When Sweden invented the reality game show

Summary

Witness History — When Sweden Invented the Reality Game Show

Podcast: Witness History
Host: Maddie Savage
Air Date: May 14, 2026
Episode Theme: The invention and global impact of Expedition Robinson, Sweden's pioneering reality game show, and its role in launching the reality TV phenomenon.

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Maddie Savage takes listeners back to 1997, when a group of Swedes participated in an unprecedented television experiment on a Malaysian island. The show, called Expedition Robinson, became the prototype for the global “Survivor” franchise and transformed reality television. Through first-person accounts and industry insights, the episode delves into the cultural impact, initial controversies, and lasting legacy of this groundbreaking format.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Setting: The Birth of a Game-Changer

• [00:05–01:03] Maddie Savage introduces the backdrop: 16 Swedes on a remote Malaysian island, competing in a reality TV experiment that would soon change television worldwide.
• Martin Melin, a Stockholm police officer, recalls the finalists’ anticipation and physical hardships:
  • Quote: “It was as it always was, a very hot, humid day. I haven't showered in 44 days. I had a bad hair day. I remember.” — Martin Melin [00:53]

The Format’s Novelty

• [01:03–02:44]
  • Expedition Robinson draws inspiration from Robinson Crusoe and Lord of the Flies, introducing a real-life survival competition.
  • In the 1990s, reality TV was rare beyond MTV’s “The Real World”.
  • Quote: “This is the true story. True story.” — Martin Melin [02:47]
• Early similar ideas existed (e.g., in the UK), but the Swedish edition became the first successful, broadcast reality game show.

From Pitch to Production

• [02:47–04:14]
  • British producer Charlie Parsons initially struggled to sell the format; broadcasters feared it was “too unconventional and too tough on contestants.”
  • Swedish producer Anna Bråkenhielm purchased the rights for around $12,000—a modest sum for such a high-impact show.
  • SVT, Sweden’s public broadcaster, was willing to take a gamble.
  • Thousands applied; Melin’s adventurous spirit led him to audition.
    • Quote: “I thought, hey, I'm an adventurous guy. I like challenges, so why not?” — Martin Melin [04:07]

Early Backlash and Tragedy

• [04:14–05:38]
  • The concept of contestants voting each other off sparked public outcry; critics likened it to bullying or “fascist TV” and drew Lord of the Flies comparisons.
    • Quote: "They vote who's going to leave the island. They must feel awful doing that." — Martin Melin [04:42]
  • Before airing, tragedy struck: The first contestant voted off, Sinischa Savila, committed suicide, leading SVT to reconsider airing the show.
    • Quote: “And that was a shock. We were all staring at each other like what?” — Martin Melin [05:00]

Editing, Airing, and Reluctant Success

• [05:19–06:18]
  • After internal debate, SVT aired a re-edited, “nicer” version.
  • Initial reviews were scathing, but controversy fueled viewer curiosity. As audiences got to know the contestants, public interest soared.
    • Quote: “You could see real people that you could identify yourself with. You could sit there, watch this show and see that could have been me.” — Martin Melin [05:58]
  • By the final episode, a quarter of Sweden’s population was watching.
    • Quote: “None of us understood how big this was going to be.” — Martin Melin [06:18]

Fame, Influence, and Global Impact

• [06:18–07:39]
  • Martin Melin became Sweden’s first reality TV celebrity—mobbed for autographs and living a "rock star" life for six months.
    • Quote: “People were standing at the train station waiting for me...a new world, a crazy world.” — Martin Melin [06:35]
  • Expedition Robinson’s format was quickly acquired internationally, spawning “Survivor” and influencing shows from Big Brother to The Traitors.
  • The core idea—contestants voting each other out—proved enduringly popular.
    • Quote: “You have the thought of what would I do if I ended up on a deserted island?...You have the sun, the beaches, people in not that much clothes.” — Martin Melin [07:21]
  • The episode marks Survivor’s 50th American season in 2026.

Legacy and Ongoing Debates

• [07:39–08:38]
  • The genre Expedition Robinson inspired now includes influencer launches, with participants seeking fame.
  • Maddie notes continuing debates about contestant welfare and mental health.
  • Melin, now a parliament member, feels no regret or responsibility for what reality TV has become.
    • Quote: “I've never regretted being on the show...I don't have any responsibility for what reality TV has become today.” — Martin Melin [08:11]
  • He’d consider returning: “Actually, if they call me and ask me to be on the show again, I would probably say maybe. I would not say no.” — Martin Melin [08:38]

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• First-hand physical discomfort:

  “I haven't showered in 44 days. I had a bad hair day. I remember.” — Martin Melin [00:53]

• Pre-game nerves:

  “I was so nervous before we were going to shoot I, I, I needed to pee five or six times.” — Martin Melin [01:31]

• Expectation vs. Reality:

  “We thought...people are going to watch it. After that everything is going to go back to normal.” — Martin Melin [02:04]

• Public backlash:

  “They vote who's going to leave the island. They must feel awful doing that.” — Martin Melin [04:42]

• Impact of tragedy:

  “And that was a shock. We were all staring at each other like what?” — Martin Melin [05:00]

• Sudden fame:

  “People were standing at the train station waiting for me. And also I got to meet a lot of real celebrities, artists and actors. And the red carpet, all of that was...a crazy world.” — Martin Melin [06:35]

• Reflecting on the genre’s legacy:

  “I've never regretted being on the show...I don't have any responsibility for what reality TV has become today.” — Martin Melin [08:11]

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Important Timestamps

• 00:53: Martin Melin recounts the physical intensity and nerves of the final day.
• 02:47: Charlie Parsons reflects on the initial struggle to sell the format.
• 04:50: News of a contestant’s suicide and its shockwaves.
• 05:38: SVT re-edits and relaunches the show after massive criticism.
• 06:18: Viewership rockets—a quarter of Sweden watches the finale.
• 07:02: Martin Melin describes overnight celebrity.
• 07:39–08:24: Discussion on reality TV’s ethical legacy and Martin’s perspective.
• 08:38: Melin’s openness to returning to the show even today.

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Conclusion

This episode richly details how Expedition Robinson became a cultural touchstone, presenting both nostalgia and critical reflection. It captures both the excitement of invention and the sometimes unforeseen consequences of a genre that continues to shape global television. Through Martin Melin's personal account and historical context, listeners understand not only how Survivor was born, but also its profound societal ripple effects.

Transcript

[Maddie Savage]

Hi there and welcome to Witness History from the BBC World Service with me, Maddie Savage. Today I'm taking you back to 1997. Sixteen Swedes are on a remote tropical island in Malaysia. Cameras fixed on their every move. They've made it through a rigorous selection process, said goodbye to their families and travelled halfway around the world to take part in a television experiment. What they don't know is that the show they're part of won't just transform their own lives. It will help invent a new kind of TV that still dominates our screens today. It's June 1997. Martin Malin is sitting on a tree stump on a sun drenched island waiting to find out if he's won a Swedish TV competition.

[Martin Melin]

It was as it always was, a very hot, humid day. I haven't showered in 44 days. I had a bad hair day. I remember.

[Maddie Savage]

The show is called Expedition Robinson, a reference to Robinson Crusoe, an 18th century novel by Daniel Defoe about a sailor stranded on a desert island. Now, nearly 300 years later, the idea is being reimagined not as fiction but as reality television. Martin is a 30 year old police officer from Stockholm. Now he's one of the finalists.

[Martin Melin]

And I was so nervous before we were going to shoot I, I, I needed to pee five or six times. Wow. I was so nervous. I was actually thinking that what if they actually going to vote for this other guy, Matt? When we all realize that I'm going to win, it's not that I'm sharing and jumping up and down and whoa. It's more like a sight. I was so relieved.

[Maddie Savage]

So what did you think would happen when you got home?

[Martin Melin]

We thought well, they're going to air this. People are going to watch it. After that everything is going to go back to normal.

[Maddie Savage]

But that couldn't have been further from the truth, as we'll find out later. First though, why did Sweden end up making the program in the first place? In the mid-1990s, soap operas and set based comedy series ruled people's screens. There were no on demand streaming networks. You had to get home in time to catch your favourite shows.

[Martin Melin]

I saw Friends, Seinfeld's Fault Towers. That was on, well, maybe the reruns, Mr. Bean.

[Maddie Savage]

Reality TV was still very new.

[Martin Melin]

This is the true story. True story.

[Maddie Savage]

Seven Strangers. This MTV show called the Real World had already filmed young people living together in the US and in Sweden. In the uk, a British producer had developed an idea that will by now sound familiar. Contestants competing for survival on a desert island.

[Charlie Parsons]

I knew it was going to be an amazing hit.

[Maddie Savage]

That's Charlie Parsons, co founder of production company Planet24, reflecting on that time in a recent YouTube interview for Parrot analytics and audience data company.

[Charlie Parsons]

You know, in our original pitch document, we put a cover of Newsweek or Time magazine saying, these are the survivors, as a sort of demonstration of the kind of success it would have.

[Maddie Savage]

At first, his concept was hard to sell. Broadcasters worried it was too unconventional and too tough on contestants. But in 1996, a Swedish producer called Anna Brokenjelm saw its potential. She bought the rights for around $12,000, a small sum in the TV world. Sweden's public service broadcaster, SVT, agreed to take a gamble and commission the program. SVT put out this trailer calling for contestants brave enough to spend six weeks in the wild. Thousands applied for an audition, including Martin Melin.

[Martin Melin]

I thought, hey, I'm an adventurous guy. I like challenges, so why not?

[Maddie Savage]

Even before the first episode aired, it was met with fierce criticism. Much of the controversy centered on the idea that the contestants would be voted out one by one by fellow participants. Critics described it as bullying or even fascist tv. Some drew comparisons with Lord of the Flies, a novel by William Goulding that came out in the 1950s. It's about a group of schoolboys marooned on an island, and it ends in brutal violence.

[Martin Melin]

Oh, this is terrible. They vote who's going to leave the island. They must feel awful doing that.

[Maddie Savage]

Then, weeks before the show was due to go on air, something awful happened. The first contestant to be voted out of the program, Stinisar Sevilla, took his own life.

[Martin Melin]

And that was a shock. We were all staring at each other like what?

[Maddie Savage]

The islanders found out at a meeting with SVT bosses, who said they weren't sure whether to put the show on TV anymore. Sinischa's widow told a Swedish tabloid he'd become embarrassed and depressed when he returned home. But there was no suicide note.

[Martin Melin]

After a lot of meetings, they aired the show and the reviews, the critics, it was enormous. Everybody hated the show.

[Maddie Savage]

SVT decided to pause the program for a few weeks. They re edited later episodes, taking out parts that could be considered too controversial.

[Martin Melin]

And they made the show nicer, so to speak. And then the show started to air again.

[Maddie Savage]

All the debates in the media only fueled public curiosity. When the program returned, it became clear viewers were tuning in not just for the controversy, but to get to know the contestants and watch their challenges unfold.

[Martin Melin]

You could see real people that you could identify yourself with. You could sit there, watch this show and see that could have been Me.

[Maddie Savage]

After the re edit, audiences grew. The experiment had struck a chord. By the time the final episode aired, a quarter of Sweden's population was watching.

[Martin Melin]

None of us understood how big this was going to be.

[Maddie Savage]

Overnight, Martin became the country's first major reality TV star. He was unable to leave home without people recognizing him. And in an era before selfies, he was regularly stopped for his autograph.

[Martin Melin]

I would say the first six months I was sort of living a rock star life. Especially when I left Stockholm and visited some smaller cities. People were standing at the train station waiting for me. And also I got to meet a lot of real celebrities, artists and actors. And the red carpet, all of that was, was also a new world, a crazy world.

[Maddie Savage]

The programme's success in Sweden quickly attracted international interest. Dozens of other countries bought the format, which became known in most places as Survivor. In 2026, the American version is celebrating its 50th season. Why do you think the concept is still so appealing?

[Martin Melin]

You have the thought of what would I do if I ended up on a deserted island? How would it work? You have that. You have the environment. You have the sun, the beaches, people in not that much clothes.

[Maddie Savage]

Expedition Robinson also helped lay the foundations for a whole new genre of reality television. From Big Brother to Love island and more recently, the Traitors. Now shown in more than 30 countries. Many globally successful formats are built on the same core idea. Participants voting each other out. Unlike Martin, today's contestants know how famous they could become. And many deliberately use these shows to launch influencer careers. But there are ongoing debates about the ethics of reality programs and their impact on some contestants.

[Martin Melin]

Mental health I've never regretted being on the show. I was presented in a positive way. I don't have any responsibility for. For what reality TV has become today.

[Maddie Savage]

Six months after Expedition Robinson, the world's first reality TV show winner, returned to his day job as a police officer. Martin is now a member of Sweden's parliament. But he still thinks a lot about his time on that sun drenched island.

[Martin Melin]

Actually, if they call me and ask me to be on the show again, I would probably say maybe. I would not say no.

[Maddie Savage]

Martin Malin was speaking to me. Maddie Savage for Witness History from the BBC World Service. It was a Podlip production.

[Narrator]

A moment in time captured by what they heard.

[Witness History Interviewee]

I heard some people making phone calls.

[Martin Melin]

Okay, which Runway would you like at Teterboro?

[Witness History Interviewee]

What they saw, I put my head down. I saw the movie of my life. Started going through my head.

[Narrator]

What they smelt.

[Witness History Interviewee]

I still remember the smell of the fresh fish.

[Maddie Savage]

And I completely lost my appetite.

[Narrator]

Moments captured which last for a lifetime.

[Witness History Interviewee]

Scientists have made the atomic bomb that

[Martin Melin]

sort of flash set on fire the birds and they all fell down without their feathers.

[Witness History Interviewee]

On the way was clear for Hitler to realize all his demonic plans.

[Narrator]

Stories from people with first hand accounts of events that that have shaped our world.

[Witness History Interviewee]

At the end, Kissinger called me into his office and he said, you did a good job. I left the office with tears in my eyes.

[Martin Melin]

She called me and told me I'm doing Studio 54. She had already become a star in Paris. She came back a superstar.

[Narrator]

Listen now. Search for witness history wherever you get your BBC podcasts.