7 vs. Wild Jeannine Michaelsen: Blood, Fear and Chaos in the Amazon Rainforest

The fifth season of “7 vs. Wild” begins more brutally than ever before. Barely has the survival adventure in the Colombian rainforest begun when disaster strikes: TV host Jeannine Michaelsen is pierced by a thorn — blood flows, panic breaks out. As she struggles to stay in control, tensions among the contestants explode. Surrounded by tropical heat, fear, and disorientation, one thing becomes clear: this is no TV game anymore, it’s a fight for survival. Reported by G.Business.

Blood, sweat, and panic in the Amazon

The fifth season of the hit survival format launched on October 7, 2025, exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. Seven well-known German creators and athletes must survive two weeks in the heart of the Amazon — without supplies, GPS, or any external help.

The setting, a remote border region between Colombia, Brazil, and Peru, offers the show’s most extreme conditions so far: crushing humidity, venomous animals, and endless rain. During the group’s first march, Jeannine Michaelsenaccidentally comes too close to a holly bush. A sharp thorn pierces her glove and lodges in her hand.

“That’s singing quite a bit, I must say,” Michaelsen remarks dryly as she pulls the thorn out herself — no first aid, no break, just a grim smile.

The cameras capture blood, sweat, and exhaustion — pure survival television.

Tempers flare: contestants blame the local guide

After the incident, tensions rise. The celebrities complain that the local guide is moving too fast, forcing them into dangerous terrain.
Joe Vogel, a seasoned survival trainer, expresses frustration:

“This just doesn’t work — we’re constantly losing him.”

Kris Grippo, a Swiss influencer, adds angrily:

“He’s running away from us. It’s pissing me off because we’re not even following the same path.”

Even Michaelsen joins in:

“That guy just makes everything worse.”

As night approaches and heavy rain begins, the group fears they won’t reach their first camp in time. If anyone breaks down, the crew must trigger the ‘Code Red’ — the show’s emergency extraction protocol.

Fritz Meinecke out – Hervé steps in

A major change defines this season: founder and original host Fritz Meinecke is no longer part of the project. Instead, Hervé, a French-South American wilderness expert who has lived in the rainforest for years, now leads the expedition. According to watson.de, he helped design this season’s routes and safety plan — but his intense pace and local methods are already controversial.

The seven faces of season 5

Fans divided over the new direction

The launch of “7 vs. Wild” Season 5 has caused a wave of mixed reactions across Germany. Many fans celebrate the raw, unpredictable energy of the new format — calling it “real survival, not scripted TV.” Others, however, criticize the absence of Fritz Meinecke, arguing that without his leadership, the show feels chaotic and disorganized.

Despite the controversy, the premiere has been a clear success. Within just 24 hours, the new season ranked among Prime Video’s Top 3 most-watched reality shows in Germany, with viewership up nearly 40% compared to last year. On X, TikTok, and Reddit, hashtags like #7vsWild and #JeannineMichaelsen have dominated discussions, proving that even with a new direction, the show remains one of Germany’s most talked-about entertainment formats.

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