Original Survivor Contestant Kelly Wiglesworth Addresses Cheating Allegations in Exclusive Clip

Original Survivor Contestant Kelly Wiglesworth Addresses Cheating Allegations in Exclusive Clip

Kelly Wiglesworth, a contestant from the first season of Survivor, has spoken out about long-standing claims of cheating on the CBS reality show in an exclusive clip from Vice’s Dark Side of Reality TV. The upcoming episode delves into allegations that Wiglesworth received unauthorized help from production during the competition.

In the clip, Wiglesworth recalls an incident involving a producer who allegedly threw a power bar at her feet during the show. “He threw a power bar on the ground, like, right at my feet,” she says. The moment was witnessed by Richard Hatch, the eventual winner of Survivor: Borneo, the first season of the series.

Hatch, who also appears in the Vice series, claims he reported the incident to Survivor’s executive producer, Mark Burnett, but dismisses the integrity of the game. “It’s all a bulls— game,” Hatch says, despite walking away with the $1 million prize.

Joel Klug, another contestant from the Borneo season, also weighed in on the alleged cheating, recalling the unauthorized snack. “I think it was a Power Bar,” Klug says. He notes that such a calorie boost could make a significant difference in the game, especially considering the contestants’ restricted diets, which are typically limited to rice and whatever they can forage, like fruit or fish.

According to Wiglesworth, Hatch later suggested that people were leaving food for her throughout the game. Additionally, Klug recounted rumors that the complaints about cheating led Burnett to allegedly offer to pay Hatch’s taxes if he won the competition. During Hatch’s 2006 trial for tax evasion, he testified that he believed producers would cover his taxes. However, Burnett testified that Hatch’s contract made it clear that he was responsible for paying taxes on his winnings.

Hatch ultimately won Survivor but was later convicted of failing to pay taxes on his prize money. Wiglesworth, who finished second in the competition, has stated that her biggest regret from the show had nothing to do with the power bar incident. In a 2021 interview with Entertainment Weekly, she revealed that her true regret was not letting fellow contestant Rudy Boesch win the final immunity challenge.

Wiglesworth returned to compete in Survivor: Cambodia—Second Chance in 2015 but said she had no plans to compete again. However, she did offer her thoughts on how the game has evolved, expressing her desire for a return to the original format. “No immunity idols, no second chances, redemptions, etc. There’s way too much food. Players need to hunt, build shelters, and fires,” she told EW.

Dark Side of Reality TV airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Vice.

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