Fear Factor goes back to Akki

It's Akshay Kumar, and no one else as host in the desi bravery show Fear Factor. One has it from a very reliable source at the show's parent-channel Colors that the other names being bandied about to take over Fear Factor have now been abandoned, and that Colors who contemplated letting other actors slip into Akhay Kumar's place, has decided to wait it out for Akshay.

Says the source from Colors, `The main problem was Mr Akshay Kumar's dates. He is busy with his films all of 2013. Initially we thought we'd go ahead with someone else. But the general opinion is, no one can take Akshay's place in Fear Factor. So we're willing to wait until he gets free in 2014. `

Apparently the channel had a long deep discussion with Akshay who initially insisted they go with someone else and not wait for him. However the channel insisted that they had no problems waiting it out.

Says the source, `Our band-width for reality shows is filled for the next one year. We had two options: do we go ahead with Fear Factor without Akshay in 2013?Or do we wait for him to do the show in 2014?We decided on the latter option.

Viacom 18 (the parent company for Colors) and Akshay have a very fruitful relationship. We've teamed up recently for a very successful film Oh My God and we've Special Chabbis with Akshay coming up early next year. We would rather not interrupt the relationship. `


Interestingly all promotional activity for Special Chabbis which opens on February 8 has been put on hold until the release of Akshay Kumar's Khiladi 786 next week.

Says a source from Viacom 18, `Both the film are comedies with huge ensemble casts of interesting character actors. We didn't want our promotion to overlap with theirs. `