Since the cast of “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” returned from filming the milestone season in Fiji earlier this summer, spoilers and rumors regarding the boot order, tribe divisions and eventual winner have been swirling online.
Most notably, contestant Benjamin “Coach” Wade, who will be returning for his fourth “Survivor” appearance on Season 50, whipped fans into a frenzy when he took to social media claiming that the show’s extensive non-disclosure agreement, or NDA, wouldn’t stop him from spoiling the season before its projected premiere date in February 2026.
Benjamin ‘Coach’ Wade Trolls Fans with Fake ‘Survivor 50’ Spoilers
“There’s a huge NDA that ‘Survivor’ players all sign and take very seriously, especially on a big one like #survivor 50,” Coach, also known by the moniker “Dragonslayer,” wrote on X shortly after returning from Fiji, adding that NDA stands for “Not Dragonslayer Applicable.”
CBS/GettyAt the behest of a fan, Coach then seemingly spoiled the first five players eliminated from the upcoming season before adding that “50” would similarly feature Exile Island, Edge of Extinction and Redemption Island format twists. As both Edge of Extinction and Redemption Island serve essentially the same purpose – to allow eliminated players the opportunity to return to the game – fans quickly deduced that Coach was trolling them.
Though Coach’s supposed spoilers turned out to be a bust, fans have spent recent months breaking down every online rumor, analyzing the returning players’ social media posts and digging up behind-the-scenes set photos to try to unearth any hint at who might be named the “Sole Survivor” of the Emmy-winning competition series’ landmark 50th season, there’s one big reason that any winner spoilers should be taken with a grain of salt.
Why ‘Survivor 50’ Winner Spoilers Can’t be (Totally) Trusted
While the season’s 24 returning players, including series legends like Cirie Fields, Ozzy Lusth and Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick, could spoil vital information about “In the Hands of the Fans,” it’s unlikely that even players are 100 percent certain as to who wins the upcoming season.
Unlike previous new era seasons, “Survivor 50” will reportedly host a live reunion in Los Angeles instead of crowning a winner on location in Fiji. The change comes as a result of the fan-voting polls that allowed viewers to shape how the upcoming season will shake out, from the presence of Hidden Immunity Idols, to whether or not castaways will start the game with rice.
While the official results of the polling won’t be revealed until the season airs in February, reports suggest that 91 percent of fans preferred to have longtime host Jeff Probst preside over a live finale taping in Los Angeles. As a result, no one, bar Probst himself, will know with 100 percent certainty who wins “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” until he reads out the Final Tribal Council votes next Spring.
As spoilers and rumors for the upcoming season continue to ramp up as its premiere approaches, fans should remain wary of all spoilers, but particularly those pertaining to who will emerge as the show’s 50th “Sole Survivor.”
