2025 has been a jam-packed year for “Survivor” fans. From the premiere of “Survivor 48” in February, to the finale of “Survivor 49” in December, the last 12 months have seen 36 fresh-faced castaways take on the ultimate game of survival for a chance to walk away with the title of “Sole Survivor” and the $1 million grand prize that comes with it.
Additionally, former contestants like “Boston Rob” Mariano and Parvati Shallow continued to make headlines for their ongoing contributions to the world of reality TV. Meanwhile, longtime “Survivor” host Jeff Probst addressed the fandom’s burning questions about the show’s future, all while promoting the highly-anticipated 2026 premiere of “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans.”
Survivors ready? Here’s a look back at the best, biggest, and most dramatic “Survivor” moments from 2025.
CBS Confirmed Season 50 Would be ‘In the Hands of the Fans’
CBS kicked off 2025 by announcing the long-awaited return of “themed” for the milestone 50th season of “Survivor.”
While fans had been anticipating something big for the anniversary installment, the network confirmed on February 22, 2025, that the theme of “Survivor 50” would be “In the Hands of the Fans,” giving viewers unprecedented control over the upcoming season.
Through the airing of Season 48, fans were given the power to vote on how “Survivor 50” would play out. Voting categories included things like whether or not the players would start the game with a portion of rice, the presence of Hidden Immunity Idols and advantages, and whether the finale would be filmed on location in Fiji or live in Los Angeles.
Jeff Probst Shed His First-Ever On-Camera Tears on ‘Survivor 48’
While excitement for Season 50 continued to build throughout the early months of 2025, fans were able to temper their eagerness long enough to enjoy “Survivor 48,” which premiered on February 26, 2025.
The season offered plenty of memorable moments, but none as powerful as the interaction between castaways Joe Hunter and Eva Erickson that brought Jeff Probst to tears for the very first time in “Survivor” history.
After struggling to complete a challenge, Eva, who has autism, broke down in tears. Despite being on a different tribe, Probst allowed Joe to comfort his friend and ally.
CBS/GettyAfter Joe helped sooth Eva, she addressed her fellow competitors, opening up about her autism diagnosis and how it affected her life, a speech that ultimately led to Probst shedding tears of his own.
Probst later opened up about the first-of-its-kind moment in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, telling the publication, “I was working so hard to stay focused on the story so I could do my job as host while trying to hold back my tears…It wasn’t just about Eva anymore – it was about every young person searching for the words to express who they are, and every parent trying to understand, support, and protect their child through it. My tears came from the overwhelming mix of emotions every parent knows – fear, joy, worry, hope – all tangled up at once.”
Kyle Fraser Celebrated a Come-From-Behind Season 48 Victory
As Season 48 drew to a close on May 21, castaway Kyle Fraser walked away from the competitor with a $1 million check and the coveted title of “Sole Survivor” to go with it.
That being said, Kyle’s victory wasn’t set in stone before the finale. In fact, many viewers had pegged fellow finalist Joe Hunter as the season’s most-likely victor.
Things changed, however, after Fraser sent his No. 1 ally, Kamilla Karthigesu to the dreaded Final 4 fire-making challenge. When Kamilla lost the challenge to Eva Erickson, she became the final member of the Jury, a move that ultimately cemented Kyle as the deserving winner of “Survivor 48.”
Less than a week after the finale, Kyle, Kamilla and Joe were all confirmed to be returning to compete on “Survivor 50.”
Jeff Probst Announced Largest-Ever Cast for ‘Survivor 50’
One week after the finale of “Survivor 48,” Jeff Probst appeared on “CBS Mornings” to announce the official cast of “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” live.
The May 28 cast announcement confirmed the return of old-school fan favorite players like Jenna Lewis-Dougherty, Colby Donaldson, Stephenie LaGrossa-Kendrick, Benjamin “Coach” Wade, Cirie Fields, and Ozzy Lusth.
Joining them, from the so-called “Middle Era” of “Survivor,” were former castaways like Aubry Bracco, Chrissy Hofbeck, Rick Devens, Christian Hubicki, Angelina Keeley and “The White Lotus” creator Mike White.
An additional 12 contestants were pulled from the available pool of “New Era” competitors, including players like Jonathan Young, Dee Valladares, Genevieve Mushaluk, Kamilla Karthigesu, Joe Hunter, Kyle Fraser, Emily Flippen, Tiffany Ervin, Charlie Davis and Q Burdette.
Probst similarly revealed the two more mystery players – pulled from the cast of “Survivor 49” which, at the time, had not yet aired – would also be joining the record-breaking 24-person cast. Their identities were later revealed as Season 49 finalists Rizo Velovic and Savannah Louie.
While the cast was relatively well-received by fans, others questioned why iconic players like Rupert Boneham, Kelley Wentworth, Rob Cesternino, Abi Maria Gomes and more were excluded from the lineup.
‘Survivor’ Landed 4 Emmy Award Nominations
Over the course of its 25-year history, “Survivor” spent the better part of its first-decade on air dominating the Awards scene. In recent years, however, the series has fallen off the radar, replaced by flashier reality competition series like “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and, more recently, “The Traitors.”
This year, however, “Survivor” re-entered the race, earning four nominations ahead of the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards for its 48th season. The nominations included those for “Outstanding Reality Competition Program,” “Outstanding Host,” “Outstanding Casting” and “Outstanding Cinematography.”
Unfortunately, the series didn’t take home a single award during the September 17 ceremony.
Regardless, Probst said he was “proud” to accept the nominations, adding in an Instagram post that, “We’re always striving to elevate the format, push the boundaries with our storytelling and celebrate the authentic, relatable moments of the amazing players who take on the ‘Survivor’ adventure!”
Parvati Shallow’s ‘Australia vs. the World’ Victory Divided the Fandom
This summer, American “Survivor” stars Parvati Shallow, Cirie Field and Tony Valchos joined the cast of “Survivor: Australia vs. the World,” an international showdown where castaways from series franchises around the world competed for the ultimate “Survivor” title.
In the end, Parvati walked away with the title, and a handsome $250,000 prize, cementing her as the third person to win “Survivor” twice.
Things got interesting, however, after fellow series champion Jeremy Collins refused to acknowledge Parvati as a “real” two-time winner during an episode of the “On Fire with Jeff Probst” aftershow podcast, on which he served as co-host.
Collins argued that Shallow technically only qualified as a “1.5-time winner,” citing format differences between the American and Australian series.
The “Survivor: Cambodia” winner’s comments caused uproar in the fandom, with fans and former players alike entering an all-out war over Shallow’s two-time winner status. The feud eventually saw input from former players like Sandra Diaz-Twine and Tony Vlachos – the only other two-time “Survivor” winners – as well as celebrity fans like Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers, who discussed the controversy on their award-winning “Las Culturistas” podcast.
Jeff Probst continues to weigh in with his personal opinion on the debate, though he has since confirmed that Parvati has secured a spot on his own “Mount Rushmore” of former “Survivor” players, where she is joined by Sandra and Tony, as well as series legend “Boston Rob” Mariano.
Boston Rob Dodged Offers to Compete on ‘Big Brother’ & ‘DWTS’
Speaking of Boston Rob, the former castaway continued to make headlines this year despite his supposed “retirement” from the franchise.
Throughout 2025, Mariano made several appearances on reality TV, including a guest spot on “Big Brother” Season 27, during which former house guest Derrick Levasseur challenged him to join a future season of the Julie Chen-Mooves-hosted series.
While Boston Rob dodged the offer, citing a too-lengthy filming commitment, it was mere months later when “Dancing with the Stars” judge Derek Hough challenged him to join the hit dance competition series as well.
The offer came after Mariano’s “Traitors” co-star Dylan Efron appeared as a contestant on the show’s most-recent season. While Boston Rob appeared in the ballroom – and behind the scenes – several times throughout the season in support of his close friend, he continually argued that his poor dance skills would make him a less-than-perfect contestant on the series.
GettyRegardless, fans have continued to push for the “Survivor” star to continue his reality TV career on a future season. Mariano has since softened his stance from a hard “no” to a “maybe” following the launch of his very-own reality series “Everything’s a Competition” on YouTube.
‘Survivor 49’ Cast Experienced a Last-Minute Shake-Up
On August 20, the official cast reveal for “Survivor 49” unearthed last-minute changes as alternate castaways Jason Treul and MC Chukwujekwu were added to the roster just 12 hours before filming began.
The alterations followed after previously casted players were pulled from the cast for not adhering to strict pre-game rules.
Robert Voets/CBS“Casting on ‘Survivor’ is never static,” Probst explained in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “‘Survivor’ has rules and standards, and if a player crosses that line, we act. It’s one of the reasons we bring alternates [to Fiji] is to have our own insurance.”
“It was a shock,” he added, referring to the so-called “cheating” scandal that rocked the fandom just weeks before the premiere on “Survivor 49.”
Jeff Probst Addressed the Future of ‘Survivor’ Villains & Spin-Offs
Through the airing of “Survivor 49,” Probst addressed a number of fans’ burning questions on his “On Fire” aftershow podcast, including the precarious future of casting “villainous” castaways, as well as the potential of “Survivor” spin-offs featuring celebrity and elder contestants.
While Probst seemingly dismissed the possibility of hosting a season composed entirely of players over the age of 50 – in line with spin-offs like “The Golden Bachelor” – as well as an all-celebrity season, he did push back against fans arguing that “Survivor” needs more villains.
Probst argued that, while the show has no interest in continuing to cast “mean-spirited” players like Russell Hantz, villains still exist in the new era.
He pointed specifically to “Survivor 49” castaway Savannah Louie, who he compared to former champion Parvati Shallow, explaining that the incentive to lie, cheat and steal is still alive and well for players who aren’t afraid to lean into the name of the game, which is deception.
Savannah Louie Joined Season 50 Cast After Season 49 Victory
“Survivor” rounded out 2025 with the finale of Season 49 on December 17, wherein former Atlanta reporter Savannah Louie walked away a newly-minted millionaire after defeating her fellow finalists Sophi Balerdi and Sage Ahrens-Nichols.
Mere moments after being named the latest “Sole Survivor,” Savannah was confirmed as one of the two Season 49 contestants invited to return for “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” next year. Joining her on the milestone season is her No. 1 Season 49 ally, Rizo Velovic, better known by his nickname “The man, the myth, the legend, RIZGOD, baby!”
Both castaways appeared in the first official trailer for Season 50, which dropped immediately after the Season 49 finale earlier this month.
Additional unforgettable “Survivor” moments from 2025 include Season 49 castaway Jake Latimer’s jaw-dropping medical evacuation after sustaining a near-fatal bite from a banded sea krait and the untimely passing of “Survivor: Nicaragua” fan favorite Jane Bright.
Here’s to another unforgettable year of “Survivor” – Happy New Year!
