Australian Survivor star Benjamin Law reveals how he convinced producers to cast him on the Heroes v Villains season
Broadcaster and writer Benjamin Law has revealed how he convinced the producers of Australian Survivor to cast him on the Heroes v Villains season.
The ABC Radio National host, 40, said he ended up as a castaway on the Channel 10 series after turning down a role on a different reality show.
Benjamin told the TV Reload podcast he advised the casting agents the other show wasn’t for him, but he’d be interested in Survivor if it were ‘on the table’.
Broadcaster and writer Benjamin Law (pictured) has revealed how he convinced the producers of Australian Survivor to cast him on the Heroes v Villains season
Benjamin, who is a member of the Heroes tribe, explained: ‘I think word got out [I was interested in Survivor]… and I did get a call and they asked, “Are you serious?”‘
He was then put through the standard vetting and audition process and got the role.
Known for his criticism of reality TV in the past, Benjamin rose to fame writing the SBS series The Family Law, which was based on his memoir of the same name.
The ABC host (pictured with partner Scott Spark) ended up as a castaway after turning down a role on a different reality show. Benjamin told the TV Reload podcast he advised the casting agents the other show wasn’t for him, but he’d be interested in Survivor if it were ‘on the table’
The presenter and screenwriter, who has campaigned on LBQT issues, has criticised dating shows especially for their lack of diversity.
Benjamin said elsewhere in the chat he was an Australian Survivor super-fan and was delighted to be filming in the jungles of Samoa this season.
He admitted his role on the show surprised his friends and colleagues, and many assumed he was pranking them when he shared the news.
Known for his criticism of reality TV in the past, Benjamin rose to fame writing the SBS series The Family Law, which was based on his memoir of the same name
‘It’s not about physical prowess, though there’s a lot of that,’ Benjamin said, adding that he hired a personal trainer before filming began.
‘It’s about politics, it’s about strategy, it’s about personality.’
He said that while some reality TV is ‘mindlessly’ entertaining, shows like Australian Survivor ‘tell us about the world that we live in’.
Benjamin said that while some reality TV is ‘mindlessly’ entertaining, shows like Australian Survivor ‘tell us about the world that we live in’
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