SURVIVOR UK 'AXED' BY BBC AFTER FAILING TO SECURE AUDIENCE

Earlier this year TV Zone revealed that the BBC had halted plans for a second series of Survivor UK, deciding it will not return this year but was still under consideration for the future.

Now, the Mail reports the show has been 'quietly put out of its misery' with no immediate plans for future series. A source told the Mail: "It got just the same response as it did back in 2001 and 2002 on ITV — which is that audiences thought it was boring. It's not going into production this year."

This follows the premature closure of applications for the series in February. The application website now reads "As things stand, we are not processing or taking any further applications at this time". Listings for crew who were working on pre-production and casting for the second series also suggest that production was paused in February.

Hosted by Joel Dommett, the BBC rebooted Survivor UK, billed as 'the ultimate physical and psychological game', last year in a post-Strictly slot on weekends. Despite its prime slot with a lead-in of millions, Survivor failed to cut through and posted disappointing viewing figures.

18 people, carefully selected from across the UK, are marooned in a tropical location where they are divided into two tribes, competing against each other in a range of physical and mental challenges for reward or immunity.

One by one, players are voted out of their tribes at the iconic Tribal Council until the two tribes eventually merge and the game becomes a head-to-head battle. Ultimately only one person can triumph, winning the cash prize of £100,000 and the title of Sole Survivor.

Survivor UK is available on BBC iPlayer.