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Doctor for French "Survivor" kills himself after contestant dies

Thierry Costa, 38, who took his life in Cambodia where series was filmed left a note saying he had been unfairly criticised over the contestant's death.

La rédaction de Mediapart

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A doctor working for France's version of the television reality show "Survivor" committed suicide on Monday, leaving a note saying he had been unfairly criticised over the death of a contestant, the programme's broadcaster said, reports Reuters.

Thierry Costa, 38, killed himself in Cambodia, the setting of the show "Koh-Lanta", which was halted last week following the heart attack and death of contestant Gerald Babin, said the TF1 television channel.

Costa's suicide note, published in full on TV1's website, said the media had made "unfair accusations and assumptions" about his treatment of Babin.

Some media outlets had carried reports criticising the amount of time it took for anyone to treat Babin, 25, after his collapse.

"In the past few days my name has been tarnished in the media ... I am certain that I treated Gerald in a respectable manner, as a patient and not as a contestant," Costa wrote in his note which was also shown on television news reports.

Read more of this report from Reuters.