EXCLUSIVE

PITCHED by one contestant as “the modern day Hunger Games” and set against the brutal beauty of Samoa, the first look of Channel 10’s Australian Survivors delivers a checklist of pulsating action and ruthless warriors prepared to do anything to win.

Teasing super fans with an extended clip from the show’s premiere this Sunday, the local series — hosted by actor Jonathan LaPaglia — looks and sounds exactly like the US format which launched a global franchise and has aired across 52 countries worldwide.

LaPaglia, a left-field choice to front the Australian series, looks buff enough to take on the challengers, who range from fire fighters and school teachers, to a magician and criminal lawyer.

The episode opens high over the Samoan coastline, which LaPaglia describes ominously as: “look like paradise, but can be as dangerous as it is beautiful”.

As geysers erupt and drone cameras rush over the lush jungle, LaPaglia sets the scene to confront the 24 contestants, who must “battle the elements and each other, until only one is left standing.”

The casting of those taking up the ultimate in endurance experiences, heavily mirrors the personality types viewers will have seen in the US version — including the good guy charity CEO, the wily country bloke and the model trading on her good looks.

The title of this season’s villain looks to be a battle between the drama coach who promises to “act” his way to victory; or, the business type with his eyes firmly on the $500,000 cash prize.

The decision to tease fans with an early look is both a marketing tool and a sign Ten is confident it has a hit on its hands, network executive Stephen Tate said.

“We’re incredibly proud of it and the production values are second to none. It’s a show that has a really strong fan base and I know Survivor superfans are going to be very hard task masters...we just really wanted to release a taste of the first episode so people know what amazing production values are going into the series.”

While previous attempts at the show failed to fire on Channel 9 back in 2002 and Seven’s celebrity version in 2006, Tate believes the new series has been positioned to capture a broad, family audience.

“We’ve made a family show that can run in prime time and that you can sit down and enjoy on many levels,” he said.

“Even though (the Survivor) format has been produced very successfully in many countries for a long time now, it really feels like a first for us. There’s some absolutely beautiful, disarming moments that come from the naivety around a first series in the way that Australians tackle modern dilemmas — and they’re faced with them daily.”

Tate said: “what you can look forward to is the unique way that Australians are going to tackle the toughest game on earth. I can tell you now that you’ll be incredibly proud of them.”

Australian Survivor premieres Sunday at 7.30pm on Channel 10.