GERALD BABIN- FRENCH ''SURVIVOR'' CONTESTANT DIES DURING FILMING

Late Gerald Babin

A 25-year-old contestant on the French adaptation of hit reality show Survivor has died during filming in Cambodia.

According to the Huffington Post, ‘production has been stopped and the series canceled for the 2013 season following the death of Gerald Babin who died as a result of Cardiac arrest while competing in a tug-of-war challenge on the program’

Babin complained of cramps in his arms and was given medical attention at the scene by the staff doctor before being airlifted by helicopter to a nearby hospital. He suffered a series of cardiac arrests during the transfer and died before reaching the facility.

‘Adventure Line Productions, TF1 and [host] Denis Broginart are devastated and join in the profound sadness of Gerald’s family,’ the channel said in a statement.  TF1 has flown Babin’s family to Cambodia to recover his body.

This isn’t the first time someone has died during the filming of ‘Survivor’. In 2009, a contestant on the Bulgarian version of the show died of a heart attack during filming in the Philippines. Also in the same year, a participant on the Pakistani adaptation drowned in Thailand.

‘Survivor’ is a reality TV game show created in 1992 by British television producer Charlie Parsons and now produced in many countries throughout the world. In the show, contestants are isolated in the wilderness to compete for cash and other prizes using a system of progressive elimination.