On Wednesday, May 21, the Survivor 48 finale will air, and a new Sole Survivor will be crowned victorious. Best of all, it could be a Canadian who takes home the million dollar prize.
Five players remain in the game, including 31-year-old Kamilla Karthigesu, who hails from Toronto. If Kamilla wins, she would be the third Canadian to do so, but regardless of where she places, she joins a small but impressive roster of Canadians who have gotten to play the iconic game over the last 25 years.
Canadians officially became eligible for Survivor in 2018, and Brampton-born retired hockey player Tom Laidlaw became the first. Here’s a look at all of the other Canadians who have graced our screens over the years — and who might be returning for season 50.
The winners circle
Survivor 41 featured two Canadians: Shan Smith, a pastor from Toronto, and Erika Casupanan, a communications manager from Niagara Falls. Shan was the biggest character on her season, until her high strategic threat level led to her former ally spearheading her vote out. Erika, however, managed to remain under the radar until the final tribal council, where she became the first non-U.S. winner on American Survivor.
Survivor 42 had two Ontario natives in Maryanne Oketch and Omar Zaheer. It was quirky outsider-turned-strategist Maryanne who would go on to win the season by blindsiding Omar and beautifully articulating her case at final tribal council.
The last two years
There were no Canadians on Survivor 43 (and maybe that has something to do with why it’s a widely disliked season, but who’s to say?), while Survivor 44 saw Saskatchewan’s Kane Fritzler represent the prairies. While the season is best remembered for the iconic Tika Three alliance, Kane managed to place eighth. He’s also the only player to have been voted out after sitting out of a challenge to get rice for their tribe.
Survivor 45 introduced viewers to Kaleb Gebrewold from Vancouver, who managed to survive what was arguably the most disastrous starting tribe of all time. His social charisma made him a target, but he managed to play the show’s first successful Shot in the Dark before becoming the first member of the jury.
Survivor 46 saw two Torontonians. While Jess Chong was the second person eliminated, Venus Vafa’s cunningness and bluntness made her a stand-out personality on a season known for stand-out personalities. She placed seventh after being unable to solidify trust amongst the other players.
Looking ahead
And finally, Survivor 47 featured one of the most captivating players of the new era. Winnipeg’s Genevieve Mushaluk experienced an early crisis of conscience after blindsiding her ally. Perceived as a massive threat post-merge, Genevieve teamed up with tribemates Sam and Andy to orchestrate a masterclass in deception that saved her life in the game. Neck-in-neck with eventual winner Rachel Lamont, Genevieve lost immunity at the final five and was finally voted out.
The rumour mill believes she could be a returnee on the much-anticipated Season 50, but only time will tell!
Will Kamilla become the next Canadian winner? While she’s arguably the strongest strategist remaining, her odds of defeating the physical threats are low. But in Survivor, anything can happen!
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