B.B. Andersen, ‘Survivor’ Contestant From Season One, Dies At 77

Survivor contestant B.B. Andersen died on Tuesday in Kansas City, Mo., after a long battle with brain cancer.

Andersen appeared on reality endurance show Survivor in its initial season in 2000, helping to issue in a new wave of reality-based TV series. In the first tribe of 15 adventurous individuals, Andersen was the oldest. He didn’t manage to win over his younger cohorts and was ultimately voted off in the second episode.

"B.B. was one of the original cast members who launched Survivor back in 2000,” Survivor host Jeff Probst told People. “He was a powerful presence on the show and that zest for epic adventure was at the heart of everything he did. I was very saddened to hear of his passing."

Richard Hatch, who went on to win Survivor’s freshman season, was saddened to learn of Andersen’s death. "B.B. was a good man with whom I shared a memorable experience,” Hatch said. “My thoughts and condolences go out to his family."

Following his short-lived stint on Survivor, Andersen parlayed his newfound fame into a series of endorsement deals. He appeared in commercials for both Reebok and Home Depot.

Andersen is survived by his wife Jan and their five children.

– Chelsea Regan

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