'Survivor' Returns for Season 49 in the Fall: Everything to Know

Perhaps now, more than ever, it’s an incredible time to be a Survivor fan. The CBS veteran reality series, which is soon celebrating its 25th anniversary, just ended its 48th season, and viewers are eagerly anticipating the milestone returnee-filled Season 50 next spring. But first, another group of new castaways enters Jeff Probst’s island gladiatorial arena, ready to take on a game of starvation and deception in the hopes of walking out a million dollars richer.

Here’s everything to know about the upcoming season of Survivor 49.

🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 

When does Survivor 49 start?

During the premiere of Big Brother 27, CBS revealed that Survivor 49 will premiere on Wednesday, Sep. 24.

How long will episodes of Survivor 48 be?

Survivor 49will open with a two-hour premiere. But subsequent weeks will continue to air 90-minute episodes, a permanent change for the show starting in Season 45. While first instituted to fill time due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the longer episodes have been one of the most positively received changes of the past few years, encouraging the network to keep the longer episodes.

Related: Jeff Probst Explains How 90-Minute Episodes Will Be Used in Survivor 46

When is the finale of Survivor 49?

We don’t know the premiere date of Survivor 49, let alone the finale. But, considering the typical “New Era” season of Survivor airs for 13 weeks, depending on when the season starts, we should expect it to wrap up in mid to late December.

When did Survivor Season 49 film?

Given the typical filming schedule, it’s assumed Survivor 48 filmed in April and May 2025. The season will continue with the “new era” tradition of running for 26 days rather than the 39 days of the first 40 seasons.

Related: ‘Survivor’ Turns 45! Meet the “Next Generation” of the Crew Behind the Scenes

Who is in the cast for Survivor 49?

The cast of Survivor 49 was announced on Aug. 20, 2025.

Alex Moore

When I meet Alex Moore out in the jungles of Fiji, his feet and legs are caked in mud. But it’s far from his first time wading in a swamp, as he spends his days immersed in DC politics on Capitol Hill. The 26-year-old is used to being underestimated, considering he started his political career as one of the youngest communication directors in the history of Congress. And he has a few laws that he’s operating under out on the island: Use gossip to your advantage, don’t tell anyone what you find, and don’t get suckered by a cute girl.

Kimberly “Annie” Davis

There is nothing that can dull Kimberly “Annie” Davis’s shine. Literally, she’s decked out with glitter across her eyes as she sits down with me to talk. But throughout our conversation, it’s clear the 49-year-old has never let the world keep her down, as a life of trials and tribulations has led to her becoming the founder and CEO of her own company, as well as an award-winning rock star. And so, when Annie got the call to come play Survivor 49 only a month before the game began, she did what she’s always done: Hit the ground running. The triathlete and mountain climber is ready to summit Survivor, quite literally flipping off any opportunity to play it safe. And, through it all, the leader of “Trashy Annie” hopes to find some treasure awaiting her after 26 days.

Jake Latimer

To say Jake Latimer’s time on Survivor will be rooted in family would be an understatement. Part of the reason why the 35-year-old is playing right now is because of his father’s glaucoma, wanting his dad to see him on TV before his eyesight goes altogether. But that does jut up against some major timing for him, as he’s missing the due date of his first child to come play the game. So Jake has to make sure the trip is worth skipping the major milestone, as the correctional officer hopes his physical prowess and natural nurturing skills won’t put him in solitary confinement.

Jason Treul

When I talk with Jason Treul, he believes he’s not on the cast of Survivor 49. The Pokémon fan has no idea that, the next day, the show would be telling him, “I choose you.” The Super Smash Bros. player was drawn into the show by alumni Ken Hoang before he decided to pick up the controller for himself. And, while he’s happy to lead with vulnerability and talk up his smaller stature, the 32-year-old has made some big moves in his life, going from pouring acid into vats to working at Google to starting the path to becoming a lawyer. And he’s hoping to follow in the footsteps of fellow former alternate Rachel LaMont, mastering “Fast and Furious Survivor” as he pulls up to the starting line mere hours before the race.

Jawan Pitts

Five years ago, Jawan Pitts left behind everything he knew to travel coast-to-coast, pursuing a career in Hollywood. And the 28-year-old is using the lessons he learned from his literal big move to hopefully make some more on the island. Despite being the oldest of five siblings, Jawan hopes he can come across as everyone’s “little brother.” But don’t take him for granted, as the video editor has storyboarded out the shots he needs to get to hopefully make that million-dollar picture.

Jeremiah Ing

When Jeremiah Ing’s mom sees him on Survivor, she’ll be surprised to say the least. That’s because the global events manager had told her – along with nearly everyone in his life – that he was climbing Mount Everest instead. The 39-year-old feels he’s been summiting a proverbial peak his entire life, consistently underestimated and only relying on himself. Jeremiah has a habit of verbalizing his thoughts, but he’s coming in with a foolproof plan: When in doubt, talk to the trees.

Kristina Mills

The last thing anyone would call a monthlong game of starvation and exhaustion a “recharge.” But that’s exactly why Kristina Mills found the island calling to her. The 35-year-old has spent the past several years dealing with postpartum depression, as well as the death of her mother from addiction. And so the MBA career coach applied for the job of castaway, hoping her skills as a self-proclaimed “social nerd.” Kristina admits she can get caught off-guard, wearing deception on her face. But, with the calming ocean at her back, she’s hoping to make waves in the game.

Matt Williams

Matt Williams has led a life of putting his money where his mouth is. Ten years ago, feeling unfulfilled with his finance career, he left the white-collar world behind, becoming a ramp agent at the airport. And, after criticizing players from the comfort of his couch, he was challenged by his friends to try to pilot his own game and apply. The oldest person in the cast at 52, Matt is hoping his outdoor background and laid-back “just happy to be here” vibes will make him an underestimated “Torjan Horse.” But, being loyal to a fault, the dreadlocked man hopes he won’t dread booting his friends. If he can overcome that, he can go from throwing around bags for a living to securing the bag on Day 26. 

Michelle “MC” Chukwujekwu

For Michelle “MC” Chukwujekwu, Survivor was a case of “better late than never.” More than six months ago, the 29-year-old sat down for her first episode, a watch party recommendation. But the fitness trainer and salesperson fell instantly in love with the physical challenges, as well as the complex psychology. And so MC decided going to the island was her MO. But will this self-proclaimed “recovering people pleaser” find herself relapsing in the worst possible way?

Nate Moore

It’s safe to say Survivor is the most unique set Nate Moore has been on. That’s saying a lot, considering the film producer worked in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for over a decade, helping craft some of the greatest comic book movies of all time. But it’s a 25-year love of the game that has him stepping out in front of the camera, as his origin story has him saying, “I can do this all 26 days.” The 47-year-old is hoping his sense of humor can be a superpower, calling himself “pathologically sarcastic.” But, for all of his experience with telling big, flashy stories, he intends to play an old-school, grounded game, saying that advantages bring more harm than good.

Nicole Mazullo

Nicole Mazullo describes herself as the “love child” of Boston Rob Mariano and Shambo Waters. Unlike Shambo’s iconic haircut, she’s all about party in the front and business in the back, hoping her sense of humor will mask her cutthroat nature. Learning with hearing loss growing up, Nicole became an expert in body language that she plans to carry over to the beach, a skill she hopes she can use to fuel some fiery fights at Tribal Council. Having turned 26 on the day we speak, the financial crimes consultant is happy to call out fraud as she sees it, including people who claim they’re playing an “honest game.”

Rizo Velovic

While one of the younger members of Survivor 49‘s cast, Rizo Velovic had to learn to grow up from an early age. With his immigrant parents working multiple jobs, the 25-year-old was left to do taxes, house hunt and take care of his younger brother. But while he babysat his sibling, Survivor babysat him. The tech salesman found an immediate love for the show, and he showcases his encyclopedic knowledge, having spent the preseason comparing his entire competition to previous players. But make no mistake, Rizo is not stuck in the past, as the first player of Albanian descent is ready to make “the man, the myth, the legend, R-I-Z-G-O-D, RizGod, baby” one of the greatest Survivor players of all time.

Sage Ahrens-Nichols

Cards up, this is not the first session I’m having with clinical social worker Sage Ahrens-Nichols. Having originally applied for Big Brother, you can expect quite the unexpected resume from the 30-year-old, having enlisted in the Army right out of high school and currently working in mental health counseling. And, while not making it to the battlefield for Season 47, she was reenlisted for Troop 49. Coming from a small town, Sage has taken every opportunity she could to push outside of the box she felt she was kept in growing up. That means embracing her emotions, leading with her soul and hoping her love of behavioral patterns lets her finish in first place.

Savannah Louie

After years of reporting on headlines, Savannah Louie comes to Survivor looking to make some herself. The newfound marketing specialist spent years as a news anchor, which gave her great listening skills, an ability to talk to anyone and a penchant for leveraging information. The 31-year-old was sucked into the game at a young age by some of the biggest villains in the show’s history, hoping to bring her own level of cunning to the beach. While she predicts she may have gotten put on a “disaster tribe” to start the game, that doesn’t deter the Miley Cyrus fan from coming in like a wrecking ball, hoping to earn her flowers with a byline of Survivor winner.

Shannon Fairweather

One thing is clear when talking with Shannon Fairweather: She’s here for the vibes. That’s the literal core of the entrepreneur’s business, “HerVibe,” a spiritual community for women. But it also speaks to the frequency with which the 27-year-old has in every step she takes. Shannon’s unique sense of faith has her connected to higher presences, hoping her sense of self-actualization and go-getter attitude can create Heaven on Earth in Fiji. The powers that be have led to several Survivor synchronicities in Shannon’s life, most notably with Boston Rob Mariano working at his parents’ sports bar before his reality TV career took off. And she was happy to use the family connection to get some pre-game advice from the legend – as well as words of wisdom from an AI she programmed to act like Jesus and Ram Dass.

Sophi Balerdi

Surrounded by the jungle of Fiji as we speak, Sophi Balderi’s mind is on the family tree. The 27-year-old discovered the show through her grandmother, who learned to speak English through the musings of Jeff Probst. And, five years after her passing, she stands ready to compete, feeling her loved one’s spirit alongside her. The business owner has admittedly not done much accounting in preparation, opting to rely on her adaptability that got her three different stores. But Sophi does plan on being “emotionally unattached” in the game, as well as a shoulder to cry on, so she can earn the cash flow towards some new acquisitions.

Sophie Segreti

The last time I spoke with Sophie Segreti in Fiji, she was simultaneously devastated and furious. Admitting she wears her heart on her sleeve, the 31-year-old had made her feelings known about her disappointment at being an alternate for Survivor 48. Less than a year later, she’s in much brighter spirits, as she’s bringing plenty of lessons from her first island trip into her second. Self-admittedly “handy as hell,” Sophie brings a toolbox filled with an athletic background, strategic experience in corporate America, and an ability to bring people together. And the YouTube strategy associate hopes that’s a winning combination to make her one to watch.

Steven Ramm

Steven Ramm is used to exploring the expanses of the universe in his day-to-day. But the rocket scientist has made his own giant leap to Fiji to find his own edges. The 35-year-old believes his well-rounded experiences as a NASA engineer and musician give him an astronomical chance of taking home the prize. Growing up with an undiagnosed hearing condition gave him superhuman observational skills, which he hopes to use to “rocket” in this game. While Steven’s work sometimes causes him to naturally overthink, he’s hoping his social skills can draw people into his orbit where, like a supermassive black hole, he crushes their games into the void.

Related: Survivor 49 Cast Members Give Their First Impression of the Competition

Why were alternates brought in on Survivor 49?

Survivor 49 marked an unprecedented situation for the show. As Jeff Probst tells Parade, in the pregame process before a season starts, the cast all live and hang out in the same area, but are forbidden to talk to each other. Two specific cast members broke this rule, leading to their removal from the season. Only 12 hours before Day 1, production informed Jason Treul and Michelle “MC” Chukwujekwu, the alternates brought on the island, that they would be subbing in. This marks the first time in Survivor history two individual alternates replaced cast members before the season began.

Related: Jeff Probst Says Rules Violation Led to Historic Alternate Situation on ‘Survivor 49’ (Exclusive)

What is the Survivor diversity news?

In June 2019, inspired by the events surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement and discussions around anti-racist practices, a group of Black Survivor alumni spoke up about their experiences and difficulties they faced as minorities on the show. Known as the “Soul Survivors Organization” and consisting of contestants from seasons 1 to 40, they released a widely-circulated petition that calls upon the show to institute several anti-racist initiatives, including casting BIPOC for at least 30% of each cast, hiring more BIPOC as part of the crew, and actively supporting the cast, including mental health resources following the season.

“The entire culture is in a beautiful upheaval,” Probst says about the petition, “and our job is to respond to it to make sure that Survivor continues to reflect our culture and our behavior and how we’re interacting with each other. Everything that’s happening is going to inform the future of Survivor.”

As a result of the initiative, CBS announced in November 2020 that it would be instituting new rules for its unscripted shows in the pursuit of increased diversity. That includes a requirement for at least 50% of every show’s cast to be contestants who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), as well as allocating a minimum of 25% of its annual unscripted development budget to projects created or co-created by BIPOC producers.

Earlier in 2025, Paramount co-CEOs George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy and Brian Robbins put forward a memo saying that the company would be making changes to its diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Despite this, however, Survivor casting producer Jesse Tannenbaum said in an interview with Deadline that, even if casts do not specifically hit the previous 50% threshold, “nothing has changed” in terms of their mission to create ethnically diverse groups.

Related: ‘Survivor,’ ‘Big Brother’ and ‘Amazing Race’ Casting Director Responds to Diversity Initiative News: ‘Nothing’s Changed’

Who won Survivor48?

In a season where people were incredibly open about their gameplay and alliances, Kyle Fraser succeeded in secret. The lawyer came into the game lying about his job, saying he was a teacher. And he put on a masterclass of how to deceive, as he and his number one ally, Kamilla Karthigesu, made some of the biggest moves of the season while in the shadows. Making it to Day 26, Kyle brought these points into the light, earning the respect of the majority of the jury. And so the self-proclaimed “most average guy you’ll ever meet” took home the million for a definitively above-average game.

Related: ‘Survivor 48’ Winner Kyle Fraser Says He Was ‘Very Scared’ Going Into Final Tribal Council (Exclusive)

What happened to Dan on Survivor?

In a positive stand for the #MeToo movement, contestant Dan Spilo was removed from the game due to multiple incidents involving unwanted touching.

Related: What Really Happened When Dan Spilo Was Removed from Survivor

How many seasons of Survivor are there?

Survivor premiered on May 31, 2000, and has aired a spring and fall season each year until fall 2020, picking back up in 2021. There are 48 completed seasons of Survivor. When all is said and done, there are a little over 700 episodes of Survivor total.

Where was Survivor Season 49 filmed?

Season 49 was filmed in the Mamanuca Islands in Fiji. The show has been filming in that location since its 33rd season in 2016.

Where to watch Survivor

Survivor airs Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. Episodes are made available the next day via the Paramount+ app.

What time is Survivor on?

Survivor airs in its usual time slot at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on Wednesdays on CBS.

Is Survivor on Netflix?

Yes! The streaming giant currently has two seasons available: Tocantins (Season 18) and Kaôh Rōng (Season 32). Due to this availability, which started back in 2020, the show had a crop of new viewers come in during the pandemic, some of whom even went on to play the game.

Is Survivor on Paramount+?

Jeff Probst‘s 2020 appearance in a Super Bowl commercial for Paramount+ gave us a hint of the joy that would come soon: All 48 seasons of Survivor are now available for streaming on Paramount+!

Is Survivor on Amazon’s Prime Video?

Yes! But you won’t be able to binge all 48 seasons of Survivor. Seasons 1, 3, and 12-28 are included with an Amazon Prime Video account.

How to watch Survivor online?

If you really want to watch all 48 seasons, you’ll need to stream them on Paramount+.

Is there a sneak peek trailer for Survivor49?

You can check out the first look at Survivor 49, which aired during the Survivor 48 finale, below.

Related: Meet the Full Cast of ‘Survivor 50’