Last Man Standing (UK TV Series) - Format

Format

Each episode begins with the contestants being introduced to a new indigenous society, meeting the local elder or head man. The contestants are introduced to the sport they will be competing in. They must board and eat with the villagers, and help out with village chores while being trained by the villagers, both for general fitness, and in techniques required for the particular sport. Competitors often undertake local rituals or traditions, such as ceremonial dancing, the wearing of tribal clothing, body painting, medicinal treatments, ritual tests of strength or courage, and the offering up of prayers or offerings to local gods or spirits.

Contestants are usually split into two camps within the village, with two trainers. Contestants then train against local villagers. Some episodes feature an initial elimination stage, whereby only the contestants who have sufficiently impressed their trainer are allowed to actually compete in the sport proper, usually a local showpiece event or competition, a regional competition, or a contest against a neighbouring village.

For certain sports, the contestants were split into weight categories, such as wrestling. In the final competition phase, the winner for that week is the contestant who performed the best in the actual competition format, usually either progressing furthest in an individual knockout contest, winning a race, or scoring the most individually in a team sport such as Trobriand Cricket. Any draws are then settled with a vote by the local trainers.