French 'Survivor' cancelled after contestant dies in Cambodia

Contestants on a French reality television show have returned home after a 25-year-old participant died of a heart attack on the first day of filming.

Gerard Babin died of a heart attack on the first day of filming 

25 Mar 2013
http://www.telegraph.co.uk
 

Executives at TF1, the television station airing "Koh Lanta" - a "Survivor"-like show filmed in Cambodia - cancelled the popular series' 16th season after the death of Gerard Babin on Friday.

The other contestants in the show returned to France on Monday, according to media reports.

A contestant from a previous season expressed shock in at the tragedy, telling French media that medical staff were always on hand and the show was a "rolling hospital".

TF1 has not released details about what the contestants were doing when Mr Babin died.

The show asks participants to complete physical challenges, often to win food. Contestants are gradually voted off the show as the weeks progress. 

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 http://www.huffingtonpost.com

Gerald Babin, French 'Survivor' contestant, dies.

Tragedy struck "Survivor's" French adaptation "Koh Lanta" Friday, March 22 when 25-year-old contestant Gerald Babin died after suffering a heart attack during "shipwreck" challenge that also included a tug of war in Cambodia.

The show was immediately canceled for the season as Channel TF1 and Adventure Line Productions flew the contestants back from Cambodia to Paris over the weekend. Neither the network nor the production company has yet said whether they plan to continue "Koh Lanta" for future seasons.

According to THR, Babin began to complain about pain in his arms after the contestants jumped out of a boat, swam to shore and engaged in a tug-of-war. He received medical attention from the show's doctor on the scene and was airlifted to a hospital, but suffered a series of cardiac arrests in the helicopter before they could get there.

The network and production company released a joint statement reacting to the sad news. “Adventure Line Productions, TF1 and [host] Denis Broginart are devastated and join in the profound sadness of Gerald’s family.”