Hosted by Javier Poza, 24 participants arrive this summer to one of the most demanding competitions on the planet where only one will take home $200,000.
Starting Tuesday, July 30, Telemundo will present for the first time in the United States “La Isla: Desafío Extremo,” an adaptation of the original format by Caracol Televisión, “El Desafío,” which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024.
Hosted by Javier Poza, this exciting adventure features 24 participants who will face the most extreme challenges of physical and mental survival in wild and remote locations of the beaches, mountains, and forests of Turkey in pursuit of the coveted prize of $200,000. They will all have to share day by day, isolated from their outside world, in a competition where losing everything is just the beginning, and where drama, alliances, and betrayals will be the order of the day.
Lisette Osorio, VP of International Business at Caracol, highlighted: “In its 20 years, “El Desafío” has had a remarkable journey around the world, captivating followers in territories like Mexico, Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania. We are motivated and proud to share the daily audience records that we are achieving in this historic celebration. Today, we take an important step in the Hispanic market in the US alongside Telemundo, reflecting the global impact and resonance that our original format continues to have in new frontiers.”
“The celebration of the 20 years of “El Desafío” has brought many exciting news, including the notable performance on our screen, surpassing records daily, as well as the excellent reception of its various adaptations around the world. Now, we add another important milestone in the history of “El Desafío” with its arrival in the United States alongside a high-caliber partner like Telemundo. This premiere represents an open door to the Hispanic market in the United States and facilitates more countries in the region to know this format and be encouraged to adapt it in their territories.”
“This new format arrives on our screen introducing elements of travel, survival, and a lot of cohabitation drama between personalities,” said Ronald Day, President of Entertainment and Chief Content Officer at Telemundo. “We are excited to welcome a diverse and impressive group of participants to the home of reality shows to kick off this new adventure that will surely captivate our audience.”
“La Isla: Desafío Extremo” will feature 24 participants who will form three teams, including The Eagles, The Sharks, and The Panthers. Each week, the teams will start competing in the territory game that will determine the living conditions for that week, whether it be High Beach with all the comforts, Medium Beach with few comforts, or Low Beach without any comforts. Throughout the week, they will compete in numerous games to win salvation, captaincy, advantages, punishments, adventures, as well as nominations, among others. The participants who are not nominated will vote to choose who will be eliminated from the competition each week.
Under the executive production of Francisco “Cisco” Suárez, Executive Vice President of Primetime Non-Scripted Programming, “La Isla: Desafío Extremo” is a sports competition produced by ACUNMEDYA for Telemundo.
Over these 20 years, the entertainment format, originally by Caracol, has traveled the world and has been successfully adapted in Mexico, the United States, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, and Russia. Additionally, it has been recorded in Colombia and countries such as Senegal, Turkey, Greece, Morocco, India, El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago, Panama, and the Dominican Republic.
About NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises:
NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises leads the media industry in the production and distribution of Spanish-language content for Hispanics in the United States and audiences around the world. The company serves US Hispanics through its national television network, the Universo cable network, and digital platforms that include the Telemundo app, a suite of FAST channels, and streaming services such as Peacock, among others. The Telemundo network offers entertainment, news, and sports in Spanish that reach 95% of US Hispanic households in 210 markets, through 30 owned stations and 91 affiliated stations. Telemundo also owns an independent station in Puerto Rico. Thanks to Telemundo Studios, the network is the number one producer of Spanish-language fiction content in the United States and the only network that produces original content specifically for US Hispanic audiences. Offering more than 600 hours of reality shows annually, Telemundo is considered the undisputed home of reality shows in Hispanic media. The network is also the exclusive Spanish-language home of the two most popular sporting events in the world, the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games. NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises is a division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.
About Caracol Televisión:
Caracol Televisión is the pioneering Colombian channel in the entertainment industry, leading the market for the last two decades. It is the second-largest distributor of Spanish-language content in the world. It stands out for producing innovative and successful programs, with more than 22,000 hours of annual content. Its influence has expanded globally through its international division, Caracol Internacional, which distributes its productions to more than 180 countries on all continents. Its international signal reaches more than 21 countries and has more than 11.5 million subscribers around the world. It produces more than 4,500 hours of audiovisual material annually, equivalent to $57 million USD. As part of Valorem, a prominent business group in Colombia, it is part of the country’s main digital content network, encompassing various brands such as Caracol Noticias, Caracol Play, and Caracol Sports. Its leadership drives the industry in various fields, from television and film to journalism and distribution.
