29-05-2025
Survivor fans erupt over season 50 cast including White Lotus creator Mike White and two mystery players
On Wednesday, Survivor producer-host Jeff Probst unveiled the 24 returning contestants - the largest cast to date - for for the Fiji-set 50th season of the CBS reality competition premiering next spring.
But fans of the show were disappointed that none of the all-stars were selected from seasons 19-31 as five competed in seasons 48-49 and 11 were plucked from the past five seasons.
'Too many new era players,' Instagram user @stagesofcj commented. 'Not enough early and middle era.'
Instagram user @zacharyreality could not believe season 45 champ Dee Valladares and season 48 champ Kyle Fraser were brough back, writing: 'Why cast two recent winners?'
Producers raised eyebrows by bringing back The White Lotus creator Mike White after he came in second place on the 37th season of Survivor: David vs. Goliath in 2018.
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But fans of the show were disappointed that none of the all-stars were selected from seasons 19-31 as five competed in seasons 48-49 and 11 were plucked from the past five seasons
The 54-year-old showrunner will be joined on season 50 by his season 37 gal pal Angelina Keeley, whom he later cast (along with season 37's Kara Kay) in his hit HBO Max show in 2021.
Keeley and Kay scored speaking roles from Mike while playing two guests at the White Lotus's Sicilian outpost in the first episode of season two.
White had previously cast season 37's Alec Marino as the bartender Hutch in the Hawaiian-set first season of The White Lotus.
'I can't be the only one who thinks that the Mike White pick is a ploy by Jeff to try and draw in the White Lotus crowd, no?' X user @MattSchmalzster tweeted.
X user @Forever_Dusk shared a meme of a past contestant shooting a sultry look to the camera captioned: 'The survivor 50 castaways every time Mike White looks in their direction.'
X user @surbiboor thought the three-time Emmy winner's inclusion will mean five-time Survivor competitor Cirie Fields will be cast in season five of the twisted who-done-it soap.
The 54-year-old nurse previously competed on season 12 of Panama - Exile Island, season 11 of Micronesia - Fans vs. Favorites, season 20 of Heroes vs. Villains, and season 34 of Game Changers.
Speaking of which, X user @MsLco77333 accused producers of only casting five-time Survivor competitor Ozzy Lusth in season 50 because he 'must have dirt on Jeff' Probst.
Others were angry over the casting of two mystery competitors from the 49th season, which just wrapped a few weeks ago and will air this fall.
Instagram user @zacharyreality could not believe season 45 champ Dee Valladares and season 48 champ Kyle Fraser were brough back, writing: 'Why cast two recent winners?'
The 54-year-old showrunner will be joined on season 50 by his season 37 gal pal Angelina Keeley (L), whom he later cast (along with season 37's Kara Kay, R) in his hit HBO Max show in 2021
'I can't be the only one who thinks that the Mike White pick is a ploy by Jeff to try and draw in the White Lotus crowd, no?' X user @MattSchmalzster tweeted
X user @Forever_Dusk shared a meme of a past contestant shooting a sultry look to the camera captioned: 'The survivor 50 castaways every time Mike White looks in their direction'
X user @surbiboor thought White's inclusion will mean five-time Survivor competitor Cirie Fields will be cast in season five of the twisted who-done-it soap
'Why do the two people from S49 low-key have an advantage cause nobody has seen how they play,' X user @graciequeennn tweeted
Instagram user @billlson commented: 'Saving two spots for competitors on a season that hasn't aired yet is bonkers.'
'Why do the two people from S49 low-key have an advantage cause nobody has seen how they play,' X user @graciequeennn tweeted.
Survivor season 50 is dubbed 'In the Hands of the Fans' for a reason as viewers will get to vote in four different creative categories to determine tribe colors, rice distribution, and how the finale is structured.
'I've met people who said, "You should go back to season one. No idols, no advantages, no twists, nothing,"' Probst told EW in February.
'And I say, "Okay, we'll probably never do that because that was 25 years ago and that game would be boring. And I can tell you why, because an alliance of four can beat an alliance of three because there's nothing that can stop anyone. You're going to not be entertained."
