Fans are now just hours away from the highly anticipated premiere of “Survivor 49”! Set to hit CBS tonight, Wednesday, September 24 at 8:00pm ET, the all-new season will see 18 fresh-faced castaways hit the beaches of Fiji for the first time as they set off on a journey that will challenge them to outwit, outplay and outlast all the others for a chance at taking home the season’s $1 million grand prize.
While it’s difficult to predict how the season will play out until we see the players in action, fans and former players alike have used pre-season interviews, sneak peek footage, and their general “Survivor” intuition to start casting their votes for who they think will emerge victorious as the Sole Survivor of Season 49.
Parvati Shallow Thinks MC Chukwujekwu Will Win ‘Survivor 49’
Speaking with “The Morning Show” ahead of the premiere, five-time “Survivor” player and recent two-time series champion Parvati Shallow was among the first of the show’s former stars to place their bets for who they think is going to win “Survivor 49.”
CBS“I think I’m going to go with MC,” said Parvati, refering to 29-year-old fitness trainer Michelle Chukwujekwu. “I think that she has a really good chance. She was an alternate last season and she got picked for this season, so I feel like she’s a lucky lady.”
MC similarly featured as an alternate for Season 49, joining the game just 12 hours before filming began alongside fellow alternate Jason Truel after two players were pulled from the cast for not adhering to CBS’s strict pre-game rules.
Rob Cesternino Bets Alex Moore Will Become the Next Sole Survivor
Over at “Survivor” alum Rob Cesternino’s “Rob Has A Podcast,” the former series star and his wife, Nicole, have similarly placed their bets on who they think could take home the million-dollar prize this season.
While Cesternino himself selected 27-year-old political communications director Alex Moore as his winner pick, the former player has a less-than-stellar record when it comes to pre-game winner predictions, only guessing a season’s eventual winner once over the last 25 seasons when he correctly predicted that Denise Stapely would take home the title of Sole Survivor on “Survivor: Philippines” in 2012.
CBSAlternatively, Cesternino’s wife, Nicole, chose 28-year-old video editor Jawan Pitts as her pick to win Seasn 49. Unlike her husband, Nicole has correctly predicted the winner of “Survivor” an impressive six times over the last 28 seasons.
Fans are Convinced Savannah Louie Will Win Season 49
While these former players have based their winner predictions solely on pre-game interviews and sneak peek footage from the upcoming season, more investigative fans have argued that either 31-year-old former news reporter Savannah Louie or 25-year-old tech sales associate Rizo Velovic will be named this season’s Sole Survivor.
CBSThe theory comes after both castaways were heavily rumored to be returning to the series to compete on “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” next year. After leaked tribe divisions for the upcoming milestone season leaked online, fans noticed that each of the three starting tribes would feature one former winner if Savannah or Rizo ultimately won “Survivor 49.” The winners already confirmed for the other Season 50 tribes include “Survivor 45” champion Dee Valladares and the current reigning Sole Survivor, Kyle Fraser from Season 48.
CBSSeason 50 contestant Stephenie LaGrossa-Kendrick reportedly confirmed the rumors that three winners competed in the upcoming season in a live video on social media. Given that Rizo has been (albeit unofficially) confirmed to be on the same starting tribe as Kyle, fans are even more convinced that Savannah Louie will eventually be named the Sole Survivor of Season 49.
Who do you think has what it takes to outwit, outplay and outlast? Be sure to tune in to the special two-hour premiere episode of “Survivor 49” when it airs tonight, Wednesday, September 24 at 8:00pm ET on CBS. New episodes of the season will be available to stream the following day on Paramount+.
