Everything We Know So Far About 'Survivor 45'

Survivor has reached an incredible milestone: 45 seasons on the air! And the Emmy-winning reality series will continue with the formula that has made it so successful, as a group of castaways begin the adventure of a lifetime, hoping they'll leave the island a million dollars richer.

Read on to find out everything we know about Survivor season 45, including when the new season premieres, who is in the cast, and much more.

Who was voted out of Survivor 45?

Episode 1

Therapist Hannah Rose has been through some incredibly hard things in her life, including being forced to become sober at 20. But, as she expressed many times throughout the Survivor 45 premiere, that was a cakewalk compared to living out on the island. The reality of the game hit Hannah hard, to the point where she was crying on the very first day. By the time she was approaching Tribal Council, and names were being thrown out, Hannah realized that someone would go who wanted to stay much more than her. So she forced the hand of her tribe members, telling them to let her go back to her creature comforts off-island. This marks the earliest time someone has quit Survivor in the show's 45-season history.

Survivor 45 Exit Interviews

Every week, Parade.com will speak with the castaway most recently voted off the island.
Episode 1 – Hannah Rose Gives the Breaking Point that Led to Her Quit

When did Survivor 45 start?

During the premiere of Big Brother 25, CBS revealed that Survivor 45 would premiere on Wednesday, September 27.

How long will episodes of Survivor 45 be?

Survivor 45 marks a historic moment in the show's history. It will air 90-minute episodes from 8:00-9:30. This marks the first time that the series will regularly have episodes longer than its 60-minute runtime.

When is the finale of Survivor 45?

Survivor 45 has yet to announce a finale date. However, if we're assuming it runs the same schedule as the previous seasons, it should happen at some point in mid-December.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About Survivor 44

When did Survivor season 45 film?

It is assumed that Survivor 45 filmed from late April into May. The season will continue with the "new era" tradition of running for 26 days rather than the 39 days of the first 40 seasons.

Related: 'Survivor' Turns 45! Meet the "Next Generation" of the Crew Behind the Scenes

Who is in the cast for Survivor 45?

The first person confirmed for the Survivor 45 cast was Bruce Perreault. The insurance adjuster is a familiar face to fans, as he was a cast member only one season ago on Survivor 44. Tragically, Bruce only lasted twelve hours in the game after getting a concussion in the opening challenge. But Jeff Probst offered him a spot on a future season on the first episode of his podcast "On Fire with Jeff Probst," and that offer was taken the very next season!

The full cast of Survivor 45 was released on September 6, 2023.

Austin Li Coon

There's no one way to describe Austin Li Coon. Though only 26, he grew up a "shell" of his current self, changing color from an introvert to extrovert and traveling the world before settled in Chicago to get his MBA. No matter where he's gone, even on 230-mile hike through the mountains, the dream of Survivor had been in his eyes. Though Austin has the appearance of a jock, he acts much more like a class clown, loving the big characters of seasons past, and hoping to find a ride-or-die that can keep him laughing until he gets the last one.

Brandon "Brando" Meyer

Though Brandon "Brando" Meyer may look like a stereotypical nerd, he's a class clown at heart. The software developer is described as a "lovable liar" by his friends, and loves pranks and puns alike. In fact, the 23-year-old describes himself as the fictional love child of a wayward summer fling between Yul and Cochran. But his brand(o) on the island will be a bit different, as he hopes to play up his youthfulness to make sure, when the votes are read, the joke's not on him.

Brandon Donlon

"Just stop being so anxious. Enjoy this, don't worry as much." That's the advice Brandon Donlon's friends gave him in near-unison before he came out to Survivor 45. But it's easier said than done for the 25-year-old content producer, as he is on the precipice of living a dream that has informed his life for the past 15 years. And despite the fear of flying that nearly had him sitting the season out last minute, he hopes to soar through the game, combining an ambition to be a "team player" and not look for advantages with a penchant for gameplay, including a plan to form his own "Breakfast Club."

Bruce Perreault

For Bruce Perreault, it's the ultimate form of Survivor deja vu. Less than a year ago, he was in the exact same position, eager and ready to play in season 44. Unfortunately, the first steps he took in the game ended up being his last, as a head injury during the opening challenge led to a concussion and medevac after only 12 hours of gameplay. Now 47-year-old Bruce has been given a second chance, and ability to rewrite his own sordid tale of Survivor history. And the insurance/real estate agent is banking on listening skills, open-ended questions, and a "drunk uncle" vibe to become the head of the season 45 family.

Dee Valladares

In her own words, Dee Valladares is already "thriving" on the island. The 26-year-old has a background in psychology and years of sales before starting her own backpack company. With enough skills to fill one of her own products, she is playing with her family in mind, in the hopes that she'll be able to pay them back for their struggles in immigrating from Cuba with a million-dollar check.

Drew Basile

Drew Basile would tell you himself that the first impression of him can be of a "slimy" Napoleon Dynamite. The 22-year-old is in his twilight days of his college career when I speak with him, pursuing a degree in English and Philosophy. And so it's only natural that he brings his heady thinking to the island, with plans to master what he has deemed the "little moves" era of Survivor. He explains this experience is "pivot" for him between stages of life, and he hopes to be at the center of many during his time in the game.

Emily Flippen

Investment analyst Emily Flippen knows that any good asset for your portfolio requires a deep dive beyond initial impressions. And she is hoping the same works for her out on the island. The 28-year-old admits she lacks survival skills and physical acumen, she can come off as "intense," and she is a bad liar. But she believes that, once her competition looks beyond the ticker, they can see a genuine, transparent, emotionally intelligent person to work with, allowing her Survivor stock to pay a million-dollar dividend.

Hannah Rose

Hannah Rose is filled to the brim with experiences, from covering herself in "super impulsive" tattoos to learning discomfort at summer camp to becoming sober at age 20 to starting to pivot from a career as a therapist. She believes her personality, which is as loud and colorful as the ink on her body, will make her the comic relief of the tribe, an underestimated "tween" in a 32-year-old body. But she'll hopefully be the one to get the last laugh, earning the million dollars and a hug from her beloved Jeff Probst.

Janani "J. Maya" Krishnan-Ja

Ever since she was a child, Janani "J. Maya" Krishnan-Ja has been obsessed with adventures. Fantasy novels allowed her to escape an isolating upbringing. When she found her path to Harvard Law wasn't satisfactory, she made a major shift in becoming a singer-songwriter after her music went viral on TikTok. The 24-year-old hopes her creativity and risk-taking can translate from the written page to the Survivor stage, as she's looking at some on-island women bandmates in the hopes that this bookworm gets a happy ending.

Jake O'Kane

While the curtain has just risen on Jake O'Kane's time on Survivor 45, he's already preparing for his 11:00 number. The 26-year-old has a unique background as a new attorney and children's theatre teacher, something he thinks will make him a master of using Tribal Council to his advantage. And though he knows he can be seen as someone more likely to talk "brewskis" than Broadway, he's ready to prove from the get-go that he's full of surprises.

Julie Alley

In 2015, Julie Alley was ironing a shirt and mindlessly flipped on Survivor: Second Chance. She was instantly enamored, particularly with the theme. And it's easy to see why, considering the 49-year-old had recently undergone her own "second chance" at life, using a chance encounter at her divorce mediation to restart her life and go to law school at 40. As the oldest castaway this season, she knows her archetype makes her an early target. But if she can find the right strength to join up with, the estate planning attorney won't have to be writing her own Survivor will anytime soon.

Kaleb Gebrewold

"I've never been qualified for anything I've ever done," Kaleb Gebrewold says in his interview with us. But season 45's sole Canadian has been working a variety of jobs for 15 years, as his problem-solving and confidence has made sure he always tread water (even in cases where he literally can't). Having been hooked onto Survivor by the villains, the 29-year-old comes to the island with plenty of plans to pull out of his bag of tricks (or Tickle Trunk).

Katurah Topps

According to Katurah Topps, she is "always in survival mode." That's because she's lived 35 years and worked for nearly a decade as a civil rights lawyer while also walking the planet as a queer Black woman, something she feels leaves her constantly at a disadvantage and having to figure it out. And it's that life experience she feels makes her most prepared for Survivor, as she comes to this 26-day trial with some carefully laid plans, ready to prove she is more than just the incredibly important work she does.

Kellie Nalbandian

Kellie Nalbandian found Survivor as an escape from an intense life on the frontlines during the pandemic. And the 30-year-old instantly fell in love with the game, a combination of her love of competition and her real-life experience of connecting with people in vulnerable situations. The critical care nurse feels she's got good vitals for the game, hoping the trustworthy perception of nurses will work to her advantage. But don't get it twisted; if anyone on the island needs medical care, she's on her 26-day break.

Kendra McQuarrie

There are two selves that exist within Kendra McQuarrie. The bartender has an intense, competitive drive that had her manifesting she'd be on the show before even applying. But she also a goofy, happy-go-lucky energy to her. The 30-year-old hopes the space she takes up with both her physique and personality will be balanced by her self-proclaimed spiritual "woo girl" energy to give the astrology lover a good Survivor horoscope.

Sabiyah Broderick

Truck driver Sabiyah Broderick enters Survivor with a plan to gather a convoy of allies. It's understandable the 28-year-old comes in with a battle plan, considering she was in the Marine Corps up until two years ago. She hopes her experience will carry over from foxhole to spy bunker, as she hopes to join up with "innate followers," disarm with her southern charm, and bite with the power of a Mamba.

Sean Edwards

As students make their way back to class, elementary school principal Sean Edwards is entering Survivor school. The 34-year-old is a lifelong fan of the show, but only gained the confidence to apply a few years ago after nearly a decade of self-discovery and living his truth as a gay man in a conservative Mormon community. And today, his truth is that he's got what it takes to go all the way and make his dreams come true, namely his expertise (and a degree) in human connection.

Nicholas "Sifu" Alsup

Through three decades, Nicholas "Sifu" Alsup has seemingly done it all. From Walmart to being a touring musician to owning a bar, landing in his current position of owning his own gym. The 30-year-old's physical prowess earned from nearly 25 years of Tai Chi and martial arts surrounds a beating heart and a desire to be empathetic and supportive. But despite his sensitivity, don't think this Dragon Ball superfan doesn't have a trick (or Kamehameha) up his sleeve.

What is the Survivor diversity news?

In June 2019, inspired by the events surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement and discussions around anti-racist practices, a group of Black Survivor alumni spoke up about their experiences and difficulties they faced as minorities on the show. Known as the "Soul Survivors Organization" and consisting of contestants from seasons 1 to 40, they released a widely-circulated petition that calls upon the show to institute several anti-racist initiatives, including casting BIPOC for at least 30% of each cast, hiring more BIPOC as part of the crew, and actively supporting the cast, including mental health resources following the season.

"The entire culture is in a beautiful upheaval," Probst says about the petition, "and our job is to respond to it to make sure that Survivor continues to reflect our culture and our behavior and how we're interacting with each other. Everything that's happening is going to inform the future of Survivor."

As a result of the initiative, CBS announced in November 2020 that it would be instituting new rules for its unscripted shows in the pursuit of increased diversity. That includes a requirement for at least 50% of every show's cast to be contestants who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), as well as allocating a minimum of 25% of its annual unscripted development budget to projects created or co-created by BIPOC producers.

Who won Survivor season 44?

As Yam Yam Arocho himself said, "Words are my weapons." The hair salon owner knew he had a gift for gab, and built a game on relationships and using his sense of humor to endear himself to everyone around him. But in secret, he was putting in the work, an important part of the Tika trio that dominated the endgame. Making his way to the Final Three, Yam Yam boasted about his ability to read others' emotions to figure out if they were lying to him, with a few jokes to boot. And the man who set up a revenge narrative for anyone who wrote his name down was happy this time to see it happened again, this time getting nearly all the jury votes.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About Big Brother 25

What happened to Dan on Survivor?

In a positive stand for the #MeToo movement, contestant Dan Spilo was removed from the game due to multiple incidents involving unwanted touching.

Related: What Really Happened When Dan Spilo Was Removed from Survivor

How many seasons of Survivor are there?

Survivor premiered on May 31, 2000, and has aired a spring and fall season each year until fall 2020, picking back up in 2021. There are 43 completed seasons of Survivor, with one about to air. When all is said and done, there will be almost 650 episodes of Survivor total.

Where was Survivor season 45 filmed?

Season 45 will most likely be filmed in the Mamanuca Islands in Fiji. The show has been filming in that location since its 33rd season in 2016.

How do I watch Survivor season 45?

Survivor airs Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. Episodes are made available the next day via the Paramount Plus app.

What time does Survivor come on?

Survivor airs in its usual time slot at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on Wednesdays on CBS.

Is Survivor on Netflix?

Yes! The streaming giant currently has two seasons available: Tocantins (season 18) and Kaôh Rōng (season 32). Due to this availability, which started back in 2020, the show had a crop of new viewers come in during the pandemic, some of whom even went on to play the game.

Is Survivor on Paramount Plus?

Jeff Probst's 2020 appearance in a Super Bowl commercial for Paramount Plus gave us a hint of the joy that would come soon: All 43 seasons of Survivor are now available for streaming on Paramount+!

Is Survivor on Amazon's Prime Video?

Yes! But you won't be able to binge all 44 seasons of Survivor. Seasons 1, 3, and 12-28 are included with an Amazon Prime Video account.

How to watch Survivor online?

If you really want to watch all 44 seasons, you'll need to stream them on Paramount+.

Is there a sneak peek trailer for Survivor 45?

Yes! A first look at Survivor 45 premiered during the Survivor 44 finale. You can watch it below.

Next, read why Survivor announced new harassment policies after shocking scandal.