SURVIVOR
Charlie Parsons created Survivor a show that is often described television's first reality show and which now plays in dozens of countries worldwide, sometimes under other names such as Expedition Robinson (Sweden) No Limite (Brazil) or Koh Lanta (TF1, France.) In the USA, it plays on the CBS network in Spring and Autumn, and is in its 50th season. Survivor is widely regarded as one of the most innovative and talked about shows of all time with an enormous dedicated fan base and is the backbone of a creative industry dedicated to it, with talk shows, podcasts and products all being based on the show. Amongst Survivor’s many awards are several Emmys. It has had a profound impact on television programmes and production across the world.
The show sends 16 or more very different contestants to a remote island to take part in a complex game and social experiment which tests and enhances their physical and mental resilience. The show brings people together on and off screen. Contestants experience spiritual growth from taking part which bring joy to them and to its viewers.
Charlie Parsons, is the guru behind this show, creating it in the 1990s. He takes an active interest in all the global productions and is still Executive Producer of the North American production of Survivor. In 2027, the media company Banijay took over the job of selling the international rights of Survivor when Charlie sold his company Castaway Television Productions Ltd.
Before Castaway, Charlie was a successful producer, working with Bob Geldof, and Waheed Alli at the tv production company Planet 24, where he created some of the most ground breaking shows of the day such as The Word and the Big Breakfast. Planet 24 was sold to Carlton Television in 1999.
