• reality shows
  • reality TV reviews
  • about
  • contact
  • reality TV schedule
  • best reality TV
  • send tips or feedback
  • support
  • subscribe
Amazon Eco-Challenge

Eco-Challenge picked up by Amazon and will debut next year

Eco-Challenge, Amazon Studios
(Photo of Spigolo Vinci at Piz Cengalo, Bergell, Swizerland, by Christoph Deinet/Unsplash)

by Andy Dehnart 2 Oct. 2018 | 1:29 pm

Amazon Studios has ordered 10 episodes of Eco-Challenge, the reboot of the adventure race series that Mark Burnett produced before adapting Survivor for CBS.

The new series is hosted by Bear Grylls, and MGM announced it was reviving the format back in June.

Like the original, the new series—which is called Eco-Challenge 2019—will have teams of four competitors racing over 350 miles. Neither the teams nor the locations for the new challenge have been announced.

Amazon Studios’ President Jennifer Salke described the show as “a high-octane edge-of-your-seat experience as these fierce competitors find their limits and are asked to push beyond them in an adventure unlike any other.”

Eco-Challenge 2019’s format

Mark Burnett, Bear Grylls, Eco-Challenge

New Eco-Challenge host and executive producer, with its creator and executive producer Mark Burnett (inset). (Photos by MGM Television)

Here’s how Amazon described the format in its press release:

“The ten-episode event series will pit teams of four competitors selected from around the world against each other and nature’s harsh elements in this grueling 24-hours a day, multi-day race. If one teammate quits the entire team is disqualified, which magnifies the pressure. The 2019 location for the international, epic adventure will be unveiled later this year. Eco-Challenge 2019 will premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in over 200 countries and territories.

Using state of the art cinematography, Eco-Challenge 2019 tests the limits of human physical and mental endurance in the most rugged natural landscapes on earth. Each team, comprised of both men and women, compete in grueling challenges over a 350+ mile race course. Past Eco-Challenge disciplines have included whitewater rafting, canoeing, mountaineering, horseback riding, scuba diving, and mountain biking – those for the Eco-Challenge 2019 event will be revealed to the selected teams later this year. To finish requires teamwork, courage, skill, and commitment; to win demands the extraordinary.”

Original course designers Scott Flavelle and Kevin Hodder are returning, and Burnett and Lisa Hennessy are executive producing for MGM Television.

The show is looking for competitors and volunteers, and Shark Tank supervising casting producer Mindy Zemrak tweeted that she’s working on Eco-Challenge, too.

Its web site asks “where will we go next?” and highlights the previous 10 locations:

  1. 1995: Utah
  2. 1995: New England
  3. 1996: British Colombia
  4. 1997: Australia
  5. 1998: Morocco
  6. 1999: Argentina
  7. 2000: Boreo
  8. 2001: New Zealand
  9. 2001: Alaska
  10. 2002: Fiji

discuss this story

more great reality blurred stories

  • The 20 Survivor winners who will compete on Survivor season 40
  • How Antiques Roadshow works
  • Scare Tactics: The surprising way the show was cast
  • Behind the scenes of the Guy’s Grocery Games grocery store
  • The Survivor rule book and Survivor cast contract
  • How Big Brother’s house is designed

Reality TV in your inbox

Hand-crafted reality TV news and recommendations sent most Fridays. Unsubscribe any time!

most-popular stories on reality blurred

Boston Rob Mariano and Sandra Diaz-Twine on Survivor: Island of the Idols

Survivor 40's cast of 20 Survivor winners

Survivor season 40's all-winner cast has been revealed. Original winner Richard Hatch is not competing, but nearly every winner from seasons 22 to 37 is returning.

On Kings of Pain, Rob “Caveman” Alleva puts a tarantula hawk, a massive wasp, on Adam Thorn so it can sting him

Is Kings of Pain science or stupidity? An interview with a History Channel executive

An interview with a History Channel executive about Kings of Pain, on which two men are bitten and stung to see how much it hurts.

Eagan Tilghman and Matt Ortiz in the robot costumes they made on episode 3 of Making It season 2

Great American Baking Show returns, Making It ends, and other reality TV coming this week

Reality TV and documentary shows and specials premiering this week include one more holiday baking competition, plus car shows and several holiday specials.

Lisa D'Amato, Shark Tank

Top Model Lisa D'Amato pitched on Shark Tank. Her off-camera co-founder wrote about it.

For a behind-the-scenes look at America's Next Top Model all-stars winner Lisa D'Amato's pitch of Dare-U-Go! on Shark Tank, read what Lisa's secret co-founder had to say.

Wrap Battle guest judge Shiho Masuda and judges Wanda Wen, Carson Kressley, and Sheryl Underwood watch contestant Eddie Ross

Wrap Battle is an imperfect but welcome Christmas gift

The gift wrapping competition Wrap Battle is a lot of holiday fun despite some baffling judging and discordant choices.

A New Hampshire bridge in winter, which will take us from fall to spring reality TV shows

Winter 2020 reality TV schedule and guide

This winter reality show 2019 and 2020 schedule is a frequently updated list of premieres for broadcast, cable, and streaming reality TV shows, documentary series, game shows, and other prime-time nonfiction TV.

Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicchio during the Top Chef: Kentucky finale

Top Chef season 17: all stars are filming now

Former Top Chef contestants have been spotted at filming locations in the Los Angeles area, and the Restaurant Wars episode will be filmed next week.

The central cast of MTV's Ex On the Beach: Peak of Love

Ex on the Beach: Peak of Love cast includes Adore Delano and Temptation Island singles

MTV announced the cast and air date for Ex On the Beach season 4, which has relocated to the mountains of New Zealand and now has the nonsensical name of Ex On the Beach: Peak of Love.

Life Below Zero season 11, Sue Aikens

When Life Below Zero will return for season 11, and who it will follow

Exclusive: Life Below Zero is returning to National Geographic for season 11 this fall, with a cast that includes one new person.

Jeff Probst on the premiere of Survivor Island of the Idols, standing next to a sign that reminds everyone what Survivor used to focus on.

Survivor season 40 will start earlier than usual

Survivor: Winners at War will premiere in February, and have a two-hour premiere.

behind the scenes of reality TV

Hunted, Sentra Tran, Thu Tran

Behind the scenes of CBS’ Hunted

A person who appeared on CBS’ Hunted reveals key details about how the show works—and Channel 4’s version of Hunted also offers insight.

Mythbusters, Jon Lung, Brian Louden

Behind the scenes with the new Mythbusters

I went behind the scenes with new Mythbusters Jon Lung and Brian Louden during filming of part of their “Rock ‘n’ Roll Road Rage” episode.

Tan France, Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Jonathan Van Ness, and Antoni Porowski in Queer Eye season 4, episode 6

How Queer Eye’s editors work together to ‘help the audience connect with the hero’

Three of Queer Eye’s Emmy-winning (and once again Emmy-nominated) editors discuss their process of taking raw footage of the Fab Five and turning it into episodes for Netflix.

older

Mark Burnett is reviving Eco-Challenge with Bear Grylls as host

newer >

Reviews of Netflix’s Westside and Amazon’s Inside Jokes, in which talent meets reality

more stories about Amazon, Eco-Challenge

discuss this story

about Andy Dehnart

Andy Dehnart’s writing and criticism about television, culture, and media has appeared on NPR and in Vulture, Pacific Standard, The Los Angeles Times, and other publications. He has covered reality television for more than 18 years, and created reality blurred in 2000.

A member of the Television Critics Association who serves on its board of directors, Andy, 41, also directs the journalism program at Stetson University in Florida, where he teaches creative nonfiction and journalism. He has an M.F.A. in nonfiction writing and literature from Bennington College. Learn more about reality blurred and Andy.

stay connected with reality TV

Get advice about what to watch and keep up with the latest in reality television with reality blurred's e-mail newsletter. Just enter your e-mail address:

about reality blurred

reality blurred is your guide to the world of reality TV and unscripted entertainment, with reality show reviews, news, and analysis. It was created in 2000 by Andy Dehnart. He's still writing and publishing it today.

reality blurred is regularly updated with highlights from the world of reality TV: news and analysis; behind-the-scenes reports; interviews with reality TV show cast members and producers; and recaps and reviews of these reality TV shows, including Survivor, Big Brother, The Great British Baking Show, Shark Tank, The Amazing Race, The Bachelor, Project Runway, Dancing with the Stars, Top Chef, and many more.

explore

  • recent news
  • reviews of reality TV shows
  • behind the scenes reports
  • interviews with producers and reality stars
  • archives
  • send tips
  • search
  • advertise on reality blurred
  • about reality blurred
  • newsletter
  • RSS and social media
  • contact reality blurred
  • send tips & contribute
  • privacy policy
  • terms of service
Copyright © 2000 to 2019 Andy Dehnart and individual contributors.