‘Survivor’: Dark Secrets About the TV Show That CBS Doesn’t Want You to Know

'Survivor' has been on for quite some time but it still has some dark secrets kept from the audience.

by Nicole Weaver

Published on May 25, 2018

3 min read

Survivor has been on television for over 30 seasons. Over the years, we have seen contestants seemingly try to survive in the wilderness in order to compete for a million dollars. That means hunting for food, abandoning conveniences like toothbrushes, and more.

Of course, they aren’t totally away from civilization since people have to shoot the show, but how much does that affect what’s happening behind the scenes? The show has had multiple controversies over the years while hiding many show secrets from the audiences. This has led to some cracks in the facade of the competitive reality show.

Here are some dark secrets about the TV show that CBS doesn’t want you to know.

1. 9/11 changed the show’s location

CAPTION: The SURVIVOR: MARQUESAS castaways. Front row, from left: Rob Mariano, Sean Rector, Paschal English, Patricia Jackson, Vecepia Towery and Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien. Standing, from left: Gabriel Cade, Neleh Dennis, Tammy Leitner, Peter Harkey, Gina Crews, Sarah Jones, Hunter Ellis, Robert De Canio, John Carroll and Zoe Zanidakis.<br /> — *Survivor: Maquesas* | CBS

Season 4 of the show was located in Marquesa, but this wasn’t the original plan. It was originally going to be in Jordan, but was moved after the terrorist attacks. The plan was easy to change, given a cast wasn’t even settled on for the season yet, according to Medium.

However, they had already done some preparation, having scouts meet with Jordan’s King, King Abdullah II, and spending nights in the Arabian desert. After the attacks, the king reportedly called creator Mark Burnett and said, “If ever the Middle East needed reassurance, we need it now Mark. Film your show in Jordan. Show the world that terrorists cannot alter peaceful plans.”

Despite that, the location was still changed in order to avoid backlash and any potential danger to the cast and crew.

Next: The game may possibly be won with a little help from producers.