NEW SEASON NAKED AND AFRAID XL BACK MAY 24 WITH A TWIST
May 4, 2020
The scorching savannah of South Africa sets the stage for a NAKED AND AFRAID XL challenge unlike anything ever attempted on previous seasons. Twelve survivalists enter The Valley of the Banished. With resources scarcer than ever, it’s the ultimate take on survival of the fittest, leaving no room for slackers. To make it through this 40-day challenge alive, every survivalist will have to earn every step; while weak links will be cast out for the greater good of the group. All must give it their all or get out.
In an all-new season of NAKED AND AFRAID XL, only the strong will survive as a new crop of survivalists, including some seeking redemption, are looking to make their mark on this challenge. Facing unforgiving conditions, grueling temperatures and clashing personalities, these survivalists will be pushed to their limits.
NAKED AND AFRAID XL premieres Sunday, May 24 at 8pm ET/PT on Discovery. Viewers can also catch up on all episodes of NAKED AND AFRAID and NAKED AND AFRAID XL on Discovery Go and Discovery.com. In addition to watching the series on Discovery, viewers can check out new episodes each week by downloading the Discovery GO app. Fans can join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #NakedandAfraidXL and by following Naked and Afraid on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest updates.
Sundays will be all Naked all of the time as we visit survivalists in quarantine to chat about their experience with NAKED AND AFRAID WATCH PARTY (May 3, May 10, May 31, June 14, and June 19 at 9pm; May 17 at 10pm). XL veterans check-out the current season of the series giving their true and unfiltered opinions in NAKED AND AFRAID XL CLOTHED AND OPINIONATED (May 24 at 10pm; June 7 and June 28 at 9pm)
This season of NAKED AND AFRAID XL takes 12 veteran survivalists to a grueling kill zone in South Africa, a land so punishing and deadly that generations of ancient tribes were forced to survive by one brutal principle – banishing the weak. For the first time, four teams of NAKED AND AFRAID veterans will have to follow the same rules for 40 days and 40 nights. In an environment where there is little to no vegetation and resources are nearly impossible to come by, only the strong will survive. Each survivalist must prove their worth to the group, or risk being cast out.
The environment and new team dynamics push the survivalists from the moment the challenge begins, leading to fresh and exciting storylines for all of the teams.
This season’s survivalists include:
Dawn Dussault – Kanata, Ontario
Joshua Bell – Statham, Georgia
Kate Wentworth – Passadumkeag, Maine
Makani Nalu – Venice, California
Wes Harper – Cary, North Carolina
Seth Reece – Shortsville, New York
Ryan Eacret – Hot Springs, Arkansas
Suzänne Zeta– Ashland, Virginia
Bulent Gurcan – Point Roberts, Washington
Gwen Grimes – Eagle, Alaska
Sarah Bartell – Goldendale, Washington
Jonathan Bonessi – Southampton, New York
With food scarce, Bulent hunts any way possible and after a string of successes, declares himself the “bare-handed killer.” Makani is a vegetarian who survived her 21-day challenge eating plants and basking in “photosynthetic heaven” when she found sunshine. But Africa quickly tests those survival strategies. During his 21-day challenge, Joshua Bell famously chose duct tape as his survival item. But when his new partners see they’re paired with “Duct Tape Boy,” Joshua’s attempt at redemption immediately becomes an uphill battle. Desperate for food, Gwen and Wes think they’ve scored when they find a large patch of aloe but quickly learn this plant is not only inedible, it could be toxic. Seth struggled to work with his teammates and tapped out during his 21-day challenge. He’s in Africa seeking redemption, but constant conflict with his partner Suzänne puts his plans for 40 days at risk. Jon, Sarah and Ryan share their watering hole with aggressive crocodiles. Every attempt to get food or water could end their challenge and their lives.
There’s no room for compassion in the harsh savannah of South Africa. Can these 12 veteran survivalists endure a Lord of the Flies mentality and each other for 40 days and 40 nights? It’s the ultimate NAKED AND AFRAID XL challenge in its most primitive form – harness your skills and prove your worth, or risk being cast out to fend for yourself in the wild.
In addition to the new season of NAKED AND AFRAID XL, viewers will can catch up with some of their favorite survivalists on Sundays. From the safety of their couch, Naked and Afraid XL veterans gather to watch and dish about the newest season of XL in NAKED AND AFRAID XL CLOTHED AND QUARANTINED. They don’t hold back their comments and opinions as they see a new crop of survivalists take on the 40-day challenge.
During this time of social distancing, Naked and Afraid fan favorites are re-connecting via video chat to check in on each other and watch their 21-day challenge together in NAKED AND AFRAID WATCH PARTY. Each supersized episode features new commentary from the survivalists as they re-live their attempt to survive Naked and Afraid.
NAKED AND AFRAID XL and NAKED AND AFRAID CLOTHED AND OPINIONATED is produced for Discovery Channel by Renegade 83, an eOne company; David Garfinkle, Jay Renfroe, and David Story and David Kirkwood are executive producers. Shauna Stoddart and Jim Morton are co-executive producers. For Discovery, Michael Gara is executive producer and Greg Wolf is coordinating producer.
NAKED AND AFRAID WATCH PARTY is produced for Discovery Channel by Renegade 83, an eOne company; David Garfinkle, Jay Renfroe, and Mathilde Bittner are executive producers; Rachel Maguire is co-executive producer. For Discovery, Michael Gara is executive producer and Greg Wolf is coordinating producer.
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About Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 88.3 million U.S. homes, can be seen in 224 countries and territories, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com.
About Discovery
Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in 220 countries and territories and nearly 50 languages, Discovery is a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens, including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as Eurosport Player, Food Network Kitchen and MotorTrend OnDemand; digital-first and social content from Group Nine Media; a landmark natural history and factual content partnership with the BBC; and a strategic alliance with PGA TOUR to create the international home of golf. Discovery’s portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, and the forthcoming multi-platform JV with Chip and Joanna Gaines, Magnolia, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe. For more information, please visit corporate.discovery.com and follow @DiscoveryIncTV across social platforms.