“Survivor” contestant Kellee Kim was afforded the opportunity to speak freely about her embattled cast member, Dan Spilo, at the show’s reunion special.
Kim has made headlines throughout the season following several incidents involving Dan Spilo inappropriately touching her and other cast members. Though Kim initially sat down with Spilo to discuss his actions, Spilo continued forward with his invasion of personal space — which ultimately led to an official warning being issued to Spilo from production.
The controversy reached its boiling point when Spilo was ultimately ousted from the show after an incident in which he allegedly inappropriately touched a female production member.
Dan Spilo was kicked off Season 39 of ‘Survivor’ and was not invited to the finale.
(CBS)
Speaking with The New York Times, Kim’s attorney Debra Katz said that her client “was concerned that she was not going to be able to speak at the finale. And if she was allowed to speak, that it would be too scripted and she would not be able to say the things that were important for her to say.”
Kim wondered “whether I’d get a free, open venue to speak.”
A CBS spokesperson told the outlet that, “There was never any doubt in our mind that she would be part of it and be able to speak freely about her experience.”
‘SURVIVOR’ TO PRE-TAPE REUNION SHOW BECAUSE OF ‘INAPPROPRIATE TOUCHING’ SCANDAL
Dan Spilo’s departure was the first time in “Survivor” history that a cast member had been removed from the CBS show.
(Screen Grab/CBS Entertainment)
Following all the controversy, “Survivor” host and executive producer Jeff Probst issued a direct apology to Kim for how she was treated after complaining about Spilo.
“Before we begin, I want to say to you, you were right,” Probst said to Kim during the finale. “You were right to speak up. You were right to step forward … and to speak your truth. And I want to acknowledge and apologize for your pain. You didn’t ask for it, and you didn’t deserve it.”
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The host had previously acknowledged his responsibility in a statement written to The Los Angeles Times.
“I accept my own responsibility in the situation,” the longtime host wrote. “We did what we thought was right in issuing Dan a warning, but I certainly respect anyone who feels we should have removed Dan from the game.”
Fox News’ Tyler McCarthy contributed to this report.
