Fear Factor Returns to NBC December 6th  10/31/05

NBC PUTS THE 'FEAR' IN TUESDAYS AS POPULAR REALITY SERIES 'FEAR FACTOR' RETURNS TO THE PRIMETIME LINEUP DECEMBER 6 WITH ALL-NEW PULSE-POUNDING EPISODES

New Episodes Include Heist "Fear Factor," Reality Stars, Family "Fear Factor" Featuring Shaquille O'Neal, Military "Fear Factor," Mothers/Sons" and Psycho "Fear Factor" Among Others

BURBANK - October 31, 2005 - NBC's popular reality series "Fear Factor," hosted by Joe Rogan ("NewsRadio"), will return to the network's regular program lineup for its sixth season on Tuesday, Dec. 6 (8-9 p.m. ET).

The first reality show to be sold into syndication -- and a bona fide hit all around the world -- the "Fear Factor" recipe will have a new look and feel when fresh episodes return. A brand new stunt team with credits including "The Matrix Revolutions," "Kill Bill, Vol. 2," "Minority Report" and "Ocean's Eleven," will provide the most outrageous stunts to date.

The series also will continue its reputation for unpredictable fantasy prizes - such as trips around the world, a garage stocked with new cars and the chance to fly a fighter jet over Russia.

"We are thrilled to bring back the 'Fear' since 'Fear Factor' has virtually become a trademark series," said Curt Sharp, Vice President Primetime Alternative Programs and Specials, NBC Entertainment. "It brings a loyal audience and should mesh well on Tuesdays at 8 after the success of another reality series, 'The Biggest Loser,' earlier this season."

"It was a great challenge to make our new season stand out from the previous five seasons of some of the most shocking entertainment on television. We have exceeded our own expectations," said Matt Kunitz, "Fear Factor" Executive Producer. "We put together a new stunt team and created a Home Invasion segment where Joe Rogan invades unsuspecting households across the country delivering fear to their doorstep. This season brings new twists, massive explosions, crashes, high speeds, and raw emotion. It's a whole new game."

"We're very excited about returning to the NBC lineup where we've been a fixture for the last five years," said David Goldberg, President of Endemol USA. "After hundreds of hours on the air, including 34 last year, we took some oxygen on the side line and are coming back fresh and reinvigorated. A lot of time, thought and money was spent to make improvements in the show. I wouldn't call it an Extreme Makeover, but 'Fear' will be returning bigger and better with an all new look and feel."

Some of the exciting new episodes that will be featured this season include:

"Heist Fear Factor," which will be the premiere episode on December 6 (8-9 p.m. ET), features a new twist as contestants compete in extreme stunts to obtain keys to a submerged armored car with one million dollars inside.

Reality Stars "Fear Factor," which will play out over multiple episodes, features teams from NBC's "The Apprentice," including Craig Williams and Tana Goertz; team "Amazing Race," with Jonathan Baker and Victoria Fuller; team "Survivor," with Twila Tanner and John "Johnny Fairplay" Dalton; team "American Idol," with Carmen Rasmusen and Anthony Federov; and team "Real World," with Trishelle Cannatella and Mike "The Miz" Mizanin.

Family "Fear Factor," which was shot on location at Universal Studios Orlando, features Shaquille O'Neal -- Miami Heat basketball great -- as he co-hosts a stunt where parents drop 200 feet from a helicopter into the water below. Then, they must pull a release, which sends their kids flying down a quarter-mile zip line.

Psycho "Fear Factor" pits two-person teams against each other in perhaps one of the creepiest locations to date -- the "Psycho" house and Bates Motel on the Universal Studios Hollywood back lot. The contestants stayed every night during the competition in the motel and participated in stunts based on the movie including the infamous bloody shower scene.

Military "Fear Factor" features male and female teams from four branches of the military all who have served a tour of duty in Iraq. The contestants compete in three extreme military-themed stunts on an actual aircraft carrier.

Some additional themed episodes include mothers/sons, old vs. young and blind date.

Also unique to "Fear Factor" this season is "Home Invasion," which challenges fans to face their fears in an actual "Fear Factor" stunt on the fans' home turf -- their house. Fans who sit in their living room watching "Fear Factor" -- and yelling, "I could do that" -- now will have the chance to appear on the series and attempt a stunt without even leaving their house. Each week, one household will compete for a $5,000 Capital One credit card.

Last season, "Fear Factor" averaged a 4.2 rating, 11 share among adults 18-49 and 10.2 million viewers overall, to rank as the #1 regular program in the Monday 8-9 p.m. ET hour in 18-49 for a fifth season in a row.

"Fear Factor" is a production of Endemol USA. The executive producers are Matt Kunitz ("The Real World") and David A. Hurwitz.

Source: NBC Press Release