Survivor UK 2023

***Survivor UK (2023)*** is the first Live Reality Game produced in the United Kingdom and was live streamed from June 2nd through June 4th, 2023. Hosted by Joshua and Rob, the season ran for three days and two nights at a private farmland in Holdenfields, Yarm.

The contestants were initially separated into two tribes, Gawain and Lancelot, named after two Knights of the Round Table. The tribes later merged to the Morgana tribe named by Lucy after King Arthur's half-sister.

At the Final Tribal Council, the vote tied between Destiny and Hamed, resulting in Lucy as the third castaway in the Final to become the final member of the jury and casting the tie-breaking vote for Destiny D. to become the Sole Survivor.

## Development

Initial development of the season began in late-2019 by Joshua and Rob, but was postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns within the United Kingdom. Joshua and Rob had previously created *The Crystal Maze Online Adventure* serving as hosts and hosting independent projects with Joshua hosting *Amnesty* and Rob hosting *Castaway*.

In June 2022, Joshua and Rob revisited the idea after Joshua's involvement as a contestant in *Survivor Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh* and began pre-production. Fundraising for the season included selling buffs and certain game props (made available post-game) through PayPal. Location scouting occurred around the North East of England. Holdenfields, a large farmland in Yarm was selected as the location for Survivor UK in September 2022. Applications opened November 1st, 2022 with interviews taking place until February 2023. In October 2022, it was confirmed that Rob would be overseeing Challenges with Joshua overseeing Tribal Councils.

The cast and reserves were selected in March 2023.

## Twists/Changes

* **Opening Tribal Immunity Advantage:** During the first Reward Challenge, an advantage was placed high in a tree which would grant the holder the ability to have a minor advantage at the following Immunity Challenge.
* **Shot in the Dark:** By sacrificing one's vote at Tribal Council, a player in trouble may invoke this advantage for a chance to be immune at any vote until the tribes merged. While the chance of a favourable outcome was slim (25%), if successful, the play acted as if a Hidden Immunity Idol was played.
* **Hidden Immunity Idol:** Each tribe had a Hidden Immunity Idol which when played at Tribal Council grants Individual Immunity to whichever castaway it is played on.
* **The Roundtable**: After a Tribal Immunity Challenge, the winning tribe must send one person from the losing tribe to The Roundtable, and in return, the said person must pick one member from the winning tribe to join him/her/them at The Roundtable. Upon reaching The Roundtable, the two banished players will get to chose between a finite number of unmarked advantages; the castaways will then deliberate between themselves as to who receives the advantage using their Shot in the Dark via the Prisoners Dilemma.
	+ **Safety Without Power**: The castaway was able to leave Tribal Council before the vote, effectively making them immune, at the cost of not voting.
	+ **Extra Vote**: The castaway was able to cast a second parchment at a Tribal Council of their choice. The parchment was distinctly different compared to regular parchments as it had a notable symbol on the paper.
	+ **Fake Hidden Immunity Idol:** The castaway was given a knowingly Fake Hidden Immunity Idol to be used as a bargaining chip. The Fake Hidden Immunity Idol held no power, nor could provide immunity at Tribal Council.
	+ **Burn The Urn**: The castaway was able to discard votes in the voting urn of their choice, resetting the Tribal Council with the caveat that the castaways must not vote the same way for a second time. Any Hidden Immunity Idol(s) played would retain their Immunity regardless.
* **Do or Die Duel:** On Day 2, both tribes competed for Individual Immunity, later both attending Tribal Council at the same time. The two castaways who were Voted Out
 would then compete in a Do or Die Duel where the winner remains in the game whilst the loser is eliminated permanently.
* **Tribe Swap**: On Day 2 following the Do or Die Duel, a tribe switch occurred, spreading the 12 remaining castaways across 2 tribes of 6.
* **Merge**: When 10 castaways remained, the tribes merged to Morgana and relocated to the former Lancelot camp.
* **Double Elimination**: After merging, Joshua announced that two castaways would be Voted Out
 at their first Tribal Council, with the two highest vote earners being permanently eliminated.
* **Vote Steal**: At the Survivor Auction one of the purchased mystery items had the recipient (Hamed) lose their vote at the upcoming Tribal Council. It would then be purchased by James as the following item.
* **End Game** When 5 castaways remained, the tribe departed camp for the final time to compete and vote in a finite space in front of the current jury.

## Season Summary

Sixteen castaways were divided into two tribes of eight: Gawain and Lancelot. In the opening challenges, Gawain manipulated loopholes in challenges leading to a frustrated Lancelot making tough calls on who to eliminate based on loyalty and those attending a special meeting to obtain advantages. With Gawain holding a majority excluding Ally, Destiny and Lukie and ultimately sacrificing their weakest player, the tribes competed for individual immunity unbeknownst that the castaways voted out would become opponents in a Do or Die duel in which Marco from Gawain maintained their super majority. After an unexpected tribe swap, the newly formed Lancelot felt the brunt of losing challenges specifically thrown by Stark to eliminate original Gawain's, but after two idol plays and a defector, original Lancelot members Sindri and Stark were targeted and subsequently eliminated. After the merge, castaways were targeted for their actions in the pre-merge as pairs of castaways teamed up to attempt control of the game. At the final four, the pairing of Hamed and Khalid who are cousins and strategised throughout the merge together were soon exposed with their familial ties leading Khalid to be voted out as Hamed opted to depart Tribal Council and guarantee a spot in the final three without casting a vote.

In the end, Destiny's strong social connections and Gawain majority on the jury earned her three votes alongside Hamed with Lucy picking up the seventh vote. With the Final Tribal Council tied, Lucy became the final member of the jury and despite working with Hamed, awarded Destiny the game in a 4-3-1 vote.