anyone have any more caps?

2006-11-24T22:42:00.000-08:00

I'll post some more caps from the series next week, but in the meantime, does anyone else have any to share?

GO IMO GO!!

2006-10-31T22:30:00.000-08:00

CELEBRITY SURVIVOR FINAL EPISODE
CHANNEL 7
8.30PM THURSDAY

GO IMOGEN GO!!

It's the final episode tomorrow night so make sure you tune in to Channel 7 at 8.30pm!

Imogen, Guy & Justin remain as the final 3 so don't miss out on Imogen's final challenge!

Stars fight to the finish

2006-10-31T21:38:00.000-08:00

From Brisbane's Courier Mail

IMOGEN Bailey remembers how buggered Nicolle Dickson was. "We were sleep deprived and malnourished," she says. For 24 days they'd played the Celebrity Survivor game on a Vanuatu island and, to all the contestants' surprise, it had been a really rough time.

As a survivalist Dickson had bonded with model Bailey and both had hardly eaten hardly anything but green mandarins, paw paws, sugar cane, some taro and the odd rock crab. Dickson collected firewood daily and slept in a humpy. Then there were the difficult challenges she and – initially – 10 other players had to perform for the TV spectacle.

It was a game all in the name of charity, and when Dickson became the fourth last contestant to be voted off she was meant to be driven to a resort for a shower and then taken out to Port Vila's finest restaurant with other previous evictees Gabrielle Richens, former Wallaby Elton Flatley and David Oldfield, the politician she'd helped vote off days before. But he wanted nasty revenge. The three formed a jury to decide who would be evicted – either Guy Leech, Days Of Our Lives actor Justin Melvey, Bailey or Dickson.

Oldfield believed the latter had betrayed him. He eyeballed her at the tribal council just after sunset, ran a throat-cutting finger across his neck and danced a jig as he placed his vote.

The crew and producers weren't impressed, glances were exchanged and heads shook. Twenty minutes later Dickson tried to climb into the people mover with Oldfield and company. She mentioned how much she was looking forward to a real dinner. "We haven't booked for you," spat Oldfield.

The others said nothing and looked away, and Dickson instead retreated and ate cheap Chinese from the crew buffet that night.

"His behaviour towards Nic was inexcusable," Bailey said this week. "It was completely unnecessary. While he apologised later, it's just not the way adults behave. It was a game and he has to remember that, and to actually exclude someone going to dinner and to speak to them like that is, I think, utterly inexcusable. It made me really angry."

Oldfield was later unrepentant. He'd struck an alliance with Bailey and Dickson but they'd been convinced by Leech and Melvey that he was up to no good and they switched sides. "What Nicolle and Imogen did was stupid and deceitful," he said. "They made the foolish error of believing I was going to betray them."

So much for the three relaxing weeks in the sun most players were looking forward to. They'd been surprised that they were literally left to the elements without support except an emergency standby medical team.

An early mutiny, led by dancer Kym Johnson and Bailey, was quelled by producers (resulting in Johnson voting herself off at the first council). Bailey then had a panic attack during a water challenge and was on the nose with her team.

As the backstabbing game based on deceit progressed, she clashed badly with Fiona Horne.

"I thought I would be fine but I was the person who got the angriest about who put us there," she says. "I stamped my feet and had a good whinge. But there came a point where I realised this was going to be my world and if I wanted to come out of this challenge having given it my 100 per cent, then I had to wake up and smell the coffee."

And she did. Bailey confounded all and an inner Amazon emerged from her tiny body as she made it all the way to the final, airing tomorrow night. It's her, Leech and Melvey, but Bailey lasted the longest of all as the other two were bought back to the game after a week of rest after earlier being voted off.

So two hunky, fit and fed blokes take on one true survivor who has come out of the experience a changed and far more confident woman – one more than happy to call Oldfield's spade a spade.

"Something happened, she found an extra hunk of something," says host Dicko. "She was a moaning sod at first, but she went from grumpy sod to someone who bore it so stoically. I was astounded at the transformation."

Leech and Melvey come across as bullies to Bailey's heroine in the final and viewers will rally to her. Whatever the result, Bailey is proud.

"In the beginning I definitely couldn't handle it," she says.

"I wasn't dealing with what it did to my body because food and sleep are very important to me. The most desperate moment was eating salad from a garbage bag we found on day three.

"But I went from a shy and not very confident person in social situations to standing up for myself, particularly to Fiona. Then I found this strength and I feel like I've come out of this experience as a new woman which I'm really thankful for.

"I'm proud to have made the final and I think it's going to be interesting for the viewers.

"I was very honoured and frustrated to be up against two boys who were very strong athletes and smart guys."

Some Screencaps from Aussie Celebs

2006-10-27T22:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Jedda and Ate at Aussie Celebs we've got some screen caps to share with you from the series. For more visit Imogen's forum in the model section at Aussie Celebs.

Week 10 Wrap Up

2006-10-19T21:58:00.000-07:00

This week a giant spanner is thrown in the survivor story ... tribe members who have been voted off are given the opportunity to win a place back in the game! The deceit and betrayal's of the previous weeks makes the remaining survivors very nervous. The challenge is a memory game, the contestants are Gabby, Guy, Justin & Elton with Guy & Justin winning their place back on the island.

The bitching and scheming starts instantly with all survivors huddling in groups and duo's to discuss how this changes the game. Alliances are made all over, with David making false alliances with the boys in an effort to turn votes away from himself, while the girls decided to break their alliance with David, knowing he couldn't be trusted.

One thing is for sure ... nobody is safe and tonight's immunity challenge is priceless! But how far are the survivors prepared to go to get immunity ...

Dicko presents 4 bowls to the survivors, and explains that they simply need to bite the head off a grub and swallow its body ... easy right? Did I mention the grubs were a couple of inches long and thick enough to chew? If you've ever seen a Witchety Grub, think 4 times bigger!

Imogen & Nicole seem to struggle with the idea, but when Dicko says GO all 4 team mates bite the heads off and swallow their grubs whole - with Imogen winning ... before turning around and puking into the grass.

Nicole is eliminated, leaving Imogen, Guy & David to fight it out in the next challenge. Each contestant is setup in a ring on the sand with a locked chest. They must search through their sand for a key which unlocks the chest which contains a rope which has a hook which gets thrown to a hoop which has a flag which goes up a pole which wins the game! *deep breath*

It seems to take forever for anyone to find a key but Imogen eventually uncovers hers, opens the chest, throws the hook a few times, reels in the hoop, hangs up the flag and wins immunity ... all while the boys are still digging in the sand!

Elimination eventually rolls around after some more scheming and sneaking throughout the afternoon. The girls & boys all vote for David, believing they are safer with the puppet-master out of the way. He isn't happy about being voted off, perhaps annoyed he was beaten at his own game?

Farewell David ... and bring on next week when the final 4 go head to head to make it to the elimination show!

Week 9 Wrap Up

2006-10-12T22:36:00.000-07:00

Last week's eviction drove home the fact that the series is drawing to a close and the celebs time on the island is almost over. After Justin's eviction, Gabby reveals her annoyance to the girls that she wasn't kept in the loop and discussion follows between all survivors. Gabby vows to change her attitude from now on and play to win! David is left as the only guy on the island and immediately assumes he will always win immunity against the girls.

Gabby, David & Imogen go hunting for food, finding a banana tree with ripe, yellow banana's on it. It's Nicole's wedding anniversary today and she's missing her family and husband terribly, so she stays back at camp to do some cleaning up! The girls shovel their 'nanas into their mouths as quickly as possible, collecting more to take to the camp for later. Its the sweetest thing they have tasted in a while, so they are a little more excited than a banana would normally make them.

The first challenge is called a Tam Tam Smash, where each team mate has a totem pole dressed like them. There are 3 knots in a rope on each, all 3 have to be cut for it to fall over. When it falls over, the player is eliminated. The last remaining player wins immunity. But before anyone can take a shot, they have to earn the right!

This bit requires a little brutal honesty! Dicko asks a question such as this first one, "Who is the least clever in the group?" Each housemate who gets an answer right gets to take a shot. The least clever is apparently Nicole, The messiest is Gabby who also wins the title of most likely to backstab. Hmmmm who decided these answers?!

To make the challenge even sweeter, the 4 remaining survivors are surprised by a visiting helicopter holding Nicole's husband, Gabby's best friend, David's wife and Imogen's dear friend, Sara-Marie. The reward is a beach front villa for a night with their loved one, a giant feast and a full night's sleep in a king sized bed.

David starts by knocking out one of Gabby's knots, followed by Gabby knocking out Imogen, Nicole knocking out Gabby, Imogen knocking out David and so on until its down to David & Nicole. David opts to knock out his own rope so Nicole can spend her 16th wedding anniversary with her husband. Their reunion is romantic as it is corny, as you'd expect, but its topped off with a video message from Nicole's kids & tear ducts around the country got a work out.

The immunity challenge requires swimming, but I was too distracted to listen to the rest of the instructions because I thought a sea creature had lodged itself on one of the contestants heads. Alas, it was the loved ones coming to help with the challenge, and the new fashion for this season is bathing caps!

Anyway, David swam the fastest and won immunity, Gabby got voted out, and then there were 3!

You know what that means? Only 3

Week 8 Wrap Up

2006-10-06T22:05:00.000-07:00

This week Nicole turns the girls luck around by winning a challenge worth its weight in gold, picking Imogen to share her reward with. They are flown around the island in a helicopter, over dolphins & beaches & rainforest before being taken to an exclusive tribal ceremony where they were the special guests!

They were treated to dancing and a gourmet feast, followed by a stunt show that makes Cirque du Soleil look tame! The daredevil's climbed up a wooden structure & threw themselves off with a few ropes tied to their body ... the ground below was shaped into a hill to allow for the bounce of the rope! Nicole & Imogen shrieked as each person jumped ...

Justin & Gabby appear to be getting friendly this episode, with lots of alone time and lingering looks. While Justin is distracted by Gabby, David complains that he's not meeting his fire starting duties. Imogen & Nicole decide to vote David out unless he wins immunity, with Justin as their second choice ... but they have to get David or Gabby to agree to get enough votes.

The immunity challenge is a game of strategy and favorites ... each player has 3 colored tiles next to their name which the other players take turns trying to smash with a sling shot. As each person's 3 tiles are shot down, that player is eliminated from the contest. The last one remaining wins Immunity.

Justin is knocked out first, with the team determined not to let him win immunity, followed by David, Gabby & Nicole leaving Imogen to win immunity. The girls continue their discussion about who to vote out, deciding to air some grievances at Tribal Council.

Imogen reveals that she has heard information from David to the effect that Justin is buying votes from other players in order to win. Both Nicole & Imogen confess that they want to play this game for themselves, and that they all have as much of a chance of winning it as each other.

Concerned that it will look like she is hiding behind the elimination necklace, Imogen hands it to Nicole to protect her from the possible backlash of her team mates. Gabby appears to look daggers at the girls as they reveal this information and their intention to vote for Justin, but she casts her vote in his direction supporting the girl alliance.

Justin is sent home and the tribe is down to 4.

Who will leave next week?

Week 6 Wrap Up

2006-09-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

While Guy reels from the shock of losing his sidekick, Wayne, and his disappointment at the betrayal by Gabby, the rest of the Survivors are settling in to a nice routine of eating leaves and brushing their teeth with sticks.

The show starts off with Nicole running excitedly towards the sleeping camp with urgent tree mail which informs the Survivors they have to pack their bags and load everything they can carry into the awaiting canoes ... and they've got 10 minutes to do it!

Kakula collect as much as they can, picking up their ground covers, cooking equipment and their personal items. When they arrive at Moso's camp, the boys look disappointed that their testosterone-fest is over!

The teams officially merge, with the new team color definately more suited to the girls ... some would call it hot pink, others might say its watermelon ... but whichever way you look at it, the new team, Tanna, is colored to give the girls some moral support!

The first challenge for the show is an ex-ironman's dream ... a version of musical chairs involving shells on the ocean floor, about 5 metres under water. Each round there is 1 less shell than contestants, whoever misses out is out of the challenge. Guy collected his shell first each round, to go on and win the challenge.

In the second challenge, David wins immunity leaving Guy an open target to be eliminated by the girl power trio. He then becomes the first member of the jury who helps to decide the winner at the end of the Survivor competition.

Week 5 Wrap Up

2006-09-14T17:22:00.000-07:00

This weeks show starts out with even more tropical storms, creating even more tension in the already struggling camps. The boys are craving protein, their bodies and minds weak from the lack of food, the drama almost too much to take as David and Justin explain what its like to be near death from starvation.

A tiny crab runs through the camp while delirium kicks in, the boys frantically trying to catch the 4 inch critter to get their protein fix before their next challenge. The teams make their way to the location of the next contest, with the boys hoping desperately for a meat reward ... and they weren't disappointed, with a plate of steaks presented to the drooling teams.

The teams were required to fill up a bucket with water, but of course there were some tricks to it ... the first team member had to fill a small bucket, and throw it to the next team member who then had to throw the water (but not the bucket) into the next team members bucket, who finally could empty what little water they had into the final bucket. Lots of buckets ... lots of throwing ... not much water ... but both teams eventually got the hang of it and the race was on!

Moso were first to victory, answering the boys prayers for protein with 5 giant steaks to split between 3 men. While 2 of the boys were desperate to sizzle & scoff their steaks, David decided he had better plans for the meat and described the stew he was going to prepare in great detail ... so much so that Elton & Justin looked like they would like to tie him up and hang him from a tree until they finishd eating.

But the boys went along with the politicians idea, with the result being worth the wait! As Kakula scrounged for fish and leaves, Moso devoured every morsel of their meat, giving them brain and muscle power for the next challenge.

The immunity challenge sees Kakula sit out Gabby & Imogen, leaving Guy, Wayne & Nicole to run around a plank while tied together and trying to catch the other team, while the other team tries to catch them! Moso triumph's again, sending Kakula to tribal council ...

Imogen & Nicole have bonded closely with Gabby, but she's torn between her loyalty to the boys and her friendship with the girls. The friendship wins out with Gabby choosing to vote off Wayne, who she never really clicked with anyway.

The look on Guy's face is pure shock, as he expected Gabby to vote with him and Wayne, to get rid of Imogen or Nicole, but instead he's left with that sinking feeling that comes when you know your time on the Survivor Island is almost up ............

Week 4 Wrap Up

2006-09-09T18:39:00.000-07:00

Well, it really gets interesting this week with both teams getting used to their new members but still trying to show some loyalty to their original team mates. This show starts with a shot of the girls climbing trees to shake out fruit while they chat about the alliance that's forming solidly between them.

The first team challenge requires the smallest team member to be dragged like a rag doll through an obstacle course, while attached to a piece of rope that's twisted and tangled around posts and even under water. Imogen is selected for Kakula while Amber is selected for Moso, with both girls giving up complete trust to their team mates as they are pushed, pulled and dragged under logs, under water and face first through the sand.

Imogen & Kakula take out this challenge by barely a hair, winning themselves a feast (well, it must have seemed like it) of bbq chicken.

Amber enjoys her time with the boys, but she's feeling rather threatened by the fact that she's the only girl and Justin is her only original team mate - 2 vs 3.

The second challenge was good for a lot of laughs, as David Oldfield from Moso tribe simply couldn't walk across a plank without knocking off his 4 team mates. The object was to carry rings across a plank above the water where their team mates stood and climb past them, without knocking them off. David & Justin shared a rather awkward moment as they huddled together with their arms wrapped around each other, swaying back and forward in a hilarious attempt to avoid falling.

Kakula won the challenge by a mile, with the small team members like Imogen & Nicole making it easy to walk around, and flexible Gabby making the challenge relatively easy for everyone. The reward for the second challenge is always immunity, so they celebrated with a group hug while Moso dreaded heading off to Tribal Council that evening.

David looked to be the hot favorite to be voted off, after losing the tribe the challenge for the day, but Justin played traitor and voted off his original team mate Amber with the theory that she was the weakest link - despite leaving the team with nothing but brute strength, a skill that was useless to them in the last 2 challenges.

So we said farewell to Amber, who beautifully and gracefully exited the camp to return to her luxuries back home.

Don't forget to tune in next week, 8.30pm on Channel 7!

Week 3 Wrap Up

2006-09-02T19:01:00.000-07:00

The girls show up to their challenges this week ready to fight, with Amber's mascara coming in handing to wipe under their eyes like football players, giving the team spirit and unity.

Little did they know, their team would be shattered before they fought their first challenge! Dicko called Justin to 1 side and Gabby to the other, giving Justin a blue flag and Gabby an Orange one ... then they were told to pick their new teams, with Gabby going first.

Gabby picked Guy ... then Justin picked Fiona ... then Gabby picked Wayne ... then Justin picked Elton ... then Gabby picked Nicole ... then Justin picked David ... then Gabby picked Imogen ... then Justin picked Amber.

The new teams got to know one another by being thrown straight into a challenge ... their task was to use a see-saw type system to catapult objects like tins of food and rocks into a basket about 4 metres in the air. The blue team won the challenge, winning food & celebrating their new team members over a camp fire.

The next challenge required the team to dig a lot ... team members were trapped in cages and the rest of the team had to dig under the cage to get the key to move into the next room and unlock their prisoners. They then had to tie some sticks together to reach a key that was outside the cages so they could unlock the last cage and reach the immunity statue. Make sense?

The orange team lagged behind through most of the challenge, but leadership squabbles in the final stages gave them time to catch up ... & win immunity!

Tribal council saw Fiona voted off, with Amber's vote being the deciding factor.

Tune in next week at 8.30pm on Channel 7 for Celebrity Survivor!

Episode 2 Screencaps

2006-08-28T18:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to coolnsexy from Aussie Celebs!
(click to enlarge or visit Imogen's thread on Aussie Celebs for more)

Warrior Princess or Queen of the Seas?

Where on earth is our food?!

Imogen thanks Elton for giving up half of their food win & sharing with the starving girls!

Week 2 Wrap Up

2006-08-24T04:53:00.000-07:00

This week they wasted no time getting right to the bitchiness, with a string of highlights featuring the girls fighting and the boys getting political. The much publicised battle between Imogen & Fiona heats up, with the girls clashing on everything from food to damp sleeping quarters.

The first challenge for this episode is all about coconut juice ... how much of it a celeb can carry through an obstacle course in a 3 inch deep cup, to be exact. Moso put in a massive effort, but were pipped at the post by Kakula who rewarded them by splitting half of their win - a basket of tropical fruits.

While Kakula has had the help of SAS Jungle Survival expert, Ben, in their search for food, the girls have found little but unripe bananas and a root that apparently tastes like bland potato. The generous gift was welcomed by almost everyone on the Mosa tribe and eaten quickly when they returned to their camp site.

After some food, the girls took on their next challenge with a renewed passion, a memory game matching objects with their traditional Vanuatu meanings. They won imunity at the challenge, which was met with an all round groan ... "Don't we win any food?!"

Kakula discussed tribal council as a team ... without Ben ... would they honor their original pact, or remove the weakest link in their eyes, Gabby? In the end, loyalty won over common sense, with the tribe believing they had learnt all they needed from a jungle survival expert, and we said goodbye to Ben.

Next week, the game gets a little more cut throat and the teams are at each others throats. Tune in to Channel 7 at 8.30pm every Thursday for Celebrity Survivor!

Episode 1 Screencaps

2006-08-22T05:37:00.000-07:00

Thanks to coolnsexy from Aussie Celebs!
(click to enlarge or visit Imogen's thread on Aussie Celebs for more)

Imogen on her way to the island, wondering which canoe is carrying the food & tents

First impressions ... dismal. The expression says it all!

Most impressed by the taste of unripe bananas, the only thing they've eaten in 2 days.

Guy the survivor

2006-08-20T22:16:00.000-07:00

NOT even four years of watching the American Survivor could prepare Guy Leech for his 25 days of island hell.

The three-time Coolangatta Gold Ironman champion is part of Seven's Celebrity Survivor and says leaving behind civilisation for a Vanuatu reality experience was tougher than any Ironman race.
"The organisers did a really good job of making it really, really hard. There was no difference to what you saw on the American Survivor and in some ways we probably had it slightly harder," he says.

"The fact that they take away the entire world from you – the camera guys won't talk to you, you don't have watches on, the only people you talk to are your fellow competitors – all that comes into just being stretched left, right and centre to really make you crack," he says.

"It wouldn't matter how many Ironman races you do you're never going to prepare yourself for something like that."

With only two changes of clothes and three pairs of underwear, the 42-year-old endured sleeping on a bed of coral in the rain, "half starving" and continuous mind games, as he battled to be the ultimate survivor.

While everyone struggled both physically and emotionally, Leech says some of the celebrities really surprised him.

"There was a lot of people out of those 12 that I walked away from that island having the utmost respect for," he says.

"They toughed it out, they took it on board and adapted along the way and held it together under crisis situations, at times, which they could have easily cracked under."

But not everyone was able to cope with the pressure, Leech says.

"There were some corker showdowns between some people that just got on each other's nerves.

While he says he enjoyed the experience, the Ironman confesses he won't be rushing back.

Celebrity show survives axe

2006-08-19T17:04:00.000-07:00

IT endured one flop this week but the Seven Network appears to be on safer ground with the debut of its new show Celebrity Survivor.

The cast of Celebrity Survivor at a Channel Seven get-together. Picture: AAP IMAGE

Hosted by Ian “Dicko” Dickson, Celebrity Survivor is a carbon copy of Nine’s long-running US hit Survivor.

While appearing to lack some of the key ingredients of the original format — such as unpleasant, whining Americans — Seven’s Celebrity Survivor managed to pull in 1.31 million viewers on Thursday night in the slot recently vacated by Lost.

Attempting to survive on a tropical Vanuatu island are 12 celebrity castaways.

Seven will be satisfied with Celebrity Survivor’s debut after dumping its million-dollar quiz show The Master after just one show.

Celebrity Survivor on Solid Ground

2006-08-18T11:12:00.000-07:00

IT endured one flop this week, but the Seven Network appears to be on safer ground with the debut of its new show Celebrity Survivor.
Hosted by Ian "Dicko" Dickson, Celebrity Survivor is a local, carbon copy of Nine's long-running US hit, Survivor. It follows a string of overseas forms of the Survivor and Celebrity Survivor format.

While appearing to lack some of the key ingredients of the original format - such as unpleasant, whining Americans - Seven's Celebrity Survivor managed to pull in 1.31 million viewers last night in the slot recently vacated by Lost.

Attempting to survive on a tropical Vanuatu island are 12 celebrity castaways, including model Gabrielle Richens and NSW politician David Oldfield.

Seven will be satisfied with Celebrity Survivor's debut after dumping its million-dollar quiz show, The Master, after just one show.

The Master, hosted by Sunrise sports presenter Mark Beretta, premiered on Wednesday night but attracted a dismal 740,000 viewers nationally.

"The Master hasn't been axed," insisted a Seven spokeswoman.

"It will be back later this month in a new time slot. There is no point keeping it on air (in that time slot) if it hasn't worked."

Seven also has ordered an overhaul of its new Sunday night quiz show, You May be Right, amid accusations it's a rip-off off ABC TV's successful Spicks and Specks.

Around 1.09 million viewers tuned in to You May be Right, hosted by Dancing With The Stars judge Todd McKenney.

Among other debuts this week was the Ten Network's heavily promoted, animated talk show David Tench, which last night came up against Celebrity Survivor but managed only 1.14 million viewers.

Next week, Seven will be hoping the observational documentary series, The Force, will scoop the Tuesday night ratings, as it screens on the back of top-rating weekly program Border Security.

Border Security regularly hits the two million viewer mark.

Hosted by Sunrise newsreader and former It Takes Two contestant Simon Reeve, The Force showcases the challenges faced by the men and women of the West Australian police force.

"We hope to attract some of Border's (Security) audience, because we are on directly after them," Reeve said.

First Episode Wrap Up

2006-08-17T15:13:00.000-07:00

* Survivor Summary written by CJ

So, you missed the first episode but want to keep up with the show? Here's a wrap up and summary of what you missed ...

The show opens with Dicko standing on the side of a big rock, miles of ocean stretching behind him, as he tells us what's in store for the celebrities over the next 25 days.

The group was broken into 2 teams, girls and guys, but they were surprised with a new team member each - Justin Melvey for the girls and Gabrielle Richens for the guys. The girls were thankful to have someone to help them start a fire, but the boys were a little worried what their wives would think with sexy covergirl Gabrielle sleeping between them.

Kim Johnson & Nicole Dickson seem the most surprised that they haven't been given bottles of drinking water and camping equipment, but the entire crew were a little shocked as they started their adventure - hunting for water with only a basic map and small waterbottle in tow.

The first challenge saw the teams swim out around 30 metres into the ocean to retreive a chest filled with statue pieces, tied with rope 4 foot underwater. The girls struggled a little with the weight of the chests, while the guys powered through, leading by 2 chests.

Imogen struggled with hers, unable to take a breath to untie the knot. Justin came to the rescue and swam 2 chests to the shore in record time. While the girls finished bringing in the chests, the guys struggled putting the pieces of their statue together, giving the girls valuable time to catch up.

It looked like the girls were going to take out the challenge after the boys got their statue wrong, but they came through and won the challenge with a reward of fish, fruit and some equipment to catch fish.

The second challenge saw the celebrities getting a little dirty ... chasing after pigs in a mud pit will do that to ya! Imogen sat out, fighting back tears as the pigs screamed and ran while the contestants chased and dived.

All pigs were painted with 2 colors, barely visible under the black mud, and had to be sorted into 2 pens. The celebs had to chase their pig and try to pick it up without it slipping over - an almost impossible task that made for some classic television moments!

The boys were victorious again, and this time the reward was a 6 foot ex-SAS agent to teach them how to survive in the jungle ... the catch however is that the reward also becomes a contestant, so the pampered celebs are now up against a man used to surviving in much more difficult circumstances.

The show wrapped up with the traditional Survivor Council, with the girls heading to the chopping blocks to lose one of their team. Imogen was certain she was going to be sent packing by her girls after losing them the first challenge, but it was dancing with the stars contestant Kym Johnson who was sent home almost unanimously.

That's all for episode 1, so be sure to be watching next Thursday for the next exciting episode!

Celebrities soldier on with expert help

2006-08-17T03:15:00.000-07:00

IT sounds like a dream come true. A well-built former Aussie SAS officer drops on to a deserted island as you desperately try to survive the elements.

Ben, 32, from Perth, was a welcome surprise package for contestants struggling to find food in Vanuatu for Celebrity Survivor, which airs tonight on Channel 7.
Speaking from Baghdad, where he is working as a bodyguard, the previously camera-shy Ben said: "I learnt a lot about myself and found new skills I never had."

The Eye hears that it might not be the last time we see him on TV.

"If opportunities came up, I'd jump at it," Ben said.

Celebs' survival tactics

2006-08-17T03:12:00.000-07:00

WITH 25 days to spend in the harsh natural elements of Vanuatu, the 11 celebrity survivors thought they were in for a relaxing time.

Little did they know what was in store.

With just one change of clothing and some wet weather gear, they were only allowed one item they couldn't live without.

Their chosen luxuries? Tarot cards, mascara and a football, all useful stuff - not.

There will be two tribes going to war, Moso and Kakula.

The Moso tribe consists of model Imogen Bailey; former Home and Away actor Nicolle Dickson; white witch Fiona Horne; Dancing with the Stars dancer Kym Johnson; Princess Mary's bridesmaid Amber Petty and actor Justin Melvey.

The Kakula tribe consists of former Wallabies vice-captain Elton Flatley; world 500CC motorcycle champion Wayne Gardner; former world iron man champion Guy Leech; MP David Oldfield and model Gabrielle Richens.

The contestants impressed host Ian Dickson, even though they initially thought they were going to be huts or tents to live in. They also thought there was going to be some food available.

“They arrived on the island and were amazed that there was nothing but sea, sand and jungle,” he says.

“Me, I was at a beautiful resort down the road, sipping on cocktails and tucking into food, and I would arrive each morning and let the contestants know that I wasn’t hungry.

“By day three many of them were starving. "

Dickson admired them for turning up and how they conducted themselves. They were out of their comfort zones and being put through some gruelling tests, just like the Survivor format.

“The things these guys had to do to gain immunity was impressive, and what they had to eat to win their tasks was disgusting,” he says.

“It will make you sick to watch.

"This is truly do or die stuff, they really had to test themselves."

Celebrity Survivor is going to test the celebrities and watching them doing it tough will be fun.

Celebrity Survivor, Thursday, 8.30pm, Seven/GWN

Celebrity is eating itself

2006-08-16T18:43:00.000-07:00

Judith Lucy probes the infatuation with celebrity television.

I AM not a television snob. I do not while away the hours watching Bleak House and wishing there was more Norwegian drama on our screens. Sure, I lament the fact that shows like Deadwood, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Six Feet Under, Arrested Development and The Sopranos will apparently never be screened properly, or at all, on mainstream television but, damn it, I was a proud Party of Five fan and I still watch The Bold and the Beautiful. Reality television, however, is not my cup of tea.

I gave Survivor a crack but figured that if I wanted to see a bunch of backstabbing, bitchy Americans I'd watch a re-run of Dynasty, thanks. I would much rather watch Joan Collins and Linda Evans go shoulder-pad to shoulder-pad in a fountain than a group of whining narcissists. At least Joan and Linda only made me feel bad about my own '80s wardrobe, not humanity.

Then I gave Big Brother a go. Once was enough. When I meet stupid, self-obsessed people in real life I try to avoid them. I certainly don't stick around to watch them slap someone in the face with their genitals.

I did get temporarily sucked into a season of Australian Idol ("At least it involves talent!", I'd scream at people) but that show can take something that should last three minutes and turn it into The Mahabharata, so I lost interest about halfway through the series.

I guess my point is that I like bad television - I just like it to have a script.

Now, of course, Pandora's box has been opened. I recently saw the words "Celebrity Survivor" on a page, and for a split second thought, "Maybe that's not the name of a program; maybe it's a device that helps you cope with the constant onslaught of crap celebrity shows".

I imagine the device would work by shutting down your senses every time an inane host said, "Doesn't she look lovely?"; a blonde co-host said, "Anything could happen"; a nasty judge (is it my imagination or are they all gay?) said, "Car accident"; Rowena Wallace cried or Gabrielle "The Pleasure Machine" Richens simply appeared.

I was hosting a Sydney breakfast radio show when we received the press release for Dancing With the Stars.

Short of the piece of paper actually making the noise "gobble, gobble" I didn't think it could have looked like a bigger turkey. The idea was ripped off. It involved a number of talentless has-beens. It involved talentless hasbeens, DANCING and it involved Daryl Somers. Of course Dancing With the Stars wound up being a ratings sensation and I got the sack, so what the hell do I know?

There is a game comedians play where you sit around and think of the most ludicrous collection of "personalities" that would make up the crappiest panel show possible; being a little off your rocker helps.

Here's an example: Quentin, Warwick Capper, Victoria Nicholls, Jade Hurley and JJ from Cop Shop. Here's another example: Merv Hughes, Katie Fischer , Rowena Wallace, Fabio and Ita Buttrose - except that's not an example of the game, that's most of the participants from Celebrity Overhaul. Stoned comedians don't play the game any more, television executives do: "Pass the bong, Kerry. Jeez, Dieter Brummer on Celebrity Circus, that's hilarious."

Celebrity Circus, Celebrity Overhaul, the upcoming Celebrity Survivor - remember when the word celebrity actually meant something? When it actually meant someone had a great talent or skill or at least a notoriety of some kind (hey, some people went to the trouble of whacking innocent strangers to earn the title, now all you have to do is once have banged James Packer).

The celebrities - for want of a more accurate phrase, such as "publicity whores" - on most of these shows seem to fit into one of several categories of celebrity. There are sports people who, certainly at some point, did have a real skill; and that's actually how I would like to remember people such as Kostya Tszyu (Dancing With the Stars), Michael Slater (Dancing on Ice), Sarah Ryan (It Takes Two) and Dermott Brereton (Dancing on Ice). (Did Dermie really do himself a mischief on this show or did his nearest and dearest tell him to stop appearing on national television looking like a shiny mandarin?) Then there are the politicians.

Honestly, if someone had told you that the fish-and-chip-selling redhead from Ipswich was going to have a second career after appearing on a dancing program hosted by the ex-host of Hey Hey It's Saturday and would go on to appear in an all-singing all-dancing stage show with our other Boy from Oz, Todd McKenney, would you have believed them?

There's also Liberal MP Jackie Kelly (Dancing on Ice) and, believe it or not, that other One Nation alumnus David Oldfield is set to appear on Celebrity Survivor. It's a miracle we haven't seen Hawkey pop up singing Wind Beneath My Wings on something, isn't it?

My favourite category is the partner or ex-partner celebrity: Symantha Perkins, wife of Kieren (Celebrity Overhaul), Jake Wall, boyfriend of Jennifer Hawkins (Dancing on Ice).

Now you're a star if you're having sex with a chick who won a prize for looking good in a bikini. And of course Simone Callahan, ex-wife of Shane Warne (Dancing With the Stars). I'm sorry, but what has Simone actually done apart from put up and procreate with a ruddy-faced tool?

Finally, there is the category of people who are celebrities because they've appeared on other celebrity/ reality programs.

And on the first day Network Ten created Australian Idol, and Network Ten said, "Let the contestants of Australian Idol go forth and become involved in other reality shows". And yea, Paulini Curuenavuli (Celebrity Overhaul), Ricki-Lee Coulter (Celebrity Circus) and Guy Sebastian (It Takes Two) did become involved with other reality programs and Channel Ten saw that it was good.

Here's a taste of just how muddy this particular pool is: Erika Heynatz, who hosted the short-lived The HotHouse and then went on to host Foxtel's Australia's Next Top Model, recently won the final of It Takes Two which was, of course, hosted by Sunrise weatherman and winner of Dancing With the Stars Grant Denyer.

But don't think that Seven and Ten are having all the fun, the jazz cigarettes must be getting passed around at Nine, too, where we have the winner of The Block, Dr Andrew Rochford, now appearing as a reporter on What's Good for You (isn't it enough that he's a doctor and he won The Block?) Then there's Tom Williams, of The Great Outdoors who won Dancing With the Stars, went on to host The Mole and, frankly, even if you do want to eat sushi off his stomach, is one of the luckiest people on the face of the Earth.

All of these shows raise a lot of questions for me. First, who are most of these people? Yes, you, Lara "who the bloody hell are you?" Bingle (Dancing On Ice). Second, why do people agree to do these shows? Well, let's be clear - this country still has a relatively small population and an even smaller entertainment industry comprised of people who have to make a living. Maybe if we were making a few more shows that weren't realitybased, people such as Charles "Bud" Tingwell (host of Celebrity Circus), Noeline Brown (Dancing With the Stars) and Ross Wilson (judge on It Takes Two) would be otherwise engaged. I'm not entirely sure that applies to the Kimberley Davieses (Celebrity Circus) of this world, but who knows?

Obviously networks must pretty actively encourage cross-promotional appearances. Is Naomi Robson the only Seven star who has not crosspollinated?

(This does support my theory that she is just an animated sex doll wearing a lustrous wig.) I think most of the other participants are generally motivated by slightly less understandable reasons and fit into one or more of the following four categories:

1. I'm a greedy moron.

2. I would eat my own poo if it got me on television.

3. I've never been known for a skill or a talent so why start now?

4. I couldn't possibly be any more reviled than I already am, so why not?

More importantly, why do people watch these damned things? I mean, Torvill and Dean's Dancing on Ice I understand because when I saw the footage of Jackie Kelly splitting her head open I thought, "Now, this is entertainment". Seriously, I watched this show in double time and was still bored out of my mind. I don't doubt that Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean are gifted skaters but no one needs to hear them speak. But is that the appeal? Do we want to see these so-called celebrities humiliated: are we just intrigued to see them in a different light; or do we just love crap?

I had no desire to see Richard Zachariah and Karen Knowles sing (It Takes Two) but I'd love to see say, Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis murder a duet. Hang on a minute, why does that sound familiar?

Honestly, though, I'd tune in to see Brad Pitt sustain a groin injury. I'd watch Halle Berry walk the tightrope but Toni Pearen?

I suspect the novelty would wear off here too and maybe people enjoy watching these shows precisely because the participants are such pissy celebrities. Most of these people are actually quite ordinary - just like us.

Maybe, the appeal is that we do relate to Phelpsy (Celebrity Overhaul) a lot more than we can to George Clooney (although I have no doubt that a lot of us would like to try relating to Mr Clooney).

Let's look at Celebrity Survivor (the show, not the device that really needs to be invented). Contestants include:

Imogen Bailey, model and columnist for men's magazine Zoo Weekly - look out Dorothy Parker; Nicolle Dickson, star of Home and Away from 1988 to 1994 (12 years ago) and now married with two sons, so she's a mum; Wayne Gardner, the first Australian to win the 500 cc World Motorcycle Championship, who now runs a family business in wholesale motorcycle parts (a little like Will Smith); Fiona Horne, expert on witchcraft/nutbag; Guy Leech, ironman who now runs a comprehensive specialist paddling outfitters (when hasn't celebrity and paddling gone hand in hand?); Amber Petty, bridesmaid to Princess Mary, so she was a bridesmaid. I think you get the picture.

Would any of us really feel out of our depth in this company? Like the paddling guy is really going to be telling stories about hanging out with Julia Roberts in Tuscany.

So maybe we just like seeing people we can relate to doing things we would be just as likely to succeed or fail at. Aren't you and I just as likely to succeed or fail at ice-skating as Lara Bingle? Aren't I just as likely to succeed or fail at dancing as a Home and Away star? Aren't I . . .

Well maybe that's my problem. I've been sacked from commercial radio (Hello, talentless?). I've appeared on Inside Idol, an offshoot of Australian Idol (Hello, desperate?). Why has no one called me?

Judith Lucy is a comic writer and performer.
Celebrity Survivor begins tonight at 8.30pm on Seven.

No bailing out

2006-08-16T04:44:00.000-07:00

EVEN when you're the darling of men's magazines and a bikini model by trade, it can still be impossible to use your feminine wiles against men.

Just ask Imogen Bailey.

The cover girl claims she threw away all sexiness when she was marooned on a Vanuatu island with 10 other celebrities for reality TV show Celebrity Survivor.

"It's hard to use your sexuality when you stink, when you haven't cleaned your teeth, had a shower or brushed your hair," she said. "One of the things I didn't take with me was a bikini because I think Australia has seen enough of me in my bikini."

Celebrity Survivor is identical to the long-running reality hit Survivor, except in its casting of Aussie faces.

Hosted by Ian "Dicko" Dickson, it features C-grade celebs such as "The Pleasure Machine" Gabrielle Richens, Princess Mary's bridesmaid Amber Petty, white witch Fiona Horne, actors Justin Melvey and Nicolle Dickson, and One Nation founder David Oldfield.

They must battle to survive, complete challenges and try not to get voted off.

Most of them thought it would be "Survivor Lite" and were shocked to discover the primitive conditions they were to live in.

"I admit in the first days I was angry because I was told there would be food rations and someone told me we would get a sleeping bag'," Bailey said.

"But not having food readily available, sleeping in wet clothes in torrential rain, your body being so weak from lack of sleep and starvation that you are shaking and you get up in the morning and want to vomit it was hard as hell."

Grumpy and hungry, Bailey earned the tag "the angry smurf" from Dicko. She's also glossed over the rift with fellow contestant Horne.

"I think Fiona rocks, but did we get along on the island?" she asked. "In the beginning yes, but we did have some differences of opinions.

"But would I ever be on an island with her again? No."

The glamour girl was shocked to rediscover herself at the end of the show.

"I lost weight and my face changed and I had lines where I never had lines before," she said. "But it changed my life and I found this strength and confidence I had been looking for all my life. I began to feel like a warrior woman."

And the experience could also have been a epiphany.

"I'm looking at where I have been and what I have done and where I want to go," she said.

"I'm looking at making some dramatic changes. (Modelling) is very one-dimensional and while I am not stepping away from sexy Imogen . . . I'm gradually getting away from the modelling thing."

Battle of Vanuatu

2006-08-16T00:07:00.000-07:00

DON'T expect Ian Dickson to exchange Christmas cards with white witch Fiona Horne.

The two clashed on the set of Celebrity Survivor and certainly didn't leave as friends.
"She rubbed me up the wrong way," Dicko, the show's host, told The Eye yesterday.

"I actually found her really hard to warm to. I thought she was obvious and shallow."

Ouch.

Then again, Dicko was responding to claims from Horne that he was derogatory and sexist.

Dicko confirmed that Horne was not popular with the rest of the celebrities on the show.

"I can't see Fiona and Imogen (Bailey) on each other's Christmas card lists," he said.

"That turned out to be the battle of Vanuatu pretty early on.

"It was two blondes going at each other, so run for cover. They didn't hide their dislike at all."

Dicko thinks he has found his niche on the show after judging on Australian Idol, hosting My Restaurant Rules and appearing on Dancing with the Stars.

"I loved it," he said of the island gig. "It was the most fun I had making a TV show.

"I became obsessed."

Dicko says 'yes' to Telethon

2006-08-15T01:46:00.000-07:00

IAN `Dicko' Dickson was in Perth yesterday for the launch of Channel 7's new Celebrity Survivor series which launches around the country on Thursday night.

The former lad from the housing estates of Birmingham was in fine form as he chatted with the media at a screening of the first episode of the program in the rainforest area of the Perth Zoo.

Dicko agreed yesterday to come to Perth for Seven’s Telethon in October and with glass of wine in hand bantered with the media, chipping in with his own comments during the screening.

The opening scenes feature the former record company executive paddling a native canoe from the shores of Vanuatu to greet the celebrity survivors.

There are a few sniggers from the media at Dicko’s paddling style.

“It’s reality TV,” he says. “You only get one take, so if you get it wrong you’re up S*** Creek without a paddle,” he laughs.

Seven’s program manager Ray Wardrop jested that Dicko was in Perth carrying out a site survey of Heirisson Island for the next Celebrity Survivor.

“No, I’m going to do Celebrity Survivor Kings Park,” Dicko laughs.

After the screening, Dicko said it had been a privilege being involved with Survivor, which is one of the world’s big three reality formats, along with Idol and Big Brother.

He got his start in Australian television as a judge on Australian Idol and now as host of Celebrity Survivor he has participated in two of the big three.

“But I didn’t fancy being turkey slapped by some plumber from Dubbo,” he said, talking about Big Brother.

While Dicko was living the good life on Vanuatu it wasn’t so easy for the bunch of celebrities who were doing it tough without food or shelter.

“It was Lord of the Flies within five days,” Dicko said.

“And Imogen Bailey was as much use as a chocolate fire guard,” he said of his favourite Survivor.

“Imogen Bailey, the angry smurf came out all guns blazing because there was no food. She wanted us to get her agent.”

“Quite a few of them lost a few kilos – Paulini’s going on next year – just a joke,” he says of the former Idol contestant whom he criticised for being overweight.

Dicko also took a pot shot at politician David Oldfield who is one of the participants in Survivor.

“I believe we’re going to be seeing him later in the reptile house,” he said.

Celebrity Survivor goes to air on Thursday at 8.30pm on Seven/GWN.

Allen Newton
"Perth Now"
Sunday Times

Stars Rough It In Paradise

2006-08-12T17:05:00.000-07:00

THERE is a certain delicious irony in Ian Dicko Dickson having a bunch of B-list stars at his mercy on Celebrity Survivor.

Four years ago no one had heard of this former record company executive, who became an overnight sensation as a judge on Australian Idol. Now hes the celebrity in charge of celebrities in Sevens new castaway reality series - and its clear he relishes his latest role.
"I think some of them thought it would be Camp Paris," he sniggers. "It did provide some interesting drama."

Dicko says bikini babe Imogen Bailey took the prize for the biggest dummy spit.

"Imogen was a grumpy little Smurf," he says. "She had a face like thunder for the first three days; she really was just like the angry Smurf."

Bailey was one of 11 stars flown to Vanuatu earlier to film Celebrity Survivor, a spin-off from the enormously successful global franchise screened here on Nine.

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