Tony Deane was eliminated in series one after failing to win an obstacle course race.

Survivor New Zealand has bumped its prize money up to $250,000 in an attempt to woo top challengers for the second series.

The first series, which finished in July this year, paid the winner $100,000.

That was a brutal contest over 40 days on a Nicaraguan beach, which was won by nice guy and writer Avi Duckor-Jones.

WARNER BROTHERS/SUPPLIED Series one contestant Louisa McClintock fell ill and had to go to hospital.

Now TVNZ 2 is calling for a new batch of contestants. The location for the series hasn't been announced, but it will be a remote island.

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SUPPLIED / GETTY IMAGES FOR TVNZ Survivor New Zealand series one top three: Tom Paterson, Avi Duckor-Jones (winner), and Barbara Raos.

Fair Go reporter Matt Chisholm will return as host.

If it's anything like the first series, the final contestants will be battered and hungry by the end. Two contestants went to hospital to recover from illnesses gained while filming.

Contestants get the minimum of food (other than what they find themselves) while competing in reward and immunity challenges and facing weekly eliminations.

More than 8000 New Zealanders applied to be part of series one. So the biggest challenge might be just getting a spot on the island.