Long before ABC had a summer ratings hit with the reality/extreme game show "Wipeout" with ESPN's John Anderson, comic John Henson and Mercury car model Jill Wagner as hosts, there was another show that wasn't afraid to push the creative envelope.
That show was "Fear Factor", which originally aired from 2001-2006 on NBC, and was not afraid to push the envelope, much like "Wipeout" does today. Hosted by former "NewsRadio" co-star and current UFC color analyst Joe Rogan, the show pitted contestants in a series of extremely gross stunts with a cash prize of $50,000 for the winners.
After NBC bosses watched reruns of the original series recently on NBC Universal's Chiller, DIRECTV 257, EW.com reports that "Fear Factor" is planning to make a comeback, some 5 years after the network cancelled the original. Network bosses were surprised to see how well the original series seemed to hold up, let alone the high ratings that Chiller generates everytime it airs.
It remains to be seen when the updated "Fear" will air, let alone who will host it with Rogan & former "SportsChannel Report" anchor Mike Goldberg busy providing the call for UFC action on Spike as well as PPV. It's also unclear who would executive produce the new "Fear", considering the fact that Matt Kunitz, the show's original E.P., now holds the same title for Matt's own production company Pulse Creative, the company that produces & distributes "Wipeout" on ABC.
The new "Fear Factor" is currently not on NBC's upcoming fall schedule, but news of the show's return was first found on realityblurred.com. Here's a link to their Web site with when it'll likely return to the "Peacock's" airwaves.
http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv ... rn_casting
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