CBS today announced the 20 legendary winners of SURVIVOR who will return to compete against each other on the 40th season of the Emmy Award-winning series SURVIVOR. The special two-hour premiere airs Wednesday, Feb. 12 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Emmy Award winner Jeff Probst hosts.
The 20th anniversary edition of the groundbreaking series, themed WINNERS AT WAR, unites the most memorable, heroic and celebrated champions from the past two decades in the biggest battle in the show’s history, as the series’ best strategists of all time fight to earn the title of Sole Survivor again.
These returning masterminds will compete in epic challenges, face the return of Edge of Extinction, which gives voted-out players a second shot to win, and tackle a brand new layer of the game with the introduction of fire tokens. Fire tokens will serve as currency on the island and add more complexity to the already intense battle. The new twist allows players to use the tokens to buy advantages to help players stay in the game or get themselves back in the game. Additionally, the winner of this historic season will be awarded $2 million, the largest prize in reality show history.
“To celebrate and honor this momentous 20-year milestone, we created the biggest battle in SURVIVOR history!” said executive producer and host Jeff Probst. “For the first time ever, 20 winners, who have masterfully proven they can outwit, outplay and outlast in this game, will face off to determine who is the greatest player of all time!”
SURVIVOR premiered May 31, 2000 and ultimately changed the television landscape. Since the first group of castaways were marooned on the beaches of Borneo 20 years ago, the game has evolved and adapted. Almost 600 castaways have played the game and only 38 were crowned with the title of Sole Survivor, with Sandra Diaz-Twine being the only castaway to earn the title on two separate seasons. The winners from the early seasons will need to adjust their strategy to use new elements, such as immunity idols and rewards that didn’t exist when they first played.
The series films in the Mamanuca Islands in Fiji.
The following are the 20 returning winners competing in “Winners at War”:
Adam Klein (28)
Winner of “Millennials vs. Gen-X” (2016)
Hometown: Burlingame, CA
Current Residence: Los Angeles
Occupation: Keynote Speaker and Host
Amber Mariano (40)
Winner of “All-Stars” (2004)
Hometown: Beaver, PA
Current Residence: Pensacola, FL
Occupation: Director of Marketing and Communications
Ben Driebergen (36)
Winner of “Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers” (2017)
Hometown: Boise, ID
Current Residence: Boise, ID
Occupation: Real estate/stay at home dad
Danni Boatwright (43)
Winner of “Guatemala” (2005)
Hometown: Tonganoxie, KS
Current Residence: Shawnee, KS
Occupation: Owner of Sideline Chic
Denise Stapley (48)
Winner of “Philippines” (2012)
Hometown: Marion, Iowa
Current Residence: Marion, Iowa
Occupation: LMHC, & AASECT Certified Sex Therapist
Ethan Zohn (45)
Winner of “Africa” (2001)
Hometown: Lexington, MA
Current Residence: Hillsborough, NH
Occupation: Social Entrepreneur and Keynote Speaker
Jeremy Collins (41)
Winner of “Second Chance” (2015)
Hometown: Cambridge, MA
Current Residence: Foxboro, MA
Occupation: Firefighter
Kim Spradlin-Wolfe (36)
Winner of “One World” (2012)
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
Current Residence: San Antonio, Texas
Occupation: Interior Designer
Michele Fitzgerald (29)
Winner of “Kaôh Rōng” (2016)
Hometown: Freehold, NJ
Current Residence: Hoboken, NJ
Occupation: Business Development Manager
Natalie Anderson (33)
Winner of “San Juan del Sur” (2014)
Hometown: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Current Residence: Edgewater, NJ
Occupation: CrossFit Trainer
Nick Wilson (28)
Winner of “David vs. Goliath” (2018)
Hometown: Williamsburg, KY
Current Residence: Williamsburg, KY
Occupation: Attorney
Parvati Shallow (36)
Winner of “Fans vs. Favorites” (2008)
Hometown: Atlanta
Current Residence: Los Angeles
Occupation: Yoga teacher, Life Coach, and Speaker
Rob Mariano (43)
Winner of “Redemption Island” (2011)
Hometown: Boston, MA
Current Residence: Pensacola, FL
Occupation: Construction
Sandra Diaz-Twine (44)
Winner of “Pearl Islands” (2003) & “Heroes vs. Villains” (2010)
Hometown: Stamford, CT
Current Residence: Riverview. FL
Occupation: Case Manager at a Law Firm
Sarah Lacina (34)
Winner of “Game Changers” (2017)
Hometown: Muscatine, Iowa
Current Residence: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Occupation: Police Officer
Sophie Georgina Clarke (29)
Winner of “South Pacific” (2011)
Hometown: Willsboro, NY
Current Residence: Santa Monica, CA
Occupation: Healthcare Consultant
Anthony “Tony” Vlachos (45)
Winner of “Cagayan” (2014)
Hometown: Jersey City, NJ
Current Residence: Allendale, NJ
Occupation: Police Officer
Tyson Apostol (39)
Winner of “Blood vs. Water” (2013)
Hometown: Lindon, Utah
Current Residence: Mesa, AZ
Occupation: Son, husband, father, friend.
Wendell Holland (35)
Winner of “Ghost Island” (2018)
Hometown: Philadelphia
Current Residence: Philadelphia
Occupation: Furniture Designer
Yul Kwon (44)
Winner of “Cook Islands” (2006)
Hometown: Concord, CA
Current Residence: Los Altos, CA
Occupation: Product Management
SURVIVOR is hosted by Emmy Award-winning host Jeff Probst and produced by S.E.G. Holdco., LLC. Mark Burnett, Jeff Probst and Matt Van Wagenen are executive producers.
As previously announced, one week prior to the SURVIVOR premiere, a one-hour retrospective special,SURVIVOR AT 40: GREATEST MOMENTS AND PLAYERS, will air Wednesday, Feb. 5 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. The special will revisit some of the greatest moments and memorable players in SURVIVOR history, feature new interviews with favorite castaways and reveal a sneak peek at SURVIVOR: WINNERS AT WAR. Jeff Probst and Matt Van Wagenen are the executive producers.
The 40th installment of the groundbreaking series coincides with its 20-year anniversary. For more information on the previous seasons of SURVIVOR, please log on to www.cbs.com/survivor
