The thrilling two-hour premiere airs Wednesday, March 1 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
The bonds are forming quickly on this season of Survivor. In a sneak peek at season 44, host Jeff Probst questions the cast members' intentions and strategies ahead of the game.
"I'm just trying to figure out what's going on right now," barbershop owner Matthew Grinstead-Mayle from Columbus, Ohio, admits. "I don't even know. The anxiety is so high. So, I'm sure I should be fearful, but I'm not there yet. I'm just trying to take deep breaths and just try to hold it all in because if I don't, I feel like my heart is just going to plop right here and just make a mess out of everybody here in the front row."
Matthew and his fellow contestants are facing quite an uphill battle. "Stranded on the beautiful islands of Fiji, these motivated new players must form a society and adapt to their physical and social surroundings, forcing them to decide what is more dangerous: the environment or navigating the complex social game and placing trust in their tribemates," reads the press release for this season. "The participants will be divided into three tribes of six and face a faster, more dangerous season from the moment they step on the beach. The moral dilemmas and mysterious new layers of this complex game will push even the strongest competitors to their limits, and the mental and physical challenges require players to constantly adjust their strategies in order to make it another day."
In the end, only one will claim the title of Sole Survivor and go home with $1 million.
The thrilling two-hour premiere of Survivor season 44 airs Wednesday, March 1 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. The series is also available to stream live and on demand on the CBS app and Paramount+.
Now let's meet this season's contestants.
Name: Yamil “Yam Yam” Arocho
Age: 36
Hometown: Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Current Residence: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Occupation: Salon owner
Name: Matt Blankinship
Age: 27
Hometown: Albany, California
Current Residence: San Francisco, California
Occupation: Security software engineer
Name: Brandon Cottom
Age: 30
Hometown: Newtown, Pennsylvania
Current Residence: Newton, Pennsylvania
Occupation: Security specialist
Name: Kane Fritzler
Age: 25
Hometown: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Current Residence: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Occupation: Law student
Name: Carson Garrett
Age: 20 Hometown: Rome, Georgia
Current Residence: Atlanta, Georgia
Occupation: NASA engineering student
Name: Matthew Grinstead-Mayle
Age: 43
Hometown: Pickerington, Ohio
Current Residence: Columbus, Ohio
Occupation: Barbershop owner
Name: Lauren Harpe
Age: 31
Hometown: Port Arthur, Texas
Current Residence: Mont Belvieu, Texas
Occupation: Elementary school teacher
Name: Heidi Lagares-Greenblatt
Age: 43
Hometown: Ponce, Puerto Rico
Current Residence: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Occupation: Engineering manager
Name: Helen Li
Age: 29
Hometown: Wayland, Massachusetts
Current Residence: San Francisco, California
Occupation: Product manager
Name: Frannie Marin
Age: 23
Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota
Current Residence: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Occupation: Research coordinator
Name: Danny Massa
Age: 32
Hometown: Bronx, New York
Current Residence: Bronx, New York
Occupation: New York City firefighter
Name: Bruce Perreault
Age: 46
Hometown: West Warwick, Rhode Island
Current Residence: Warwick, Rhode Island
Occupation: Insurance agent
Name: Maddy Pomilla
Age: 28
Hometown: Huntingtown, Maryland
Current Residence: Brooklyn, New York
Occupation: Charity projects manager
Name: Claire Rafson
Age: 25
Hometown: Highland Park, Illinois
Current Residence: Brooklyn, New York
Occupation: Tech investor
Name: Jaime Lynn Ruiz
Age: 35
Hometown: Mesa, Arizona
Current Residence: Mesa, Arizona
Occupation: Yogi
Name: Sarah Wade
Age: 27
Hometown: Rochester, Minnesota
Current Residence: Chicago, Illinois
Occupation: Management consultant
Name: Carolyn Wiger
Age: 35
Hometown: North St. Paul, Minnesota
Current Residence: Hugo, Minnesota
Occupation: Drug counselor
Name: Josh Wilder
Age: 34
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Current Residence: Atlanta, Georgia
Occupation: Surgical podiatrist
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