By Rhonda Richford, The Hollywood Reporter Production on "Koh-Lanta," the French adaptation of "Survivor," has been stopped and the series canceled for the 2013 season following the death of a contestant during filming in Cambodia.
Channel TF1 and production company Adventure Line Productions jointly made the decision to cancel the season. "It is not really a question,” said TF1 spokesman Alexander Petit following the death of Gerald Babin, 25. “Everyone is being flown back to France.”
No decision has been made about the long-term continuation of the series.
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Follow @TODAY_Clicker (https://twitter.com/Today_Clicker) Gerald Babin died Friday after suffering cardiac arrest during the first day of filming. After the group jumped from a boat and participated in a tug of war, Babin complained of cramps in his arms and was given medical attention at the scene by the staff doctor before being airlifted by helicopter to a nearby hospital. He suffered a series of cardiac arrests during the transfer before reaching the facility, the companies said.
“Adventure Line Productions, TF1 and [host] Denis Broginart are devastated and join in the profound sadness of Gerald’s family,” the channel said in a statement. TF1 has flown Babin’s family to Cambodia to recover his body.
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ALP said that all candidates had received extensive medical examinations and testing as part of the selection process.
The French version of Survivor has been a consistent hit for channel TF1, with a high of 8 million viewers and a 40 percent share in the 2007 season and an average of 7.4 million viewers and a 29.9 percent share in the 2012 season. Ad rates for the finale were $117,000 (