'Survivor' winner 'arrested for TV interview'

Original Survivor winner Richard Hatch was arrested because he granted a television interview, according to his sister Kristin.

The 48-year-old, who was previously jailed on tax evasion charges, was taken into custody at Kristin's home in Rhode Island yesterday just hours after giving an interview to NBC's Today show.

Speaking on the programme today, his sister claimed that she overheard a sheriff's deputy say that Hatch was being taken to prison "because he did an interview".

Today show host Matt Lauer and Hatch have both said that they got permission from the federal Bureau of Prisons for the interview, in which Hatch suggested that he had been discriminated against because he is gay.

The reality star, who also gave interviews to WPRO-FM and WJAR-TV, added that CBS had promised to pay the tax on his $1 million Survivor prize money. He also reportedly accused a prosecutor of misconduct.

Hatch had been living at his sister's home under house arrest after serving nearly four years behind bars. He was sentenced on tax evasion charges in 2006 and given extra prison time for lying on the stand. He had been due for release on October 7.

An attorney for Hatch has told The AP that an official reason for the arrest has still not been given.