TVE will open the upcoming season with a bold launch that stands as one of the strongest bets of the last decade. The Basque public channel is behind its own edition of El conquistador, the extreme adventure reality program produced by Hostoil in partnership with The Mediapro Studio, which has remained a staple on Basque television for nineteen years on ETB. As the portal transitions to a purpose-built national television format, the show preserves its core essence as a structural backbone, featuring demanding challenges and the same team led by the show’s creators and directors, Joxan Goñi and the renowned Patxi Alonso. The production remains faithful to its roots even as it enters a new broadcast arena.
YOTELE traveled to Los Haitises National Park to reveal inside details of what the production in the Dominican Republic is like. Viewers will get a first-hand glimpse of the contestants’ challenges and the initial specifics of this edition, which will be presented in a distinctive style in Los Angeles. TVE will air at 1 pm starting next September.
Both contestants, captains and presenters Julian Iantzi and Raquel Sánchez Silva faced the elements during the six weeks of filming. They confronted heat, steep terrain, lush vegetation, humidity, insects, wildlife, swampy waters, mud flats, caves, cliffs, and tropical storms that tested physical endurance and mental resolve.
Everything on screen is real, with no traps or stagecraft. Contestants race not just to win but to endure the experience itself, says Amparo Castellano, the director of nonfiction content at The Mediapro Studio, who collaborates with Hostoil, a Basque Country subsidiary. The challenge is a personal one, and the team observes how contestants help one another along the way.
Thirty-three participants will push their limits, testing both strategy and decision making while enduring strenuous physical demands. They are divided into three teams: red, built around highly physically prepared men; green, composed of physically capable women; and blue, a mixed group with diverse strengths. Joana Pastrana, Patxi Salinas and Cesc Escolà lead the squads as captains, guiding their teams through the ordeal.
Each contestant will keep a diary of endurance and cunning tests. Eric Lopez, known for winning Ninja Warrior in its second edition on Antena 3, sets the conditions under which the groups will live in the coming hours and determines which camp they will inhabit: rich, with basic needs; poor, with nothing at all; and hell, a deep forest where mud, branches, and a variety of animals accompany them.
The journey promises to reveal authentic experiences in real time and without scripted scenarios. The environment is as impressive as it is challenging to manage, with ten distinct settings—spanning several kilometers and reachable only by boat—alongside extreme wilderness and weather. The crew, numbering about 250, sometimes faced sudden changes to plans, even evacuations during severe storms. The director reflects on the unpredictability of nature and the crew’s resilience.
El conquistador is presented as the most realistic reality show on television, with contestants allowed only water and sunscreen. Food is earned through tests, and there are accounts of participants going without meals for extended periods. Julian Iantzi, the senior host, shares duties with Raquel Sánchez Silva. She brings experience from formats like Survivors, noting that this show differs in its storytelling; it has a documentary quality that sets it apart. The goal is deeper than mere entertainment, and the tone emphasizes the heroism of the competitors while keeping the narrative intimate and authentic.
The creators of the format describe several features of a program that has evolved into a cultural phenomenon since its Basque Country debut. The team explains that they immerse themselves fully in the process, entering the program and sharing in the emotion of the moments. When a contestant wins or gains immunity, the team members feel the impact; emotions run high, and the crew is moved by the authentic outcomes. The intent is to celebrate real achievement rather than manufactured outcomes.
The director assures that El Conquistador, popularly known as El Conquis, is a show designed to push participants to the limit to test whether they are as strong as they believe. After nineteen years at ETB, the series makes a cautious leap to TVE, awaiting the right moment to record its own version. The production team was ready to commit long before filming began, selecting dates that would fit the schedule. The September start was chosen as an optimal time to maximize impact and audience engagement.
Blockbuster-style entertainment unfolds with wilderness as its backdrop. El Conquistador and the contestants’ experiences unfold on a remarkable set that blends a vast natural landscape with real and untamed environments located in the Los Haitises National Park in the northeast Dominican Republic, near Samana Bay. The park spans hundreds of square kilometers of beaches, groves, mangroves, mountains, and caves, all home to a rich array of flora and fauna.
In such a setting, the production team adheres to meticulous environmental standards to ensure respect for the natural habitat. Preceding the main expedition, the site is prepared with care, and the tests are tailored to harmonize with the terrain so that nature remains integral to the challenges without compromising the landscape. The facilities for the technical crew and even wardrobe choices are designed to minimize environmental impact. It can be said that the operation for El Conquistador blossomed after the show moved to this location, reflecting a commitment to sustainable production practices.