CBS has announced Survivor: Nicaragua -- the 21st edition of the long-running reality series -- will premiere Wednesday, September 15 at 8PM ET/PT.

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The network had confirmed Survivor's 21st installment will take place in the Central American country and be titled Survivor: Nicaragua during May's broadcast of Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains' reunion show.

"For the past decade, Survivor has taken you to the furthest corners of the planet and subjected over 300 contestants to the harshest environments under the most exhausting conditions. Join us now as we enter a new decade of Survivor," host Jeff Probst said.

"This is Nicaragua. It is a land of impenetrable terrain, smoldering volcanoes and savage wildlife. Christopher Columbus discovered its shores over 500 years ago and for centuries Spanish conquistadors set out to tame this exotic land only to be stopped at every turn by the expansive rain forest of this Central American landmark."

Probst also teased that the new castaways will face "exciting and innovative challenges" and "something that may surprise them all."

While the network hasn't revealed any additional details about Survivor: Nicaragua's format, Probst has previously stated that the show will be changing the way it handles hidden Immunity Idols now that former Survivor: Samoa and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains castaway Russell Hantz's has demonstrated they can easily be found without clues.

"He's forever changed how we will handle idols in future seasons," Probst said this spring.  "Next season it will take more than just looking under a rock to find a hidden idol.  I won't give away what we're doing, but in planning our creative for next season we coined a phrase, 'The Russell Factor' and it influenced how we will play the hidden idol next season."

In addition, the Dallas Morning News recently reported that former NFL coach Jimmy Johnson will be one of the castaways competing on Survivor: Nicaragua, which began filming in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua last month.

CBS renewed Survivor for two additional installments -- representing its 21st and 22nd seasons -- in January.

Similar to Survivor's last two seasons which were filmed in Samoa, the 21st and 22nd editions are being filmed back-to-back in Nicaragua this summer.

CBS had announced Survivor would be leaving its longtime Thursdays 8PM ET/PT time period moving to the Wednesday timeslot when it unveiled its 2010-2011 primetime programming schedule in May.  In addition to Survivor's move, the aggressive schedule will also shuffle several other established shows to new nights and time periods.

Ironically, the new Wednesday slot is the same time period the show aired in during its initial Summer 2000 season.  In addition, it has also served as Survivor's temporary time period when it has been pre-empted by CBS' annual NCAA men's basketball playoff tournament broadcasts in March.

Despite the time period change, Survivor's premiere will still -- at it has for the last nine years -- mark the debut of CBS' new fall schedule.  The rest of the network's schedule won't begin premiering until Monday, September 20, the formal start of the 2010-2011 television season.

CBS will air The Big Bang Theory and William Shatner's new $#*! My Dad Says sitcom in Survivor's former Thursday night time period   The Big Bang Theory -- which emerged as the top-rated television sitcom in the Adults 18-49 ratings demographic this season -- currently airs as part of CBS' Monday night sitcom block.

In addition to Survivor: Nicaragua's premiere, CBS also announced The Amazing Race's 17th season will debut with a special 90-minute on Sunday, September 26 at 8:30PM ET/PT and be followed by the premiere of the second season of Undercover Boss at 10PM ET/PT.


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