Press Release: The CW and Roku announced a first of its kind collaboration between the two companies to bring the original unscripted series FIGHT TO SURVIVE to more audiences. The eight-episode survivalist competition hosted by Akbar Gbajabiamila (“American Ninja Warrior,” “The Talk”) will premiere Thursday, August 10 (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT) on The CW. All episodes of FIGHT TO SURVIVE will then be available to stream on The Roku Channel and The CW App on September 29, the day after the broadcast finale.
“By bringing together the best of The CW and the best of The Roku Channel, FIGHT TO SURVIVE will be able to reach the largest audience possible across both broadcast and streaming,” commented Brad Schwartz, President of Entertainment, The CW Network, and Brian Tannenbaum, Head of Originals, Roku. “By working together in all aspects of distribution, marketing, press and advertising, we will expose this edge-of-your-seat series to millions of fans in brand new ways.”
“With its dynamic cast of reality personalities and an original unscripted format that ratchets up the intensity of the traditional competition series, FIGHT TO SURVIVE is an addicting summer series that we are thrilled to bring to The CW,” said Heather Olander, Head of Unscripted Content, The CW Network, and Sean Boyle, Head of Adventure and Exploration Programming, Roku. “We cannot wait for viewers to join the fight!”
In FIGHT TO SURVIVE, Akbar Gbajabiamila hosts a social experiment in primitive survivalism—with a competitive twist. 17 competitors—including former “Survivor,” “Alone,” “Naked and Afraid” and “American Ninja Warrior” contestants—must survive 25 days on a remote tropical island combatting brutal conditions—and each other—to win $250,000. In one of the most intense survival of the fittest competitions ever televised, the competitors battle one another for essential tools and resources in the fight to survive.
FIGHT TO SURVIVE is a CW and Roku Original series executive produced and created by Kevin Lee for Tollbooth Television.
The 17 competitors on the first season of FIGHT TO SURVIVE are:
Yuda Abitbol, 30
Oahu, HI
Known for: YouTube/TikTok/Survivalist Chef Influencer
Nathaniel Allenby, 38
San Diego, CA
Known for: Survival Enthusiast
Amal Alyassiri, 38
Cedar Rapids, IA
Known for: “Naked and Afraid” Season 9
Dani Beau, 33
Mercer, ME
Known for: “Naked and Afraid” Seasons 4 and 14, “Naked and Afraid XL” Season 1
Missy Byrd, 27
Denver, CO
Known for: “Survivor” Season 39
Robby Canton, 25
Colorado Springs, CO
Known for: Survivalist
Matthew Clarke, 31
Yukon, CAN
Known for: YouTube Survivalist Influencer
Sarah Danser, 31
Honolulu, HI
Known for: “Naked and Afraid” Season 8, “Naked and Afraid: Lost at Sea,” “Naked and Afraid XL” Season 4, “Naked and Ghosted” Season 11
Afften DeShazer, 35
Chicago, IL
Known for: “Naked and Afraid” Season 4
Stephanie Gonzalez, 31
Ocala, FL
Known for: “Survivor” Season 36
Keali’i “K” Ka’apana, 41
Orange County, CA
Known for: “Called to the Wild”
Zane Kraetsch, 33
Pasoga Springs, CO
Known for: “ALONE: The Beast”
Christina McQueen, 45
Borden, IN
Known for: “Naked and Afraid” Season 4, “Naked and Afraid XL” Season 5
Jonathan Monroe, 31
Panama City, FL
Known for: “Naked and Afraid” Season 7
Makani Nalu, 27
Venice, CA
Known for: “Stranded With a Million Dollars,” “Naked and Afraid” Season 10, “Naked and Afraid XL” Season 6
J Ruiz, 37
Tampa, FL
Known for: “American Ninja Warrior” Seasons 6, 7 and 8; “Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge”
Libby Vincek, 29
Orange Beach, AL
Known for: “Survivor” Season 36