Survivor host Jeff Probst has revealed the lineup of former ‘Survivor’ players that are set to return the to long-running competition series for its milestone 50th season, Survivor: In the Hands of the Fans.
During an appearance on CBS Mornings this week, Jeff announced the full cast list for Season 50, which will see 22 returning players from Seasons 1-48 head back to the beaches of Fiji to compete, along with two unnamed castaways from the show’s upcoming 49th season, which is set to premiere this fall, according to People.
In the months leading up to this week’s announcement, fans of ‘Survivor’ were invited to vote on certain aspects of the game in preparation for the milestone 50th season, ranging from tribe colors and immunity necklace designs, to the Final Four’s fire-making challenge and whether or not there will be hidden immunity idols up for grabs. In a press release from earlier this year, Jeff explained that Season 50 would mark “the next evolution” of ‘Survivor.’
“‘Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans’ is unlike anything we’ve done before,” he stated . “I can’t wait to see what the fans choose for our returning players.”
Check out the full cast list below:
Jenna Lewis– Season 1: Borneo; Season 8: All-Stars
Colby Donaldson– Season 2: The Australian Outback; ‘All-Stars’; Season 20: Heroes vs. Villains
Stephanie LaGrossa Kendrick– Season 10: Palau; Season 11: Guatemala; ‘Heroes vs. Villains’
Cirie Fields– Season 12: Panama-Exile Island; Season 16: Micronesia-Fans vs. Favorites; ‘Heroes vs. Villains’; Season 34: Game Changers
Ozzy Lusth– Season 13: Cook Islands; ‘Micronesia-Fans vs. Favorites’; Season 23: South Pacific; ‘Game Changers’
Benjamin “Coach” Wade– Season 18: Tocantins-The Brazilian Highlands; ‘Heroes vs. Villains’; ‘South Pacific’
Aubry Bracco– Season 32: Kaǒh Rōng-Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty; ‘Game Changers’; Season 38: Edge of Extinction
Chrissy Hofbeck– Season 35: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers
Christian Hubicki, Angelina Keeley and Mike White– Season 37: David vs. Goliath
Rick Devens– ‘Edge of Extinction’
Jonathan Young– Season 42
Dee Valladares and Emily Flippen– Season 45
Q Burdette, Tiffany Ervin and Charlie Davis: Season 46
Genevieve Mushaluk: Season 47
Kamilla Karthigesu, Kyle Fraser and Joseph Hunter: Season 48
While many long-time fans of ‘Survivor’ were quick to take to social media to share their excitement for the show’s milestone season, others argued that the Season 50 lineup fails to adequately represent the show’s first 49 seasons.
“Jeff you dropped the ball,” one fan commented on the official ‘Survivor’ Instagram page. “You promised a celebration of ‘Survivor’ and this doesn’t represent 49 seasons. We don’t need more than 1 player from a single season or winners.
“ … This looks like YOUR dream cast & not what is a TRUE celebration of the show or fans,” they continued. “Thank you for ruining it.”
Another fan noted that while they “love a lot” of the Season 50 cast, they also don’t like the fact that two former winners (Dee and Kyle) are among those returning. There were also many (MANY) comments from fans wondering why ‘Survivor’ fan favorite Boston Rob Mariano was not on the cast list, as he recently returned to reality TV to compete on Season 1 of Deal or No Deal Island, followed by Season 3 of The Traitors.
As The Ashley previously told you, the Survivor: Redemption Island winner– who is married to fellow ‘Survivor’ winner Amber Brkich– claimed in 2011 that he and his signature Boston Red Sox hat would not be returning to Fiji, as he had “gotten everything I wanted to ever get out of” the show.
“I won the show– that was my ultimate goal– my wife won the show. So as a contestant I won’t be back on ‘Survivor,’” he said at the time.
According to Us Weekly, Rob made similar comments in 2024, claiming that if he did return to play the game, he would be used by his fellow castaways and ultimately voted out; however, Rob went on to tease a potential return to the franchise last year on Instagram.
“Maybe I do have one more in me after all!” he wrote, noting that his return to ‘Survivor’ “would be poetic,” as he celebrated his 50th birthday last year.
‘Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans’ is set to premiere in February 2026 on CBS. Watch Jeff announce the Season 50 cast below.
RELATED STORY: Former ‘Survivor’ Star Brandon Hantz Arrested on Racketeering & Arson Charges with Outlaw Motorcycle Gang (Exclusive Details!)
(Photos: CBS; Instagram; YouTube)
8 Responses
The show went so downhill thanks to wokeism. They cast weaklings now. I remember the days they casted actual fit good looking people. And when the comps were actually GOOD instead of repetitive. They reuse the same boring comps over and over again. Im rooting for Joe!!
Got rid of hard challenges for reason and that’s why it all about social game now can anyone guess the reason I wait
Thank goodness no Boston Rob (if he isn’t one of the mystery add-ins). He is SO overexposed. I don’t need to see him on every reality contest ever.It’s not even personal, but enough is enough already.
Boston Rob is a bully. The last season he was on he just bullied his tribe mates. That doesn’t make him a good player.
They need to go back to the days when this show was actually good. Now it’s just Jeff Probst best friend race. The challenges are boringly repetitive, what happened to the physical challenges? Not to mention its a fraction of the length it used to be and always the same tired location. It’s a snooze fest. They need to take some notes from Aussie survivor, it’s so much better.
Unfortunately, they can’t change location anymore, or even the length of the game. They have a deal with Fiji to continue to use what they already have for quite a few seasons and it helps to reduce their overall cost too, while benefiting a nation that needs it. There is certain equipment, cleared land, and resources they can continue to reuse without causing any more negative environmental impact (incidentally this is why they can’t return to some previously used locations and are outright banned from some, due primarily to environmental impact, some of which is permanent). The length won’t be changed because of protocol changes that started during covid times and aren’t going to be lifted by any governing agency any time soon-too many moving parts and people. I wish it weren’t so, as do most of us die hard survivor fans, lol, but we’re stuck with this.
Still, there is a hell of a lot more they can do to increase the physical side of things and I really wish they would. Plus bring back things like the auction which very few people ever wanted to go away (usually because it’s slapped smack dab in the middle of a LOT Of physical challenges and right when contestants need it). In today’s survivor, even when contestants don’t “win” a challenge, they’re still not starving, lol. They try to make it seem like they are, but they never really are anymore. That used to be a huge driving force behind the challenges, wins, fails. Now it’s more of a social game than it’s ever been, which should really only be a small part. I too prefer the olden days of survivor, but, I still watch, I’m just a glutton for punishment.
Also, whoever voted for previous winners…they suck, and some of the returnees are terrible choices, I don’t think fans actually chose them, I think Jeff did.
So watch the AU version then
I love my survivor! You don’t mess with my survivor. Please tell me why you need to bring back winners in a non-winner vs loser season. All that does is make me cheer on the underdogs.