Everything We Know So Far About Season 43 + a New Second Episode Surprise

Viewers are in for a surprise this season!

In the past year, a "new era" of Survivor came about, bringing twists and turns on the formula that has kept the show afloat for over 20 years. And with two seasons in the rearview mirror, in season 43, a new group of castaways have begun on the 26-day adventure of a lifetime, hoping they'll be the next one to join the winner's circle.

Read on to find out everything we know about Survivor season 43, including when the new season premieres, who is in the cast and much more.

When does Survivor season 43 start?

Survivor 43 will premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 21. It will air a two-hour episode which, given the nature of the premieres for the previous two seasons, will feature two contestants voted out of the game.

The show will then follow up with a 90-minute episode the next week on Sept. 28. This will be the first time in the show's history that it will air an extended second episode.

When is the finale of Survivor 43?

Survivor 43 has yet to announce a finale date. However, if we're assuming it runs the same schedule for seasons 41 and 42, it should happen at some point in December.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About Survivor 42

When did Survivor season 43 film?

Filming for Survivor 43 is assumed to have begun in late April to early May. Like seasons 41 and 42, it's expected to have filmed for only 26 days, a marked departure from the 39 days in many seasons that came before.

Related: Survivor 40 Star Secrets! We Talk Favorites, Fire Tokens and Their Secret to Winning

Who is in the cast for Survivor 43?

The Survivor 43 cast was announced on Aug. 31, 2022.

Cassidy Clark

In a different world, Cassidy Clark would have already played Survivor. The 26-year-old had been cast for season 41 back in 2020 and was days away from playing before the pandemic hit. But the devastation gave her an opportunity to prepare harder during reapplication. Now the fashion designer is even more ready to hit the Tribal Council runway, hoping to represent her family on a show that has been such a constant to them all these years.

Cody Assenmacher

Cody Assenmacher is no stranger to island life, having moved from the plains of Iowa to Hawaii years ago. His plan for playing is outlined by some of his favorite previous players: Have fun, compete, and provide. The 35-year-old knows his wildcard image may draw a lot of attention, both good and bad. But he speculates his gameplay will be just like his hair: Relationship building in the front and wildly strategic in the back.

Dwight Moore

Dwight Moore has so much interviewing experience that he may be coming for Jeff Probst's Tribal Council job by the end of the season. The 22-year-old had a journalism career at a young age that gave him the bravery to do anything, including apply to Survivor. Despite admitting he is out of his element, he hopes his academic skills and adaptability are able to apply to his strategy to send him to the front of the class once more.

Elisabeth "Elie" Scott

Elie Scott fell in love with Survivor after a friend in grad school compared her to Michele Fitzgerald. And the 31-year-old hopes that her work as a clinical psychologist will see her get similar success. Specializing in working through PTSD with veterans, she believes her skills as a connector will get her through the 26-day battle she's about to enter. And though she knows she masks some surprising disorganization, she plans to cover for that by becoming the next "advantage queen."

Geo Bustamante

The stakes are high for Geo Bustamante coming into Survivor. The 36-year-old was forced to quit his job to be on the show, so he's aiming to come back home with his biggest paycheck yet. And he hopes he can do that by giving back to a show that showed him that your insecurities can make you shine, even if they'll come to the forefront on the beach.

James Jones

James Jones has always been able to adapt, ever since he became a fish out of water on a college campus of 13,000. And when the 37-year-old saw Earl Cole win Survivor back in 2007, he realized this was the show for him. The event planner's guest list for alliances includes purposely seeking out people who are his opposites, even if that means going against his Philly instincts and opening up his heart.

Jeanine Zheng

UX designer Jeanine Zheng is ready to navigate a different web out on the island. The 24-year-old comes to the game to make both her and her father's dreams come true, having watched the show together through the years. And while she's excited about the looseness and unpredictability the "new era" provides, she hopes her resume of high achievement will lead to yet another hard-earned success in her life.

Jesse Lopez

Jesse Lopez has lived a life rooted in pivots. The 30-year-old went from being a gang member in juvenile hall to turning his life around, now a homeowner and a proud father of two. He fell in love with Survivor when he studied voting behavior as part of his Ph.D. in Political Science. And he hopes he's able to turn those book smarts into beach smarts, even if it means breaking through an unfriendly first impression.

Justine Brennan

Justine Brennan grew up in a household that taught the value of hard work. Her parents built a life for her and her siblings after immigrating from the Philippines. The 29-year-old's fandom ignited when she binge-watched the series during quarantine. And she's excited for a new era where things move will move as quickly as her speed through 40+ seasons of Survivor.

Karla Cruz Godoy

Karla Cruz Godoy has always lived with the motto "if you don't like something, change it." The 28-year-old grew up in a low-income household, building resiliency that got her a prestigious scholarship and an impressive education to boot. She comes to the show wanting to provide more representation, hoping her social and eavesdropping skills will lead to her thriving once more.

Lindsay Carmine

Lindsay Carmine has lived a life of service, whether working as a nurse or supporting her family through both triumph and tragedy. But one thing's clear: She's playing Survivor for herself. The 42-year-old is capitalizing on a dream that spans over two decades, but sees herself as the underdog due to her age and perceived Southern hospitality. But make no mistake, she's ready for the frontlines of this game.

Mike Gabler

It's unknown if Mike Gabler has the most heart out of the Survivor 43 cast, but he certainly is the biggest expert on it. The transcatheter valve expert has made the show a household staple since the very beginning and is thinking back home in more ways than one out here. But he's ready to dry his tears, though they may help people look past his "severe-looking" exterior.

Morriah Young

Morriah Young is a teacher and artist whose personality is as colorful as the art she creates (as well as her style). The 28-year-old grew up watching Survivor from the very beginning and is here to check one final thing off the bucket list of her late mother. But she feels the rawness of that experience has prepared her for the perseverance the game requires, and hopes to leave the island brighter than when she entered it.

Nneka Ejere

Pharmacist Nneka Ejere hopes she has the proper prescription to become a Survivor winner. The 43-year-old has experience with literal big moves, having immigrated from Nigeria with two children and a third on the way. As the oldest woman on the season, she hopes her experience with resilience and community building will give her a shot to play her preferred style, where she hopes to challenge the usual lying and backstabbing.

Noelle Lambert

Six years ago, Noelle Lambert lost her leg in an accident. But the 25-year-old turned tragedy into triumph, becoming a Paralympian and competing in the Tokyo games last year. Now she faces a very different, but similarly challenging situation, being without her support system for the first time. Her aim for the game is to steer into her athletic background, surrounding herself with physical threats until she can cut their throats.

Owen Knight

Director of admissions Owen Knight is hoping to be accepted into the Survivor winners' circle by the end of this season. The 30-year-old fell back in love with the show as an adult and feels his interpersonal skills can get many alliance applications accepted. He feels he's perceived as a cross between a long-haired "bro" and a brainy nerd, and hopes that can make him a big unknown on the island.

Ryan Medrano

From a young age, Ryan Medrano had to learn to solve things his own way. Born with mild cerebral palsy, he worked up from not being able to walk to becoming a personal trainer. He's had to read body language and facial expressions to anticipate next moves, something he believes will make him a natural for the game. But while the 25-year-old wants to be empathetic on the surface, behind the scenes, he has a calculated plan of recruiting allies within allies.

Sami Layadi

At 19 years old, Sami Layadi is this season's youngest castaway. But the pet cremator wants to use that to his advantage, looking to learn from the life experiences of his competition to endear himself as a "likable kid." Because beneath a wall of "genetics and great looks" lies someone who is, at his heart, insecure and looking to constantly better himself.

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 42?

Maryanne Oketch is of the most unique characters in Survivor history, having a talkative and bubbly personality that had her fellow players and Jeff Probst oftentimes in stitches. Through that she was able to craft an unassuming perception, until it was the right time to strike. In organizing the votes against Omar, she made a crucial move that set herself up to be guaranteed to sit in the Final 3. And once she got there, her explanation of weaponizing her reputation and advantages gave her a resounding near-unanimous win.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About The Amazing Race 33

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 42 completed seasons of Survivor, comprised of 622 episodes.

Where was Survivor season 43 filmed?

Season 43 was 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 43?

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?

Game-changing reality series Survivor is on Netflix. But don't expect to binge re-runs of all 41 seasons. Netflix seems to only be streaming two seasons a year. Currently available are Survivor: Micronesia — Fans vs. Favorites (Season 16) and Survivor: David vs. Goliath (Season 37).

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 41 seasons of Survivor are now available for streaming on Paramount+!

Is Survivor on Amazon's Prime Video?

Yes! But, like with Netflix, you won't be able to binge all 42 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 42 seasons, you'll need to stream them on Paramount+.

Is there a sneak peek trailer for Survivor 43?

Of course!

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