Survivor is not for the faint of heart. It requires a player to be strong both physically and emotionally. If you can’t withstand strenuous challenges and constant lying and manipulation, it’s not the game for you. In the last 47 seasons, there have been countless shocking moments, from castaways being medically evacuated to brutal jury speeches. The environment doesn’t exactly bring out the best in people.
Here are the most shocking moments in Survivor history…
Jonny Fairplay’s ‘dead’ grandma – Survivor: Pearl Islands
Jonny Fairplay is one of the most notorious players in the show’s history. He earned his villainous reputation during Pearl Islands where he orchestrated an elaborate lie about his grandmother dying to garner sympathy and save himself from elimination. With the help of his buddy Dan, Jonny convinced his fellow castaways that he was grieving a devastating loss and therefore, they should cut him some slack. It was sick but it was pretty genius.
Jeff Varner outs Zeke Smith as transgender – Survivor: Game Changers
In Survivor: Game Changers, Jeff Varner outed his fellow castaway Zeke Smith in a desperate attempt to save his game. At Tribal Council, Jeff asked Zeke why he hadn’t told anyone that he is transgender, which took everyone by surprise. Jeff thought the reveal would make people lose trust in Zeke but it backfired. His fellow castaways didn’t appreciate him sharing intimate details about someone’s personal life. They rallied behind Zeke and voted Jeff off the Island.
Parvati Shallow plays two Idol’s at Tribal Council – Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains
Parvati Shallow’s two Idol play in Heroes vs. Villains may be my favorite Survivor moment of all time. She knew the Heroes tribe wanted to keep their numbers strong at the Merge, so she devised a devious plan to protect the Villains. At Tribal, she played not one, but two Idols to keep Jerri Manthey and Sandra Diaz-Twine in the game. It was a brilliant move that left the Heroes tribe stunned. Bravo!
Caleb Reynolds gets medically evacuated – Survivor: Kaoh Rong
In Survivor: Kaoh Rong, Caleb Reynolds passed out during a grueling challenge. The Big Brother alum was unresponsive for an alarming amount of time before eventually, regaining consciousness. He was evacuated from the game after he recovered. He isn’t the only castaway to pass out during a challenge but for some reason, his incident is the one that has stuck in my mind.
Michael Skupin falls into a campfire – Survivor: The Australian Outback
This one was terrifying. In Survivor: The Australian Outback, Michael Skupin shocked fans when he FELL INTO A CAMPFIRE. The Castaway was tending to the fire when he inhaled smoke, which caused him to pass out. He burned his hands pretty badly and had to be medically evacuated from the Island. The shocking incident reminded fans of how real and challenging Survivor can be. You really are on your own out there.
Corinne Kaplan’s brutal jury speech – Survivor: Gabon
In Survivor: Gabon, Corinne Kaplan delivered one of the most savage jury speeches I have ever seen. She showed up to the final Tribal Council bitter as hell and ready to tear the finalists to shreds. Most of her vitriol was reserved for finalist Jessica “Sugar” Kiper. She criticized her for being over-emotional and made fun of her intelligence.
“Sugar, you are an unemployed, uneducated, leech on society,” she said. “The only thing I would vote to give you is a handful of antidepressants so that no one else has to be subjected to your constant crying anymore.”
Sugar brushed off the critique and flipped off her opponent, letting her know she wasn’t going to fight for her vote.
Dawn Meehan takes out her teeth – Survivor: Caramoan
Brenda Lowe did Dawn Meehan a solid when she helped her find her missing retainer in Survivor: Caramoan. The two were allies at the time and Dawn was beyond grateful for Brenda’s assistance. However, Brenda kept Dawn’s secret in her back pocket and used it to her advantage at the final Tribal Council. Brenda felt betrayed after Dawn voted her off the Island, so she decided to expose her secret in the finale. She asked Dawn to take out her teeth and Dawn did as instructed. The brave gesture impressed Brenda and earned Dawn a jury vote.
TELL US – DO YOU AGREE WITH OUR LIST? WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST SHOCKING MOMENT IN SURVIVOR HISTORY?