It was the expensive show that BBC bosses hoped would be the saviour of their Saturday night television.
But a reboot of Survivor, understood to have cost the Corporation just shy of £20 million, bombed in the ratings.
And now sources at the BBC say that it is to return for a second series, prompting outrage at the broadcaster.
Sources within the BBC say that some staff think it is a waste of licence fee payers’ money.
It has become even more poignant in recent days after their remake of Gladiators was watched by six million people last Saturday night.
A reboot of Survivor, understood to have cost the BBC just shy of £20 million, bombed in the ratings (host Joel Dommett pictured)
And now sources at the BBC say that it is to return for a second series, prompting outrage at the broadcaster
Despite having a strong lead in audience from Strictly’s seven million plus viewers, Survivor was watched by 2.6 million in the following slot.
One BBC insider told The Mail on Sunday: ‘It has come as a huge surprise that Survivor is coming back.
‘It is viewed by many within the Beeb as being a very expensive flop and the general view was that it should – and would – be canned.
‘To spend that amount of money on a programme that is watched by such few people surely is a silly way to spend public money.’
The launch of the first series pulled in 2.6 million viewers – just over half the 4.5 million who tuned in for Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel the previous Saturday in the 8.25pm spot.
Sunday’s repeat the following day dropped to 2.2 million viewers, and was beaten by a repeat of the Antiques Roadshow on BBC Two.
BBC chiefs moved David Attenborough’s Planet Earth III from its Sunday 8pm slot to make way for Survivor as it was deemed such a huge priority.
Bosses at the network have been keen to find a Saturday night television show which will replicate the golden era when they had programmes such as The Generation Game.
Sources within the BBC say that some staff think it is a waste of licence fee payers’ money
Survivor sees 18 Britons taken to the Dominican Republic where they are marooned in a tropical location and divided into two tribes, competing against each other in a range of physical and mental challenges for reward or immunity.
They are competing against each other to be named Sole Survivor and win £100,000.
The BBC were so keen to make it a success that they poached comedian Dommett, 38, from ITV where he hosts The Masked Singer.
Survivor, which is a global franchise, has been popular in America since it launched in 2000. ITV screened two series of it in 2001 and 2002.
