Since Survivor premiered in 2000, many former contestants have had their justifiable share of controversial moments.
Whereas the first-ever winner, Richard Hatch, made headlines for his questionable conduct within the recreation, he additionally struggled in his private life. After taking house the a million greenback prize, Hatch was convicted of tried tax evasion and signing a fraudulent tax return. He served a 51-month sentence in federal jail.
Hatch isn’t the one participant to expertise drama after leaving the sport present. Alec Merlino acquired in bother for seemingly breaking his NDA after he shared an image of him and a fellow season 37 David vs Goliath competitor earlier than the solid was formally introduced. Nick Wilson, who received David vs Goliath in 2018, additionally raised eyebrows when his profession shifted from public defender to Kentucky congressman who backed controversial laws.
Maintain scrolling to see a number of the largest Survivor off-screen controversies through the years:
Stacey Stillman’s Lawsuit
Survivor acquired its first style of post-game scandals following its inaugural season, Borneo. In February 2001, Stillman, who was the third particular person voted off the season, sued CBS claiming the present creator, Mark Burnett, orchestrated her exit and the end result of the season.
In her lawsuit, Stillman claimed that two of her tribemates, Dirk Been and Sean Kenniff, have been persuaded to vote for her as an alternative of fan-favorite Rudy Boesch, who finally got here in third place. She allegedly needed restitution for misplaced prize cash, plus $75,000 for out-of-pocket bills. CBS refuted her allegations.
“We heard about Stacey Stillman’s allegations a number of months in the past. They’d no benefit then; they don’t have any benefit now that she has packaged them right into a frivolous and groundless lawsuit,” the community mentioned in a press release on the time. “Survivor has obtained extra press and public scrutiny than any present in current tv historical past, and its inventive integrity has remained intact all through. We’re subsequently assured that the courts, in addition to Survivor viewers, will see the case as totally with out basis.”
CBS and Stillman finally settled out of court docket for an undisclosed quantity.
Richard Hatch’s Authorized Bother
In 2001, Hatch was charged with home assault after his former accomplice Glenn Boyanowski accused the fact star of assault. Hatch was sentenced to one-year probation however appealed the conviction the next 12 months. In February 2002, the conviction and sentence have been overturned.
5 years after his Survivor win, Hatch was convicted by a jury of two counts of tried tax evasion and one rely of signing a fraudulent tax return for not paying taxes on his recreation present prize, radio cohost earnings and rental property revenue. He served 51 months in federal jail.
Hatch was launched in 2009 beneath a three-year supervision and was ordered to amend his tax returns. Nevertheless, he didn’t observe by way of and served an extra 9 months in jail in 2011.
Jeff Probst and Julie Berry’s Romance
Probst started relationship Berry, who appeared on Survivor: Vanuatu, after filming wrapped. The previous couple, who had a 19-year age distinction, revealed their romance in the course of the season’s reunion particular in December 2004. Probst and Berry known as it quits in 2008.
The longtime host shared in a 2008 interview with USA Right now that he and Berry’s cut up was brought on by lengthy distance and his Survivor filming schedule. 4 years later, Berry revealed in an interview on Rob Cesternino’s podcast that she couldn’t return to the sequence following her romance with Probst since she was uncovered to the behind-the-scenes work on the present.
Alec Merlino’s NDA Drama
Forward of the premiere of Survivor: David vs Goliath, Alec seemingly broke his NDA by spoiling the solid earlier than the information dropped. Alec posted a photograph of him and fellow contestant Kara Kay on his social media, captioning the pic. “F–ok it.” Following the put up, Alec was uninvited from the reunion present and didn’t obtain his look charges.
“The factor is, with social media, I really feel issues will be misconstrued, however I’ve nothing however the utmost respect for CBS, for Survivor, for Jeff. I went on the market and I had the expertise of a lifetime,” Alec mentioned to Leisure Weekly in November 2018. “My largest dream was to be on Survivor, so to go on the market and have the expertise, that’s what I’m going to carry near my coronary heart and that’s what I’m going to cherish.”
Nick Wilson’s Political Profession
Following his win on David vs Goliath, Nick was elected to the Kentucky Home of Representatives in 2022. Since getting into workplace, Nick has supported a number of controversial payments together with laws that bans gender-affirming take care of transgender youngsters and the dialogue of sexual orientation in colleges.
In January 2024, Nick made headlines after he launched a invoice that may have legalized intercourse between first cousins. Nick subsequently withdrew the invoice and claimed that it was an error on his half.
“Throughout the drafting course of, there was an inadvertent change, which struck ‘first cousins’ from the listing of relationships included beneath the incest statute, and I failed so as to add it again in,” Wilson wrote by way of Fb on the time. “Throughout at the moment’s session, I’ll withdraw HB 269 and refile a invoice with the ‘first cousin’ language intact. The truth that I used to be in a position to file a invoice, catch the error, withdraw the invoice and refile inside a 24-hour interval exhibits that we’ve a great system.”
Wendell Holland’s Dishonest Allegations
In January 2024, the Survivor Ghost Island winner was accused by his ex-girlfriend Chelsea Brooks, with whom he shares a son, of dishonest. Following the allegations, rumors swirled that Wendell was linked to Survivor 45 winner Dee Valladares. Wendell addressed the hypothesis and apologized to Survivor followers in a since-deleted tweet.
“My gf and I broke up. I take duty for that. I’m sorry for her and all that has transpired,” he penned. “The particular person the web retains attaching me to deserves an apology as effectively. We acquired shut on the finish of November and December, and I used to be dishonest about my household life along with her. I created a scenario that was unfair to each events and though I apologized to each privately, I would really like the neighborhood to know that I’m sorry.”
Carson Garrett’s Puzzle Scandal
The Survivor 44 participant, who was greatest recognized for 3D-printing his personal Survivor-themed puzzles, was accused by a number of sellers on Etsy that he bought the trinkets on-line. One firm named Outplay Puzzles got here ahead and alleged that Carson stole their model’s advertising and marketing technique when he launched his personal model Puzzlenaut, in December 2023.
“We met for espresso, I gave him free merchandise to advertise in his content material, and we mentioned cost,” the corporate wrote by way of X in April 2024. “Over the course of an hour he requested tons of questions on how I run and promote my enterprise, methods to promote my puzzles, and many others. I answered actually as a result of I assumed he was a good friend.”
When Outplay Puzzles tried to congratulate Carson on launching his model, the enterprise claimed that they have been blocked on social media by the previous contestant. Outplay Puzzles shared they don’t consider Carson did something unlawful and simply referred to the scenario as an “unethical” follow.
