In a reality show where you have to bear it all, without clothes, without food, and exposed to a hostile environment – The one big question hanging over viewers is, do the contestants of Naked and Afraid get paid?
Whether you are an obsessed fan or maybe leaning towards the “I’ll pass on that”, the Naked and Afraid series makes for intriguing television reality with its out-of-this-world stories of survival.
No matter how captivating the show might be, for many of us, the stance of surviving the wilderness butt-naked for the world to see is not worth any amount of money. For some, the experiences are just priceless.
While the discovery channel show has claimed that contestants get compensated, how much is it? And is it worthwhile all the blood, sweat, tears and mind games?
What is Naked and Afraid?
In the Discovery Channel hit reality show Naked and Afraid, a group of extreme survivalists is left off in the wilderness to fend for themselves with no clothes, no food, and supposedly no defense.
Contestants are paired as men and women. The show’s official description states the nude compatriots face some of the world’s most hostile elements and encounter deadly animals (like bears and huge snakes).
For 21 days, participants test their survival skills, their ability to forage for food and water, shelter building, and inevitably their mental strength, especially because they are exposed (naked) to danger.
Its adventurous season starts with the couples meeting each other and then stripping down naked. Each episode airs the struggle of one pair.
Although participants are deprived of most of their belongings, they are allowed to bring one item with them, which will aid in their survival.
Unless they have a survival box subscription. Just kidding.
The dangling sachet that we often see contestants use to cover at least one part of their bodies carries a camera that they use to document themselves when the camera crew is not around.
The show has aired for twelve seasons with twists and turns and sometimes accusations of being fake. However, if you ask us about this show’s longevity, we reckon this show will be with us for a long time.
That said, the elephant in the room is this: do Naked and Afraid contestants win money?
Do Naked and Afraid contestants get paid?
According to official rules by Discovery Channel, once contestants pass the screening process, each entrant receives 5000 dollars in cash.
While that might not buy their dream home, it is enough to enhance a couple of treatments to improve their scruff-up look after several weeks of barely being able to bathe and being covered in bug bites. Or perhaps, practically speaking, it will be a needed amount to compensate for lost wages.
Discovery further praised their compensation, adding that in addition to the cash prize, contestants receive round-trip flights to an undisclosed survival location in coach class, nights in a local hotel, and the opportunity to film an episode of Naked and Afraid.
If you also happen to be a fan of “Alone,” here is what contestants get paid.
