Search for gold stars
CHARTERS ROLLS OUT RED CARPET FOR FILMING
LOCALS are on the watch for Jonathan Lapaglia and the other celebrities rumoured to be in Charters Towers for the filming of the latest Australian Survivor series.
Production company Endemol Shine Australia revealed the show had shifted to Charters Towers after filming in Cloncurry earlier this year.
Last week, the town welcomed an additional 80 film crew and contestants for the next season. The new additions bring the total production crew in the region to about 230 crew members.
The large number of crew members for the reality-tv show, in town since July, have been busy building set pieces, setting up production offices and the base camp in time for the cameras to start rolling.
Series 7 is rumoured to be called Blood vs Water and to feature some past contestants, Aussie influencers and celebrities.
Charters Towers Regional Council Mayor Frank Beveridge said having the production in town had been 10 months in the making.
“Council is delighted to welcome the Survivor production team to our region.
“We have been working very closely with Endemol Shine Australia since November last year to bring Survivor here,” he said.
“Having a TV production like Survivor film here will create over 100 local jobs and provide over $5m into our local economy.
“The show will also showcase our beautiful natural environment to the world.
“We really wanted to think outside the box and provide a great location to the production and organised permissions along the Burdekin River,” Mr Beveridge said.
“This is a unique experience for our community, as many people will get to experience how a large-scale TV production operates.”
Dozens of locals have been sought to take part in challenges and other activities leading up to the series filming. Production on the series moved to Australia this year from its usual locations in Fiji or Samoa due to the global pandemic, as well as government funding incentives, including a $3.9m injection from the federal government’s Location Incentive.
Viacomcbs Australia and New Zealand chief content officer and executive vicepresident Beverley Mcgarvey said they couldn’t wait to share this season with fans.
“We’re thrilled to bring Australian Survivor back to North Queensland for another unmissable season,” she said.
“The harsh and unwavering conditions of the Australian outback turned the game on its head last season, and the Castaways faced some of the toughest conditions the game has ever seen,” Ms Mcgarvey said.
Australian Survivor Series 7 will be airing on Channel 10 early in 2022.