by Michael Ausiello
TV Guide

Survivor producer Mark Burnett is thisclose to hooking a big fish for next winter's all-star Survivor: Colby Donaldson. The Australian Outback dreamboat confirms that CBS is reserving a tiki torch in his name.

"If the scheduling works out, I want to do it," says the 29-year-old cowboy, who, after his 2001 stint Down Under, relocated to Hollywood to pursue acting (and appeared in the 2002 PAX movie Another Pretty Face). Is Donaldson worried that a return to reality will jeopardize his career as a serious thesp? (His bud, Survivor host Jeff Probst, advised him not to return for that very reason.) "Could it be a risk? Sure," Donaldson muses. "But I wanted to compete on Survivor long before I [started] pursuing acting. I think it would be an awesome opportunity to go back and play an amazing game and have a wonderful experience all over again."

Meanwhile, details are slowly leaking out about the top-secret championship round. It will be shot in November and December and, unlike previous editions, the castaways won't know if they're headed to South Dakota or the South Pacific. "They said even when they know the location, you won't," Donaldson reveals. "If we did know the location, you can bet we'd be doing our research to figure out what goes on there to get a leg up on the competition."

Speaking of which, in addition to the Texas dreamboat, formal offers are expected to soon go out to Survivor grads Richard Hatch, Susan Hawk, Rob Cesternino and Donaldson's Outback nemesis Jerri Manthey. Muses the Colbster: "I don't think it's going to be as hard getting along with Jerri as it was the first time, but who knows?"