Survivor is one of the most popular and enduring reality competition series currently on television. Debuting way back in 2000, it was one of the first and remains one of the longest running. Now in its 48th season, host Jeff Probst returns this month to welcome a new cast of hopefuls to the island looking to outwit, outplay, and outlast the others for the million-dollar prize at the end.
Fans of the series are excited to check out the new season of the competition show that not only tests the physical prowess of its players, but also their mental fortitude. Competing on Survivor is not easy. Players are far removed from everyone they know and love and all the creature comforts of regular life, not to mention some of the basic necessities as well. But those who are up to the challenge in every way and are willing and able to strategize, create allies, and plead their cases in the end have a good shot at winning.
When does Survivor 48 premiere and where will it take place?
Season 48 of Survivor premieres on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 and will kick off with a special two-hour premiere called “The Get to Know You Game.” Following that, the series will continue with its extended time for every subsequent episode, running 90 minutes long. The show was initially extended by an extra half-hour to fill time during the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes. But since the reception has been positive, the show will continue with these longer episodes.
Survivor will air on Wednesday nights on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT but will also be available to watch live via Paramount+ with Showtime , the premium tier of the streaming service. If you subscribe to the standard Paramount+ Essential subscription tier, you will still be able to watch the episodes the day after they air. There should be 13 episodes in the season, though this isn’t officially confirmed. That would put the finale date at the end of May, potentially Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
The season will return to Mamanuca Islands in Fiji, marking the 16th season in a row to film in that location. The castmates will spend 26 days versus the 39 days that used to be the length of time for seasons one through 40. Season 48 premieres just two months after season 47 concluded and named Rachel Lamont winner, Sam Phalen and Sue Smey coming in second and third, respectively. This season also marks the 25thanniversary of the show that has delighted viewers now for a quarter century.
Who are the cast members on Survivor 48?
Survivor 48 will welcome 18 castaways, all of whom were officially announced on January 29, 2025. They will be divided into three tribes, as is customary for the series. The names are Civa, Lagi, and Vula.
The cast members range in age from 23 up to 54, with the majority in their 30s. They hail from across the U.S., including New York, California, Rhode Island, Texas, South Carolina, Florida, Massachusetts, Virginia, Illinois, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.
Here’s a rundown of who’s participating, divided by their tribes.
Vula Tribe (l-r)
Stephanie Berger, 37, Tech Product Lead, Brooklyn, NY
Saiounia “Sai” Hughley, 29, Marketing Professional, Simi Valley, CA
Justin Pioppi, 29, Pizzeria Manager, Winthrop, MA
Mary Zheng, 30, Substance Abuse Counselor, Philadelphia, PA
Cedrek McFadden, 45, Surgeon, Greenville, SC
Kevin Leung, 33, Finance Manager, Livermore, CA
Lagi Tribe (l-r)
Star Toomey, 27, Sales Expert, Augusta, GA
Bianca Roses, 32, PR Consultant, Arlington, VA
Joe Hunter, 45, Fire Captain, West Sacramento, CA
Eva Erickson, 23, PHD Candidate, Providence, RI
Thomas Krottinger, 34, Music Executive, Los Angeles, CA
Shauhin Davari, 37, Debate Professor, Costa Mesa, CA
Civa Tribe
David Kinne, 38, Stunt Performer, Buena Park, CA
Kamilla Karthigesu, 30, Software Engineer, Foster City, CA
Kyle Fraser, 30, Attorney, Brooklyn, NY
Mitch Guerra, 34, P.E. Coach, Waco, TX
Charity Nelms, 33, Flight Attendant, St. Petersburg, FL
Chrissy Sarnowsky, 54, Fire Lieutenant, Chicago, IL
A few stand-out cast members
There are a few cast members that stand out for differing reasons, right from the get-go.
Kamilla Karthigesu, 30, Software Engineer, Foster City, CA
While Karthigesu resides in California, she is originally from Toronto, Ontario Canada, making her the only Canadian player in the game. Survivor opened the show to Canadian applicants starting in season 39 “Island of the Idols” in 2019. The first Canadian to appear was Tom Laidlaw, a retired hockey player from Brampton, a town about 35 minutes outside of downtown Toronto. Erika Casupanan of Toronto was the first Canadian to win season 41, and she was followed by Maryanne Oketch from Ajax, ON, just east of downtown Toronto, who won season 42 in 2022. It’s a tall order for Karthigesu, who is vying to become the third winner who is originally from north of the border.
Shauhin Davari, 37, Debate Professor, Costa Mesa, CA
While there have been many cast members who worked in law enforcement or as first responders, some of the careers of new players could give them interesting advantages on the show. Shauhin, for example, is a debate professor, which suggests he will be great at rallying tribe members and making convincing arguments.
Mary Zheng, 30, Substance Abuse Counselor, Philadelphia, PA
While she works as a substance abuse counselor now, Mary has prior experience in the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps and hitchhiked across the Mediterranean for fun, suggesting that the grueling physical competitions could be a piece of cake for her. She adds that her experience volunteering at a crisis hotline gave her the tools to be able to build trust with people within minutes, and be ready for surprises.
David Kinne, 38, Stunt Performer, Buena Park, CA
Another interesting stand-out is David, whose job as a stunt performer might give him a fearless edge in competitions. There’s likely no competition he will find too tough nor gruelling, and he could emerge as an instant tribe leader. At the very least, he’ll be a valuable member of his tribe for his physical abilities.
Eva Erickson, 23, PHD Candidate, Providence, RI
There’s also Eva, who is open about being autistic and wants to use the show to bring awareness to her unique autism experience. Her goal is to also “give people hope that even if they are on the spectrum, they can still accept who they are and be successful.”
Will there be new twists in Survivor 48?
Long-time fans of Survivor know that twists have been introduced throughout the show’s run. The Immunity Idol, for example, didn’t always exist as part of the game. There was Exile Island where voted off players had the chance to get back into the game. Then, there’s the Shot in the Dark twist that allows players to take a 50/50 shot at being safe, even if voted out.
Even 48 seasons in, Survivor always manages to either introduce a new twist or bring back an old one. While details aren’t available just yet, chances are that this season will feature a returning or new twist in some fashion.
Check out the two-hour premiere of Survivor on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on CBS or Paramount+ with Showtime.
