'Survivor' contestants admit they exaggerated claims of 'inappropriate touching' to win the game
Three women contestants on CBS’ 'Survivor' admit they made false claims of 'inappropriate touching' to win the game.
"Survivor" is making an unprecedented move.
The long-running CBS reality TV show is planning on pre-taping its reunion show for the first time in 39 seasons because of the "sensitive" topics that will be discussed, a source revealed to Entertainment Weekly.
The producers of “Survivor: Island of the Idols” reportedly want the contestants to feel safe while discussing the controversial touching incident that went down this season on the island.
Last month, contestant Kellee Kim accused her male co-star Dan Spilo of having a pattern of inappropriately touching women. Her co-stars Missy Byrd and Elizabeth Beisel alleged they had similar experiences but Byrd and Beisel later admitted to exaggerating the claims in order to win the game.
'SURVIVOR' CONTESTANT KELLEE KIM OPENS UP ABOUT DAN SPILO'S INAPPROPRIATE TOUCHING INCIDENTS
Kim originally brought her complaints to producers, who mediated the situation off-camera with all the show’s cast. However, once Kim was out of earshot, Bryd and Beisel admitted to each other that they exaggerated their reactions to Spilo’s behavior in order to better position him for elimination.
Kellee Kim, left, and Dan Spilo, right, on "Survivor: Island of the Idols" (CBS)
Spilo, a Hollywood agent, was given the chance to apologize for his actions during the Tribal Council.
“I work in an industry in which the #MeToo movement was formed and allowed — thank God — to blossom and become powerful and strong,” he said. “My personal feeling is if anyone ever felt for a second uncomfortable about anything I’ve ever done, I’m horrified about that and I’m terribly sorry.”
'SURVIVOR' CONTESTANTS ADMIT THEY EXAGGERATED CLAIMS OF 'INAPPROPRIATE TOUCHING' TO WIN THE GAME
The contestants tried voting Spilo off the island but, instead, Kim was eliminated.
This week Spilo was booted from the show. On Wednesday night's episode, host Jeff Probst revealed to the remaining players that Spilo was removed without further explanation.
After the show a message appeared on the screen for viewers, reading: "Dan was removed from the game after a report of another incident, which happened off-camera and did not involve a player."
Dan Spilo on 'Survivor: Island of Idols.' (Robert Voets/CBS Entertainment)
Previously eliminated Kim then took to social media to air her grievances and put CBS network on blast for not taking action sooner.
"Tonight, on CBS Survivor, Dan Spilo was kicked off the show for, once again, inappropriate touching. While Dan's dismissal has validated the concerns that I raised from the beginning of the season, I wish that no one else had to be subjected to this type of behavior," she wrote.
Kim continued: "CBS and Survivor were on notice of Dan's behavior from the very first days of the game. And, as Survivor fans know, shortly after I spoke up on camera, I was voted off the show. Since then, I've accepted genuine, heartfelt apologies from fellow castaways, but I've continued to feel disappointed by how this pattern of behavior was allowed to occur for so long."
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The former season 39 competitor added that it's now "most important" to her that CBS, "Survivor" and other organizations, in addition to the public, "decide to learn from this story and commit to take action."
The "Survivor" finale will air on December 18 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET on CBS.
Fox News' Tyler McCarthy and Melissa Roberto contributed to this report.
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