If you’ve ever encountered a “Survivor” fan who stands by the opinion that the long-running reality competition series is “fake,” the currently-airing 50th season is the perfect example of why they’re wrong.
Plenty of fans have speculated that the show’s contestants are fed, bathed and pampered off screen, even going so far as to suggest that the castaways spend their nights in a luxurious off-camera resort instead of in their rickety bamboo shelters.
In turn, countless players have confirmed that the show is, in fact, the “realest” reality TV in existence.
“Survivor 50” has done a great job of proving the latter, especially after former series champion Kyle Fraser was medically evacuated from the season after suffering a debilitating Achilles heel injury.
More recently, “Survivor” legend Colby Donaldson revealed that he was nearly pulled from the game as well after a foot injury resulted in what he called “the worst infection” the show’s doctors had seen in 26 years.
According to the recently eliminated Dee Valladares, a third, unaired illness reportedly affected one of the other castaways on the island, with the “Survivor 45” winner revealing that the show’s doctors had to perform checks on her co-star, Rizo Velovic, after noticing that he was losing too much weight.
Dee Claims Rizo was Visibly ‘Weakening’ After Back-to-Back Seasons
CBSRizo Velovic, more memorably known as “Rizgod” to “Survivor” fans, made history after being invited to return for Season 50 just hours after wrapping up an impressive fourth place finish on Season 49 last year.
After spending 25 days on Fiji’s Mamanuca Islands with little to no food, sleep or comfort, Velovic had just nine days of normalcy before returning to the island to do it all over again on “Survivor 50.”
As such, it wasn’t entirely surprising when Dee Valladares revealed that he was being watched closely by the show’s medical team as the remaining castaways entered the Merge portion of the game.
Speaking with journalist Sharon Tharp about her recent elimination, Valladares revealed that Velovic was “sick” in the hours before she was voted off.
“A doctor had to go see him because he wasn’t eating,” Dee reported. “He was losing so much weight.”
After spending nearly 40 consecutive days on “Survivor” (barring a brief interlude between seasons) Rizo was visibly “weakening,” Valladares added.
Velovic has yet to comment on his co-stars comments regarding his health on Season 50.
Dee Says Betraying Rizo is Her ‘Biggest Regret’ From Season 50
CBSConsidering that spilling the beans about Rizo’s Hidden Immunity Idol to her alliance eventually contributed to Valladares being voted off the island as the first member of the “Survivor 50” jury, Dee’s vocal concern for Velovic’s health might come as a surprise to some.
According to the former “Sole Survivor”, however, the indiscretion is the one thing she’d change about her performance on the milestone season — and not just because it got her eliminated.
She claimed that it “hurt” her to betray Rizo’s trust, revealing that she even approached him afterwards to apologize.
“I approached him and I said, ‘Look, I know you know I’m lying to you. You know that I know that you know I’m lying to you. So I just want to say that I’m really sorry,’” Valladares explained.
She additionally disclosed that she was in tears throughout the unaired scene.
“I was crying because I see Rizo as, I know he’s 25, but I see him like a 21-year-old,” the eliminated 29-year-old elaborated. “I see this kid, really, that I see like a little brother and I’m like, ‘I just ruined somebody’s game.’”
She later told Rizo that revealing his Hidden Immunity Idol will go down as her “biggest regret” of the season.
Who’s Left on ‘Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans’?
Dee Valladares’ elimination on last week’s episode of “Survivor 50” leaves just 13 players in the running to claim the $1 million grand prize and the title of “Sole Survivor.”
Next week (Apr. 15) two more players will find themselves joining Dee on the jury as yet another double-elimination rocks the remaining contestants.
Joining Rizo Velovic in the Top 13 are Benjamin “Coach” Wade, Chrissy Hofbeck, Aubry Bracco, Rick Devens, Ozzy Lusth, Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick, Emily Flippen, Cirie Fields, Joe Hunter, Tiffany Nicole Ervin, Christian Hubicki and Jonathan Young.
Find which two players’ torches get snuffed when an all-new episode of “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” hits CBS screens nationwide on Wednesday, April 15 at 8:00pm ET.
