Alone Australia is arguably our toughest reality show on TV, since you know, contestants are chucked in the middle of nowhere and have to fend for themselves.
For the oldest contestant this year, Mike, his hopes of walking away with $250,000 as the winner were dashed on his second night. The 60-year-old father collapsed at his campsite after experiencing terrifying chest pains and immediately reached out for assistance.
While some survivalists can make it for a long stretch on the SBS show – last year’s winner Gina Chick survived for 67 days – others simply can’t hack it. It’s unpredictable and tough, and Season Two is set in the harsh New Zealand climate. And of course, it’s exactly what it says on the tin: the contestants are completely alone, without any cameramen or crew.
After hearing Mike’s pleas for help over his emergency satellite phone, medics took a boat to his campsite. The doctors decided his condition was too serious and pulled him from the game. When the contestant described having “really intense” pain in his chest area, the show’s doctor said Mike had to get his heart tested.
“I think what we need to do is have you checked out properly, because you will need to have an ECG [electrocardiogram],” the medic told him.
As Mike was leaving his campsite via boat, he admitted he was “worried” when the pain appeared. “At my age, whenever you think about chest pain, you can’t help but think it might be something drastic. What is my limit – have I reached my limit? That’s why I made the call,” he said.
Though the medics reassured the contestant that he seemed “pretty good”, he started to tear up as he was evacuated.
“I’m so tired… I was so scared. I thought I was going to die. I really thought I was going to die,” he confessed.
Alone Australia’s Executive Producer recalls “genuinely terrifying” moment
Executive Producer Riima Daher told The West Australian that receiving the phone call from Mike was a shock. “It’s the call you prepare for, but pray you’ll never get,” she said. “It was genuinely terrifying.”
She said the production team was “alarmed” by Mike’s condition and quickly organised to help him.
“He was out in the freezing cold in the middle of nowhere, audibly suffering, with no idea what was happening to him and genuinely afraid for his life – as then were we,” she recalled. “When an emergency call comes through, we become a TV production second and an emergency response team first.”
Plus, a medical evacuation isn’t as simple as it seems. Since the contestants are allowed to set up camp anywhere in the area, Riima was worried about finding Mike in time. Having a skipper with years of experience in that area helped, and the team were able to get Mike to safety.
Nine contestants are now left battling it out to win Alone Australia Season Two, which screens at 7.30pm Wednesdays on SBS.
