Ross Clarke-Jones settles injury claim with Survivor producers Endemol Shine

Ross Clarke-Jones has reached a settlement with the producers of Survivor after he suffered a horrific injury during a ropes challenge.

Champion big wave surfer Ross Clarke-Jones has reached a confidential settlement over a debilitating ankle injury he suffered on Australian Survivor.

The stoush with Endemol Shine Australia, producers of the show, was set to go to trial in the Victorian Supreme Court in May, but was dismissed last month.

Court documents from July 2021 revealed Clarke-Jones had suffered a further injury to his ankle.

Neither party responded to requests for comment yesterday.

Ross Clarke-Jones is carried by Survivor host Jonathan LaPaglia and a medic after injuring himself during a challenge. Picture: Network 10

Clarke-Jones, 55, launched legal action against Endemol Shine Australia citing failure of duty of care and negligence after he was hurt during a rope challenge on the 2019 season of Australian Survivor, which was set in Fiji.

He claimed damages, loss of past and future earnings, and medical expenses in a writ originally filed in May 2020.

He also stated in his claim that he suffered depression and anxiety as a result of the injury.

Ross Clarke-Jones suffered an ankle injury on the set of Survivor. Picture: Network 10

The horror fall and Clarke-Jones’s obvious distress and pain and subsequent retirement from the show was aired as part of one of the episodes of that series.

At the time of his painful exit from the show Clarke-Jones believed he could win the $500,000 first prize on offer.

Clarke-Jones, from Phillip Island, was paid $25,000 to take part in the Australian Survivor: Champions v Contenders season, which was shot in Fiji between April 29 and June 23, 2019.

“The plaintiff is, and has been since his injury, totally incapacitated for his previous employment and claims past loss of earnings and future loss of earnings,” Clarke-Jones’s Statement of Claim read.

“The plaintiff also claims loss of opportunity in relation to competing for the prize money available on Survivor, and other professional big-wave surfing related events, awards and business opportunities.”

In a defence filed in July 2020, Endemol Shine Australia denied “each and every allegation” that the injury was caused by negligence and/or breach of duty.