Throughout history, the skilled craft of the butcher has been essential to human survival. In early civilizations when foodborne diseases were claiming lives, it was the butcher with their precise tools and keen skills who warded off death. Today, there are thousands of people who continue this noble tradition but only a select few can be considered a “Master Butcher.” Now, for the first time comes an extreme, high-stakes competition where best-in-class butchers battle in a showdown designed to put their knowledge, strategy and technique to the ultimate test. With their sharp knives and even sharper skills, these butchers carve their way through painstaking challenges, navigate surprising “mystery meats” (Python? Ostrich? Alligator?) and use their expert talent to prove their mettle as the ultimate master butcher.

The Butcher host Colby Donaldson is best known as the fan-favorite contestant from Survivor: The Australian Outback (where he finished as runner-up); Survivor: All-Stars; and Survivor: Heroes & Villains. Colby previously hosted History’s popular series Top Shot, which pitted some of the country’s top marksmen against each other in head-to-head shooting challenges. Born and raised in rural West Texas, Colby is a life-long outdoorsman. Drawing from his elder generations’ knowledge of grilling and smoking meats and sharing the same passion for outdoor cooking, Colby has been living the “ranch-to-table” lifestyle since long before it became a hip new trend.

Colby Donaldson can discuss what viewers can expect from The Butcher, some of the incredible challenges and mystery meats contestants must face, and some of the fascinating secrets of the butcher’s world revealed by the show.