Liputan6.com, Jakarta Fans of competitive reality shows, get ready! Survivor Season 49 will be hitting your screens starting Wednesday, September 24, 2025.
This latest season promises new intrigue and challenges, with 18 contestants battling it out in the Mamanuca Islands, Fiji, an iconic filming location used for seventeen consecutive seasons.
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However, the journey to the title of "Sole Survivor" this time around is fraught with unexpected drama.
For the first time in the show's history, two last-minute replacement contestants were forced to step in after two original contestants were removed for violating pre-game quarantine rules.
The contestants will face physical and mental challenges, survive in the wilderness, and develop social strategies to win the $1 million grand prize.
Two of them will also get a golden opportunity to compete again in the highly anticipated Survivor 50.
Survivor Season 49 Premiere Schedule and Iconic Locations
Survivor Season 49 will debut on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at 8:00 PM ET/PT on CBS for U.S. viewers and Global for Canadian viewers.
The season premiere will be a special two-hour episode.
After a lengthy opening episode, subsequent episodes will return to the popular 90-minute format, as implemented since Survivor Season 45.
As in previous seasons, Survivor Season 49 once again chooses the Mamanuca Islands, Fiji, as its filming location.
Fiji's natural beauty, with its remote islands and azure oceans, has always been the perfect backdrop for survival drama.
Filming for this season took place between April 20 and May 15, 2025.
Cast Change Drama in Survivor Season 49
The official announcement of the 18 cast members for Survivor Season 49 was made on August 20, 2025, sparking excitement among fans.
However, behind the announcement lay an unprecedented incident in Survivor's long history.
Two original contestants who were supposed to compete were forced to leave the game just hours before filming began.
This drastic decision was made because they violated pre-game quarantine rules by interacting with fellow players.
In their place, Michelle "MC" Chukwujekwu, a 29-year-old fitness trainer, and Jason Treul, a 32-year-old legal clerk, were called in to fill the void.
Both were initially stand-by substitutes in case of an incident, and now they had a great opportunity to prove themselves.
Meet the Survivor Season 49 Contestants
A total of 18 new contestants will compete for the title of Sole Survivor, divided into three initial tribes: Hina, Kele, and Uli.
Each tribe features a diverse mix of individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, promising interesting social dynamics.
The Hina tribe, wearing yellow, consists of six strong individuals.
They include Jason Treul, a law clerk from Anaheim, California, who is one of the alternates.
Also on the team are Kristina Mills, Matt Williams, Sophie Segreti, Michelle "MC" Chukwujekwu, another alternate, and Steven Ramm.
Meanwhile, the Kele tribe, wearing blue, brings six other new faces.
Alex Moore, a 27-year-old political communications director, joins Nicole Mazullo from Philadelphia, Sophi Balerdi from Miami, Annie Davis, Jeremiah Jones, and Kimberly "Annie" Davis.
They are ready to face the challenge in Fiji.
Finally, the green Uli Tribe features some interesting names. Jake Latimer, a 36-year-old correctional officer; Jawan Pitts, a 28-year-old video editor; and Nate Moore, a 47-year-old film producer and former Marvel Studios executive.
Also ready to compete are Rizo Velovic, Savannah Louie, and Shannon Fairweather.
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Hina Tribe (Yellow):
- Jason Treul (32, Law Clerk, Anaheim, California)
- Kristina Mills
- Matt Williams
- Michelle "MC" Chukwujekwu (29, Fitness Trainer)
- Sophie Segreti
- Steven Ramm
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Kele Tribe (Blue):
- Alex Moore (27, Political Communications Director)
- Annie Davis
- Jeremiah Jones
- Nicole Mazullo (26, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
- Sophi Balerdi (27, Miami, Florida)
- Kimberly "Annie" Davis
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Uli Tribe (Green):
- Jake Latimer (36, Correctional Officer)
- Jawan Pitts (28, Video Editor)
- Nate Moore (47, Film Producer, Former Marvel Studios Executive)
- Rizo Velovic (25, Technology Sales)
- Sage Ahrens-Nichols (30, Olympia, Washington)
- Savannah Louie (31, Former Reporter)
- Shannon Fairweather (28, Health Specialist)