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SA's Survivor kicks off
05/06/2006 16:53 - (SA)
Cape Town - Survivor South Africa has captured the imagination of the country, with over 18 000 people submitting entry forms in the hope of getting a shot at the R1m prize.
Only 14 contestants made the grade, after taxing tests and a long wait to see who would be South Africa's first group of Survivors.
The wait for the lucky 14 is over - they've packed their bags, said goodbye to loved ones, and departed for Panama from Johannesburg on Sunday.
The veil of secrecy which surrounded the selection process continues. Contestants were allowed to tell only those closest to them where they would be disappearing to for a month.
All 14 signed confidentiality agreements, which keep their identities secret for now.
M-Net publicity manager Lani Lombard says that keeping the 14 contestants' identities under wraps is a vital part of the Survivor format.
"It's very difficult to keep a secret as big as the fact that you've been chosen as a Survivor South Africa contestant, but it's vital for the success of the show.
Events that transpire on the island during and after the competition are also protected by the agreements they signed, which penalise them heavily should they not comply - all in the name of making Survivor South Africa the biggest show of the year!" she says.
A gruelling series of flights via Madrid and Panama City awaits them, but that's nothing compared to the tests they'll face on the island.
Lombard is confident that the personalities selected will make for good television.
"There are 14 very different people taking part in Survivor South Africa, from diverse backgrounds - a sure-fire hit for creating a fantastic show," she says.
The show is set to premiere on M-Net on September 3 at 18:00.
On the net:
www.mnet.co.za/
- News24
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South Africa
