Million Dollar Island Australia has been slapped with a lawsuit after contestant Luke Calpis was ‘badly injured’ during filming.
The Ant Middleton-hosted series follows 100 everyday Aussies as they battle it out on a remote island for the chance to win $1 million.
And, as the Channel 7 competition heats up onscreen, it turns out production has also found itself in hot water.
As reported in episode 299 of the So Dramatic! podcast, Luke has filed a lawsuit against Eureka Productions, the production company behind Million Dollar Island.
One contestant explained that Luke “ran into a sawn-off tree during a challenge”.
“[He] was knocked out, and then the medic team took forever to come to him,” they recalled. “They had to give him stitches with a fishing hook and no anesthetic.”
OUCH.
They continued: “He’s alleging that they didn’t ensure the course was safe before the task and that adequate medical assistance was not provided in time.”
As it stands, Luke is reportedly “not allowed to associate with the rest of the cast” and vice versa.
They’ve also been advised not to “follow him on socials” and he’s also been left out of the official cast list and all publicity material.
Other Million Dollar Island sources reveal circumstances surrounding Luke Calpis’ injury
A second Million Dollar Island contestant got in touch to back up claims Luke is “suing the show” because he “felt like it was bad planning on their behalf and negligence”.
They then explained the circumstances surrounding the injury.
“The challenge was sprinting into the bush to collect coconuts, and he went face-first into this branch that had been half cut down by production,” the source said. “They sawed off a branch because it was at head height… but not fully. And he just ran straight into it.
“He was severely injured, concussed and had to get seven stitches on his forehead.”
They concluded: “His argument is that they should be doing the basics of ensuring the filming area is a safe environment for contestants in their care.”
Fair enough!
So Dramatic! has contacted Channel 7 and Luke for comment.
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