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Bow Diddley (also known as Bo Diddley) is a recurring endurance challenge, that debuted in Survivor: South Pacific, and has since reappeared in Millennials vs. Gen X, Edge of Extinction, and Survivor 42. A variant known as Hard to Handle was introduced in Cagayan, since reappearing in Cambodia and Survivor 41.

Rules[]

Castaways must stand on an angled balance beam while balancing a ball. At predetermined intervals, they would move further down to a narrower part of the beam, making it harder to keep steady. If they drop their ball or fall off their beam, they would be out of the challenge. The last person standing wins.

In Millennials vs. Gen X only, castaways had to move one foot down to the next, narrower section of the beam while their other foot stayed on the previous section. Every other time this challenge was used, castaways had to move both feet down to the next section.

The Bow Diddley version of this challenge has castaways balancing their ball on a rounded bow. The Hard to Handle variation instead has castaways balancing their ball on a stick with one hand, with the handle divided into three sections that they would have to move down to at each level of the challenge.

History[]

United States[]

The challenge debuted in South Pacific, where castaways were given the option to sit out and instead eat for the duration of the challenge. The ruling Upolu Alliance and John Cochran chose to sit out, leaving only Dawn Meehan, Jim Rice, and Whitney Duncan to battle it out. After Jim fell at the first level, Dawn dropped at the second level, giving Whitney immunity.

The Hard to Handle variation debuted in Cagayan, where it was played in windy conditions. The challenge came down to Spencer Bledsoe and Tasha Fox after over 30 minutes when another strong gust of wind blew, knocking off Spencer's ball and giving Tasha immunity.

In Cambodia, the Hard to Handle version was used as the first post-merge Immunity Challenge. In the end, it came down to Joe Anglim and Spencer Bledsoe, with Spencer losing his balance, giving Joe immunity.

The Bow Diddley version was used as the final twelve Immunity Challenge in Millennials vs. Gen X, with castaways again given the option to sit out for food. Will Wahl and Zeke Smith decided to sit out, while the rest of the tribe competed. In the end, it came down to Ken McNickle and Taylor Stocker, with Ken beating Taylor to win immunity.

In Edge of Extinction, the Bow Diddley variation appeared as the third individual Immunity Challenge. The challenge came down to a showdown between David Wright and Gavin Whitson, with Gavin outlasting David to win immunity.

The Hard to Handle version returned in Survivor 41 as the final eight Immunity Challenge. The challenge came down to Ricard Foyé and Xander Hastings. With the knowledge that he was on the chopping block, Ricard ultimately beat out Xander to win immunity.

The Bow Diddley version returned in Survivor 42 as the final eight Immunity Challenge. The final stage of the challenge came down to Jonathan Young and Lindsay Dolashewich; Jonathan's size made it difficult for him to keep balance on the narrowest portion of the balance beam, allowing Lindsay to outlast him and win her first individual Immunity Challenge.

Australia[]

The Bow Diddley version appeared as the first individual Reward Challenge of Titans v Rebels. The newly merged tribe competed for a AUD60,000 cash prize, a night on a bed, and Safety Without Power at the first post-merge Tribal Council. After 30 minutes, Valeria Sizova ended up beating Scott Butler to win the challenge.

New Zealand[]

Winners[]

Episode Challenge Type Winners
Australian Survivor (2017)
Episode 18
Individual Immunity AUS4 tessa t
Tessa O'Halloran
Titans v Rebels
"Revenge Is a Dish Best Served Russian"
Individual Reward/Immunity AUS11 valeria t
Valeria Sizova

Episode Challenge Type Winners
Nicaragua
Episode 16
Individual Immunity NZS1 tom t
Tom Paterson

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • This challenge has only appeared as an individual Immunity Challenge.
  • David Wright, Kass McQuillen, Kelley Wentworth, Spencer Bledsoe, and Tasha Fox have participated in this challenge twice.
    • Tasha won the challenge the first time she competed.
    • Spencer finished the challenge as the runner-up both times he competed.
  • South Pacific is the only time that this challenge did not reach its third level, with a winner being determined by the second level.
  • The names used for this challenge are in some way musical references.
    • Bow Diddley/Bo Diddley references American blues and rock and roll artist, Bo Diddley.
    • Hard to Handle is a reference to the Otis Redding song of the same name.

References[]

Recurring Challenges
A Bit Dinghy · A Bit Tipsy · A Crate Idea · A Leg Up · A Numbers Game · Air Raid · Angry Chair · Around the Bend · Back in Slack · Balancing Point · Ballin' A Jack · Barrel Bridge · Barrel of Monkeys · Basket Brawl · Better Homes and Island Living · Beyond the Wheel · Blind Leading the Blind · Blue Lagoon Bustle · Blue Plate Special · Boats, Brains & Brawn · Bone to Pick · Boulder Smash · Bow Diddley · Box Your Mind · Braille Maze · Broken China · Buggin' Out · Build It Up, Break It Down · Butch Cassidy · By Any Means Necessary · By the Numbers · Cage Against the Machine · Can't Buoy Me Love · Cannonball Run · Caught in the Web · Cell Block Sea · Challenge Pitch · Chief's Choice · Chimney Sweep · Chinese Zodiac Symbols · Cling Ons · Choose Your Weapon · Coconut Juice · Crate Escape · Crocodile Rock · Crosswalk · Cube Crisis · Dear Liza · Dive Masters · Dizzy Gillespie · Dizzy Miss Lizzy · Domino Effect · Draggin' the Dragon · Dragging the River · Drop A Log · Drum Roll · Dulcimer Stomp · End of the Line · EOC · Eve 6 · Fallen Comrades · Fast Fire · Faulty Towers · Fauxconut Bowling · Fire and Water · Fire Fighter · Fire Starter · Flips, Flops, & Flags · Float Your Boat · Floating Puzzle · Game of Bridge · Gatecrasher · Get a Grip · Get Barreled · Get Hooked · Get Your Goat · Gimme Three Steps · Great Escape Run · Hands on a Hard Idol · Hear About It Ladder · Hot Pursuit · House of Cards · House of the Holey · Idol Hands · Jail Break · Jump Shot · Jungle Relay · Kamikaze · Keel Hauling · Keep It Up · Keep on Your Toes · Kenny Log-Ins · Kicking and Screaming · Kitty Litter · Know Your Loved One · Ladder Tree Golf · Last Gasp · Letter Hunt · Lock, Load and Light · Lock Step · Log Jam · Losing Face · Mask Match · Matchmaker · Matt Finish · Mayan Pizza · Memory · Mud Pack · Mud Slide · Muddy Waters · New School · New Tribe Member · Nut Bucket · O-Black Water · Odd Shaped Bottoms · Operation Balance Build · Out on a Limb · Over-Extended · Paddle Battle · Paddle Out · Perch · Pilfering Pirates · Piranha Feast · Pole Dancing · Pot Head · Push Me, Pull You · Puzzle Dig · Q and A · Quest for Fire · Race to Shore · Ram-Ball On · Rescue Mission · Rice Race · Rise and Shrine · Rock Bottom · Rock n' Roll · Rock the Boat · Rod Screw-It · Roll With It · Roller Ball · Rung O Star · Running Down a Dream · Sacrificial Lamb · Schmergen Brawl · Sea Crates · Sea Legs · Sea Salvage · Shipwrecked · Shoot 'n' Shuffle · Shooting Gallery · Shoulder the Load · Simmotion · Slip, Slide & Score · Slither Me Timbers · Smash and Grab · Snag, Drag and Bag · Snake in the Grass · Snake Island Relay · SOS Signal · Spear-it Hunt · Spit It Out · Splash Back · Sprung a Leak · Squared Off · Squatty Probst · Stacked Up · Stairway to Heaven · Stairway to the Stars · Star Man · Station By Station · Step on Up · Stomp-ede · Strung Out · Sumo at Sea · Survivor Auction · Survivor History · Survivor Pentathlon · Survivor Quiz Show · Swahili Scramble · Swing Break · Tangled Up · Temple Transfer · The Ball Drop · The Cruel Sea · The Game is Afoot · The Gauntlet · The Home Stretch · The Maze · The Obstacle Course · This Much · Thrash, Splash & Bash · TLP O-Course · Tomb Raider · Total Recall · Troubled Water · Uncomfortably Numb · United We Stand · Vampire Bats · Vertically Challenged · Vertigo · Wall to Wall · Well Stacked · What-er Drag · When It Rains, It Pours · Wicker Flicker · Will It Go Round · Witch Hunt · Wrist Assured · Yank Your Hank · You Shook Me
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