Survivor 50 Is Almost Here — So Let’s Look Back at 25 Years of Sole Survivors

“Survivor 50” is expected to be one of the show’s best seasons yet. 

The show already celebrated its 25th anniversary throughout the 2025 calendar year, but 2026 brings a new milestone as fans eagerly await the series’ landmark 50th season. 

And that means they’re just months away from crowning their 50th Sole Survivor. 

It doesn’t just mark another season — it’s a reminder of just how far the game has come. 

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From the early days of alliances formed around campfires to modern seasons defined by blindsides and big moves, Survivor has evolved right alongside its loyal and global audience. 

So, grab your torches and follow along because “Survivor 50” is bound to be one for the history books. 

When does ‘Survivor 50’ start?

“Survivor 50” officially kicks off with a supersized, three-hour premiere on Feb. 25 at 8/7c on CBS.

For viewers who prefer to stream, the milestone episode will also be available on Paramount+, with live and on-demand access for Premium subscribers. 

Paramount+ Essential subscribers can catch the episode on demand the day after it airs (Feb. 26) — giving fans plenty of ways to return to the island for the show’s historic 50th season.

The ‘Survivor 50’ cast is made up of legends

The “Survivor 50” cast consists of 24 familiar faces, some of which you’ll remember from the first season. 

Three of those 24 contestants — Dee Valladares from Season 45, Kyle Fraser from Season 48 and Savannah Louie from Season 49 — are previous winners seeking a second win. 

It also includes two contestants — Cirie Fields and Ozzy Lusth — who are returning for the fifth time, joining Boston Rob as the only “Survivor” contestants to do so.

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Here’s a full list of who will be on “Survivor 50.”

1. Jenna Lewis-Dougherty (Seasons 1, 8)
2. Colby Donaldson (Seasons 2, 8, 20)
3. Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick (Seasons 10, 11, 20)
4. Cirie Fields (Seasons 12, 16, 20, 34)
5. Ozzy Lusth (Seasons 13, 16, 23, 34)
6. Benjamin "Coach" Wade (Seasons 18, 20, 23)
7. Aubry Bracco (Seasons 32, 34, 38)
8. Chrissy Hofbeck (Season 35)
9. Christian Hubicki (Season 37)
10. Angelina Keeley (Season 37)
11. Mike White (Season 37)
12. Rick Devens (Season 38)
13. Jonathan Young (Season 42)
14. Dee Valladares (Season 45)
15. Emily Flippen (Season 45)
16. Q Burdette (Season 46)
17. Tiffany Ervin (Season 46)
18. Charlie Davis (Season 46)
19. Genevieve Mushaluk (Season 47)
20. Kamilla Karthigesu (Season 48)
21. Kyle Fraser (Season 48)
22. Joseph "Joe" Hunter (Season 48)
23. Rizo Velovic (Season 49)
24. Savannah Louie (Season 49)

"The group we put together for 50 will please some people and upset other people... There's no way to satisfy everyone,” the show’s longtime host, Jeff Probst, said of the cast, per Entertainment Weekly. 

“I do remind the fans: You do have to trust us a little bit that we know who wanted to play and who didn't want to play. We know who wished they could play, but the scheduling didn't work out,” he added. 

How many years has ‘Survivor’ been on TV?

Survivor first premiered on CBS on May 31, 2000, instantly changing the reality TV landscape.

2026 will mark the 26th consecutive year that the show has aired — producing 50 memorable seasons, hundreds of competitive castaways and countless moments that have become reality TV canon. 

From its earliest social experiments to today’s fast-paced, strategy-heavy gameplay, “Survivor” has remained a rare constant in an ever-changing television world.

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And only a few people — including Probst — have been around long enough to witness it all. 

"When you're celebrating a milestone like 50, you think back to Season 1," John Kirhoffer, the show’s challenge producer since Season 1, said of the milestone moment in an interview with EW. 

"And I remember so clearly being on the boat, leaving Pulau Tiga [after Season 1] thinking, 'Oh, please God, just one more'... I'd never been on a show that went multiple seasons.”

List of Survivor winners by season

Only a select group of castaways have managed to do what everyone else came short of. 

As fans know, every season ends with one contestant being crowned the Sole Survivor — a title that’s determined by a jury of recently eliminated players at the final tribal council. 

Winners not only earn the title, but also a $1 million cash prize. 

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It’s not an easy feat — and one that only two contestants (Sandra Diaz-Twine from Seasons 7 and 20, and Tony Vlachos from Seasons 28 and 40) — have achieved twice in “Survivor” history. 

As the show prepares to crown its 50th winner, here’s a look back at 25 years of “Survivor” winners: 

1. Borneo (2000): Richard Hatch (Runner-Up: Kelly Wiglesworth)
2. The Australian Outback (2001): Tina Wesson (Runner-Up: Colby Donaldson)
3. Africa (2001): Ethan Zohn (Runner-Up: Kim Johnson)
4. Marquesas (2002): Vecepia Towery (Runner-Up: Neleh Dennis)
5. Thailand (2002): Brian Heidik (Runner-Up: Clay Jordan)
6. The Amazon (2003): Jenna Morasca (Runner-Up: Matthew von Ertfelda)
7. Pearl Islands (2003): Sandra Diaz-Twine (Runner-Up: Lillian Morris)
8. All-Stars (2004): Amber Brkich (Runner-Up: Rob Mariano)
9. Vanuatu: Islands of Fire (2004): Chris Daugherty (Runner-Up: Twila Tanner)
10. Palau (2005): Tom Westman (Runner-Up: Katie Gallagher)
11. Guatemala: The Mayan Empire (2005): Danni Boatwright (Runner-Up: Stephenie LaGrossa)
12. Panama (2006): Aras Baskauskas (Runner-Up: Danielle DiLorenzo)
13. Cook Islands (2006): Yul Kwon (Runner-Up: Ozzy Lusth)
14. Fiji (2007): Earl Cole (Runners-Up: Cassandra Franklin, “Dreamz” Herd)
15. China (2007): Todd Herzog (Runners-Up: Courtney Yates, Amanda Kimmel)
16. Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites (2008): Parvati Shallow (Runner-Up: Amanda Kimmel)
17. Gabon: Earth’s Last Eden (2008): Bob Crowley (Runners-Up: Susie Smith, “Sugar” Kiper)
18. Tocantins (2009): JT Thomas, Jr. (Runner-Up: Stephen Fishbach)
19. Samoa (2009): Natalie White (Runners-Up: Russell Hantz, Mick Trimming)
20. Heroes vs. Villains (2010): Sandra Diaz-Twine (Runners-Up: Parvati Shallow, Russell Hantz)
21. Nicaragua (2010): Fabio Birza (Runners-Up: Chase Rice, “Sash” Lenahan)
22. Redemption Island (2011): Rob Mariano (Runners-Up: Phillip Sheppard, Natalie Tenerelli)
23. South Pacific (2011): Sophie Clarke (Runners-Up: “Coach” Wade, Albert Destrade)
24. One World (2012): Kim Spradlin (Runners-Up: Sabrina Thompson, Chelsea Meissner)
25. Philippines (2012): Denise Stapley (Runners-Up: Michael Skupin, Lisa Whelchel)
26. Caramoan: Fans vs. Favorites II (2013): John Cochran (Runners-Up: Dawn Meehan, Sherri Biethman)
27. Blood vs. Water (2013): Tyson Apostol (Runners-Up: Monica Culpepper, Gervase Peterson)
28. Cagayan (2014): Tony Vlachos (Runner-Up: “Woo” Hwang)
29. San Juan Del Sur: Blood vs. Water II (2014): Natalie Anderson (Runners-Up: Jaclyn Schultz, Missy Payne)
30. Worlds Apart (2015): Mike Holloway (Runners-Up: Carolyn Rivera, Will Sims II)
31. Cambodia: Second Chance (2015): Jeremy Collins (Runners-Up: Tasha Fox, Spencer Bledsoe)
32. Kaoh Rong (2016): Michele Fitzgerald (Runners-Up: Aubry Bracco, Tai Trang)
33. Millennials vs. Gen X (2016): Adam Klein (Runners-Up: Ken McNickle, Hannah Shapiro)
34. Game Changers (2017): Sarah Lacina (Runners-Up: Brad Culpepper, Troyzan Roberston)
35. Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers (2017): Ben Driebergen (Runners-Up: Chrissy Hofbeck, Ryan Ulrich
36. Ghost Island (2018): Wendell Holland (Runners-Up: Domenick Abbate, Laurel Johnson)
37. David vs. Goliath (2018): Nick Wilson (Runners-Up: Mike White, Angelina Keeley
38. Edge of Extinction (2019): Chris Underwood (Runners-Up: Gavin Whitson, Julie Rosenberg)
39. Island of the Idols (2019): Tommy Sheehan (Runner-Up: Dean Kowalski)
40. Winners at War (2020): Tony Vlachos (Runner-Up: Natalie Anderson)
41. Survivor 41 (2021): Erika Casupanan (Runner-Up: Deshawn Radden)
42. Survivor 42 (2022): Maryanne Oketch (Runner-Up: Mike Turner)
43. Survivor 43 (2022-23): Mike Gabler (Runner-Up: Cassidy Clark)
44. Survivor 44 (2023-24): Yamil "Yam Yam" Arocho (Runner-Up: Heidi Lagares-Greenblatt)
45. Survivor 45 (2024): Dee Valladares (Runner-Up: Austin Li Coon)
46. Survivor 46 (2024): Kenzie Petty (Runner-Up: Charlie Davis)
47. Survivor 47 (2024): Rachel LaMont (Runner-Up: Sam Phalen)
48. Survivor 48 (2025): Kyle Fraser (Runner-Up: Eva Erickson)
49. Survivor 49 (2025): Savannah Louie (Runner-Up: Sophi Balerdi)
50. Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans (2026): TBD

Which of the “Survivor 50” contestants do you think will add their name to this list? 

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Whoever claims the title will join a group that’s helped shape Survivor for more than two decades—proof that even 50 seasons in, the game can still make history.