The reality television programme Million Dollar Island, which was scheduled to shoot on an island in Malaysia, has been postponed following a concern regarding the spread of asbestos on the set.
The contestants hadn’t even taken a flight to Malaysia yet.
According to anonymous sources acquainted with the matter, Million Dollar Island was scheduled to premiere on the Seven Network and its digital streaming service 7Plus next year, but has momentarily halted pre-production and is looking for a new site to film.
“The production is definitely proceeding,” a spokesperson said. “There is simply a delay in pre-production due to the issue you mentioned. This does not change our transmission date plans,” The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Produced by Eureka Productions, Million Dollar Island is a social experiment in which 100 contestants fight to remain on a desolate island while competing to win a massive AUD$1 million reward (RM$2.93 million).
A AUD$10,000 bracelet is given to each contender when they arrive on the island. Contestants can win and lose bracelets while they are on the island by taking part in different games. Each competitor wants to win the reward by collecting all the other bracelets.
According to television insiders who requested anonymity, each episode of the show costs more than AUD$700,000.
John de Mol, the Dutch media entrepreneur who founded Big Brother and The Voice, came up with the idea. In March, the first season of the programme premiered in the Netherlands.
