Everything to know about ‘Survivor 45’: Now with weekly 90-minute episodes!

Marcus James Dixon
·5 min read
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The sapphire anniversary of “Survivor,” aka the landmark 45th season, will debut (with weekly 90-minute episodes!) in Fall 2023 on CBS. Just like Seasons 41-44, the reality TV show is adhering to strict Covid-19 safety guidelines this year for all cast and crew members, including host Jeff Probst. Read on for everything to know about the upcoming season of “Survivor 45,” including cast and air date information. Bookmark this page as we’ll be updating it when new details are revealed.

“Survivor 45” cast
CBS will officially announce the identities of the 18 cast members sometime in September. As has been reported, Bruce Perreault will return to the island after being medically evacuated during the first episode of “Survivor 44” due to a head injury. The other 17 contestants are brand new to the show. As usual, they all come from diverse backgrounds and walks of life, in adherence to the network’s 50% diversity mandate. This was put into effect in 2020 and ensures that half of its reality TV casts must be Black, Indigenous or People of Color (BIPOC).

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“Survivor 45” air date
The new installment will premiere on CBS on Wednesday, September 27. Thanks in part to the ongoing writers’ and actors’ strikes, the network has announced that “Survivor” and “The Amazing Race” will both air 90-minute episodes every Wednesday night this fall as a way to fill its schedule.

“Survivor 45” filming
“Survivor” typically films two seasons back-to-back in spring/summer, then airs them in the fall of that year and in the following spring. In 2020, nothing was produced because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but the show finally set up shop in Fiji in Spring 2021 and filmed Seasons 41 and 42 consecutively. Similarly, Seasons 43 and 44 took place back-to-back in spring/summer of 2022, and then Seasons 45 and 46 are expected to film in the spring/summer of 2023.

“Survivor 45” video trailer
It’s a “Survivor” tradition that the next season of the show is always teased in the final episode of the previous season. That said, the 44th finale/reunion aired on Wednesday, May 24, so that was when viewers got their first peek of the “Survivor 45” video trailer. In the two-minute clip package, several of the newbies were introduced and returning player Bruce Perreault shouted, “I’m back, baby — let’s go!” Watch it right here:

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“Survivor 45” theme/title
If you’ve seen any of the “new era” versions of the show that began with “Survivor 41,” you already know there are no longer any specific themes to the seasons. Gone are subtitles like “Heroes vs. Villains” or “Fans vs. Favorites,” replaced instead by the number of the season. This year’s title is officially “Survivor 45” and it’s likely the trend will continue for “Survivor 46,” “Survivor 47,” etc. unless the producers decide to switch things up for a future All-Stars edition.

“Survivor 45” number of days
The game will take place over 26 days, just as it did in Seasons 41-44. As longtime viewers are well aware, seasons used to span a total of 39 days, but the new faster pace appears to be here to stay. (The longest season ever was “Survivor: The Australian Outback,” which lasted a whopping 42 days.) Luckily, the show still produces the same amount of episodes (13) even though the time frame is much shorter for the castaways.

“Survivor 45” host
Yep, “Survivor’s” dimpled torch-snuffer Jeff Probst will return as the host/showrunner of Season 45. Why wouldn’t he? The 61-year-old has appeared in all 44 seasons so far, winning four Emmy Awards as host (2008-2011). Probst’s hosting style has remained consistent for much of the show’s run, where he asks questions of the contestants and urges them on at challenges.

“Survivor 45” location
Mamanuca Islands, Fiji is the permanent location of “Survivor.” The show globe-trotted and explored for its first 16 years on the air, before officially moving to this locale in the South Pacific Ocean in Season 33 (“Millennials vs. Gen X”). “I hope we stay here forever,” Probst declared in 2017 while praising Fiji’s clear water, beautiful beaches and friendly government.

“Survivor 45” auction?
When the video trailer was first unveiled on May 24, eagle-eyed viewers noticed the image of a gavel slamming down at the end of the clip. Fans immediately began speculating that this could be hinting at the return of the beloved “Survivor” auction, which hasn’t been seen on the show in years. The auction, as you’ll recall, allows the players to bid on food or comfort items (and occasionally on advantages) using money that is provided to them. Stay tuned.

“Come on in!”
For more than two decades, “Come on in, guys!” was a staple of “Survivor” every time Probst welcomed contestants into a challenge. But the host has shouted the catchphrase for the last time. “I love saying it, it’s part of the show, but I too want to be of the moment,” he admitted in Season 41. When a castaway agreed with Probst that the saying was non-inclusive, the host proclaimed, “I’m with you. I want to change it. I’m glad that was the last time I will ever say it.” Probst will keep saying the truncated “Come on in” during Season 45.

What about All-Stars seasons?
It’s been quite a while since former contestants returned to the beach for another chance at the million dollar prize. Season 40 in 2020, which welcomed back 20 past winners, was the last time, and before that was Season 38 in 2019, which featured four returnees competing against 14 newbies. Since “Survivor 45” and “Survivor 46” are not going to feature All-Stars, that means we’ll have to wait at least another year for a comeback cycle. Of course, it’s always possible the show is planning for “Survivor 50” to be the next epic All-Stars season.

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