With the epic grand finale of “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” set to hit CBS screens nationwide tomorrow, Wednesday, May 20 at 8:00pm ET, fans are already looking forward to the next season of the hit reality competition series.
Set to premiere as part of CBS’s Fall 2026 unscripted line-up alongside “The Amazing Race” Season 39 this September, “Survivor 51” will reportedly maintain most of the show’s “New Era” formatting – including a 26-day game played out in Fiji’s Mamanuca Islands and an on-location winner reveal, which has already been filmed.
That being said, the season, which wrapped filming last Wednesday, May 13, will reportedly revert back to a two-tribe format, with 10 castaways competing on each tribe. The dearly missed format hasn’t been seen since Season 40’s “Winners at War,” with the entirety of the “New Era” having featured 18-player casts spread evenly across three starting tribes.
While we won’t know much more about “Survivor 51” until closer to its premiere date, longtime “Survivor” insider Redmond (a.k.a. “Inside Survivor”), has revealed the identities of the first 11 brand new castaways who will be competing for $1 million dollars and the title of “Sole Survivor” on the upcoming season, including a criminal defense attorney, a personal trainer, a Canadian actress and the first-ever Irish castaway in “Survivor” history.
Without further ado, here are 11 of the 20 contestants reportedly expected to appear on “Survivor” Season 51 this fall.
Daniel Kilby – 28 – Marketing Coordinator – London, Ontario
According to Inside Survivor, the first castaway joining the cast of Season 51 is 28-year-old Daniel Kilby from London, Ontario, Canada.
In addition to working as a marketing coordinator, Daniel is also the founder of Noodle Goose, a game development studio dedicated to creating “fun, clever and inclusive games for entertainment.”
“I’ve always been fascinated by the psychology of games – what makes people tick, bond, turn on each other, and work together,” Kibly wrote on the studio’s website, describing his love of social games like “Survivor.”
The future castaway is also the co-host of “The Winner’s Edit,” a popular “Survivor” podcast that breaks down new episodes of the series through a combination of strategy and editing analysis known as “Edgic.”
Eric Macksoud – 34 – Mental Health Therapist – Sunderland, MA
Originally from Lincoln, Rhode Island, 34-year-old Eric Macksoud is a mental health counsellor currently residing in Sunderland, Massachusetts.
The future castaway, who competed on the Swim & Dive team at Clark University from 2012-2013, is well prepped for the physical parts of the competition, though it’s his social skills that could potentially launch him to the title of “Sole Survivor” on Season 51.
Macksoud’s personality continues to land him starring roles in local theatrical productions, including playing the role of Miss Trunchbull in a 2019 production of “Matilda: The Musical.”
A source close to Eric opened up about his friend’s reported appearance on the upcoming season on Reddit, writing, “Hahaha they finally cast Eric Macksoud, awesome!..I definitely know him enough to say he’s a good guy, to be excited about this, and to have to tune into 51 now I guess lol. He’s been dying to get on for years and talks about applying all the time.”
“He’s definitely a character,” they added. “Dude has a TON of energy, like you’re absolutely not going to run out of footage of this guy at any point in time and he definitely seems like someone you can rely on to keep making TV even after weeks of no sleep and food. Very energetic and talkative guy, very authentically enthusiastic and excited. Charismatic to where I’m sure he can talk to the camera well.”
Alexis Levine – 28 – Criminal Defense Attorney – Atlanta, GA
Also joining the “Survivor 51” cast is 28-year-old Alexis Lavine, a criminal defense attorney from Atlanta, Georgia.
Prior to marrying her husband three years ago and becoming a mother, Aelixs attended the University of Utah where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications. Levine later earned her Doctorate of Law from the Emory University School of Law.
She currently dedicates her work to campaigning against mass incarceration, pre-trial detention and marijuana legalization.
Cristian Chavez – 25 – HR Executive – Salt Lake City, UT
25-year-old Cristian Chavez – who currently stands out as the youngest castaway joining the “Survivor 51” cast – currently works as an HR executive at an insurance company in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Before being selected as an alternate for Season 47 in 2024, Cristian attended Utah State University, where he was crowned Mr. Congeniality at the Mr. USU pageant. Reports suggest that he similarly has an impressive collection of precious gems and is a self-proclaimed “cat dad.”
While reports of Chavez’s participation in Season 51 are unconfirmed, Season 49 finalist Sophi Balerdi does follow a “cristian.chaves4064” on Instagram.
“I’m just a weirdo in a Dino costume,” reads the private accounts bio.
Ori Jean-Charles – 27 – Personal Trainer – Monsey, NY
Up next on the “Survivor 51” roster is 27-year-old personal trainer Ori Jean-Charles from Monsey, New York.
In addition to his work in the gym, Ori is also the Director of Youth Services at the MLK Center of Rockland, “a community hub where people of all ages can learn, grow, get support and give back.”
Jean-Charles, who goes professionally by “Coach O,” previously attended the University of Albany, where he played as a linebacker on the school’s football team.
While Ori isn’t very vocal on social media, fans might be able to predict his game play style based on the messages left in his Instagram captions, including mantras like, “Can’t Get Up With Me We Don’t Take The Same Risks” and “SEEN IT ALL, BEEN THROUGH IT ALL, the difference between me and them I NEVER PANICKED.”
Patt Cannaday – 33 – U.S. Navy Attorney – Norfolk, VA
The second legal professional reportedly joining the cast of “Survivor 51” is 33-year-old Patt Cannaday, who works as an U.S. Navy attorney in Norfolk, Virginia, receiving her law degree from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law in 2019.
Cannaday’s tough exterior extends beyond the military courtroom, however, with the future castaway being an avid boxer throughout high school and college, where she joined the Boxing team at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication and Rhetoric in 2014.
She later became a certified head coach under USA Boxing and established a club dedicated to coaching “hundreds of youth who were at risk for gang violence.
Patt’s also happily married, having tied the knot with her husband, Nick, five years ago.
Marking the milestone on Instagram, Cannaday wrote, “5 years married, so Nick stopped believing me when I say I’m breaking up with him if he snoozes his alarm clock again. Now looking for a support group for non-snoozing spouses.”
Sharonda Renee – 34 – OBGYN – Berea, KY
From Berea, Kentucky, 34-year-old OBGYN Sharonda Renee will also reportedly be joining the cast of “Survivor” Season 51 this fall.
Sharonda landed the medical gig after graduating from the St. George University School of Medicine in 2023.
“In 1945, Helen Octavia Dickens rewrote history and paved a way for black women like me to go into OBGYN; a field that tortured our black women and used biases against us that has ultimately caused distrust between black women and physicians today,” she wrote on her career on Instagram. “Now I am here… trying to rewrite history for the ones who come after.”
In addition to her work, Renee is an avid traveler, having documented her trips to international destinations like Istanbul, Turkey, Trinidad and Tobago on social media., often accompanied by her longtime boyfriend.
She’s similarly prepared for the more physical aspects of “Survivor,” having completed her first half marathon and Tough Mudder in 2025.
Ana Sani – 34 – Actress – Toronto, Ontario
One of the more prolific personalities joining the cast of “Survivor 51” this fall is 34-year-old actress Ana Sani from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
While Ana has previously celebrated roles in major franchises like Amazon Prime Video’s “The Boys” and “My Little Pony,” she most notably received a Canadian Screen Award for Performance in an Animated Program for voicing Strawberry Shortcake in “Strawberry Shortcake: Beast of the Berry Bog.”
“Voice over was always a goal of mine and having this much fun at a job feels sort of illegal! I look forward to it every single day. To get here took hard work, a vision and believing in myself (also a ton of luck!!)” Sani said of her career in a 2021 Instagram post, adding, “If you have a dream, work towards it every single day – even if it’s just for a minute. You never know when opportunity will strike and you have to be ready for it.”
Kristin Flickinger – 49 – LGBTQ+ Activist – Santa Barbara, CA
Reportedly joining the above castaways on “Survivor 51” this fall is 49-year-old Kristin Flickinger, a former Pacific Pride Foundation executive director and LGBTQ+ activist from Santa Barbara, California.
Her career as an activist, during which she raised $20 million for HIV services and care, grew out of her legal career, which began with earning her Doctorate from Willamette University School of Law. She’s since become the Principle and Founder of Flickinger Consulting, LLC, a firm that specializes in “executive support, transition planning, and leadership coaching rooted in joy and sustainability.”
According to San Diego Pride, Flickinger “has dedicated her career to advancing LGBTQ+ rights and building thriving communities. She began her work in the movement as an intern for the National Gal & Lesbian Task Force in the 1990s and quickly rose to leadership, managing a field office during the same-sex marriage campaigns of the 2000s.”
The organization similarly commented on Kristin’s “dream of competing on the television show SURVIVOR,” with the lawyer reportedly having auditioned for the series for years before allegedly landing a spot on Season 51.
Lewis Kelly – 28 – TikTok Creator – Dublin, Ireland
Up next, and perhaps most notably, 28-year-old Lewis Kelly, a TikTok content creator and model, will make history as the first “Survivor” contestant ever born and raised in Dublin, Ireland.
While “Survivor” wouldn’t typically be at liberty of cast Irish applicants, Lewis actually received his U.S. citizenship last year after moving to Puerto Rico with his wife, Andrea Camila in 2023.
Together, the couple have amassed a huge following on social media, celebrating more than 7.3 million followers on their joint TikTok account and more than 1.2 million on Instagram.
Their viral videos documented their relationship, from the streets of Dublin to the beaches of Puerto Rico, as they tied the knot in their “dream” wedding ceremony, navigated Kelly’s immigration to the U.S., and taught one another their respective native languages, Irish and Spanish.
Prior to finding fame on social media, Lewis celebrated a successful modelling career that began when he was just 17 years old.
Rob Antonson – 40 – Airport Operations – Boston, MA
40-year-old Rob Antonson, an airport operations worker from Boston, Massachusetts, is the final rumored “Survivor 51” contestant we know of for now.
The future castaway currently works for JetBlue Airways at Logan International Airport, landing the post after receiving his Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from Rhode Island College in 2009.
Antonson similarly hosts his own podcast called “The Rob Show,” where he talks about sports, travel and pop culture. The endeavor has brought the self-proclaimed “aspiring comedian” around the globe to locations like China, Thailand, Iceland, Egypt, Dubai, Germany and the U.K.
Check back for further updates on the cast of “Survivor” Season 51 as they become available.
Will There Be a Mystery 21st Castaway on ‘Survivor’ Season 51?
While early leaks from “Survivor 51” filming predict that the season will return to a two-tribe format with a total of 20 contestants, Redmond’s as-yet incomplete cast list contains 21 total slots, suggesting the possibility of an additional mystery contestant.
The “larger than normal” cast size could suggest that the season will start with three tribes of seven instead, though other fans have already started speculating that it instead points to the return of a secret fan-favorite castaway Rupert Boneham, or, conversely, that one player will be voted out as soon as the competition begins without ever being assigned a tribe, similar to Jonathan Libby and Wanda Shirk on “Survivor: Palau.”
CBSRumors of Boneham’s return have existed for mere hours given the recency of Inside Survivor’s partial cast reveal, but have been fueled after fans discovered a May 5 Facebook post from Rupert’s wife and fellow “Survivor” alum, Laura Boneham.
“So happy he is back home,” Laura wrote in the post below a photo appearing to show her husband holding plant tickets back to the United States from a trip abroad. “He is still quite capable at 62… my badass honey can’t wait till fall.”
The nature of the post, accompanied by a palm tree emoji, led some fans to speculate that Laura’s hinting at Rupert’s long-awaited return to “Survivor” on Season 51.
Last year, Boneham expressed that he was “shocked” and “hurt” that he wasn’t invited to return as part of the show’s currently-airing 50th season.
“For years, when you would pull up Wikipedia on ‘Survivor.’ For years, the only thing they would talk about was me,” he told “TheThings” in an interview after the cast was revealed in May, adding, “I have trouble looking past them not even giving me the chance.”
