Survivor: More expats coming to China

Shanghaiist remembers being totally hooked on the second season of the reality TV series Survivor, primarily because we were impressed with the um, substance of one particular contestant on the show. That seemed like ages ago, and we haven't watched an episode since. But we might need to start tuning back in next year, as CBS has announced that the 15th season of the show will be held in China. Originally, the reports indicated that the location would be inland China, one of the few times the show would take place in a non-island setting. Apparently, charming but geographically challenged host Jeff Probst clarified things recently:

Although yesterday's report that Survivor's fifteenth edition will film in China stated that the location would result in the long-running CBS reality show filming its fifteenth season in a non-island setting, that apparently won't be the case.

"I can't even pronounce it, I have to find China on the map first," Survivor host Jeff Probst commented when Live with Regis and Kelly co-host Kelly Ripa — referencing Wednesday's Daily Variety report that Survivor's Fall 2007 edition will film in the communist country — asked him what part of China the show would be visiting on Thursday's Live broadcast.

"When I find it then I'll zero in on the little group of islands we're going to," Probst, serving as a fill-in co-host for regular Live co-host Regis Philbin, continued.

While Probst busies himself trying to find one of the largest countries in the world on his map, Survivor fans have already done some due diligence on where exactly the new season might be taped. The site describes one cluster of islands as having "long white beaches" and a Ming Dynasty temple that would be perfect for the show's campy "Tribal Council" endings.

In a related note, China blog Life in Suzhou posts about this prior to Probst shedding more light on the plan, and he and his audience toss around some funny thoughts on what would constitute a cool Survivor: China Series. We particularly like "FLG Prison Package," but agree with one commenter that just dropping the participants down in the middle of Beijing would be pretty fun to watch, too.

Photo of Boomerang Island in the Spratlys courtesy of Storm Crypt.