NBC has canceled “Ultimate Slip N’ Slide” after an on-set giardia outbreak shuttered productions for months. Earlier this month, TheWrap exclusively reported that “Ultimate Slip N’ Slide” would not air this summer. Now it simply won’t air — ever.
NBC will instead air “American Ninja Warrior” at 8 p.m. on Mondays beginning next week. “The Wall” episodes will air at 10.
Bobby Moynihan and Ron Funches were hosts of the NBC and Universal Television Alternative Studio show, an $18 million series inspired by the classic Wham-O! backyard toy. The competition was originally set to premiere Sunday, Aug. 8 at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT, after the Tokyo Olympics Closing Ceremony, but was pulled from the schedule on July 2 and no new premiere date or guidance about when the show would debut was given at that time.
Production on “Ultimate Slip ‘N Slide” was shut down June 2, seven weeks into shooting — with another five days to go, including the crucial final competition that had promised a huge cash-prize winner — at the show’s $6 million set in Simi Valley, California, after 65% of the show’s staff were infected by a giardia outbreak that caused multiple cases of “awful explosive diarrhea.” Read exclusive details from TheWrap’s initial report here.
At least one person on set tested positive for giardia, an intestinal infection caused by a parasite, while multiple individuals reported symptoms, according to Universal Television Alternative Studios, which is producing the show for NBC. Tests on the location’s well, pond, slide pool, water truck and the restroom sinks all came back negative, but additional testing has revealed giardia in the dirt somewhere on the property, which is a frequently used location for multiple productions. This made it impossible to resume shooting the final episodes as the production kicks up dust that could again contaminate the water.
NBC and the studio had been scouting for a new, safe new location where the giant Slip ‘n Slide could be moved so production on the end of Season 1 — and potential future seasons — could take place. During that time, Universal Television Alternative Studio was also working on two possible models for finishing the season in the edit bay without the ability to shoot the final episodes, but those options were ultimately passed on.