These Legendary ‘Survivor’ Contestants Were Snubbed From Season 50 — and It’s an Absolute Betrayal

Jeff Probst officially announced the cast of Survivor 50, which will feature 24 returning players from the show’s history. Although former contestants such as Benjamin “Coach” Wade, Cirie Fields, and Ozzy Lusth will be exciting to watch again, Survivor elected to feature legends that have played multiple times, and more recent castaways rather than those who deserve a second chance. Therefore, with the cast of Survivor 50 still feeling like it’s missing some key returnees, here are four players that would’ve been better selections for the landmark season.

4Carolyn Wiger Should Have Been a Returning Player from the New Era

There are already enough players from the New Era appearing on Survivor 50, but Probst made a huge mistake by not choosing season 44 finalist Carolyn Wiger to be part of the all-star cast. The 38-year-old drug counselor was not only one of the highlights of Survivor 44, but is arguably the biggest fan-favorite from the New Era who gained popularity through her quirky but relatable personality. Following her appearance on Survivor, Wiger played on The Traitors, where she continued to grow her fanbase and introduce herself to a new batch of American viewers. After making a deep run in the game as a traitor, it seemed like Wiger would be a no-brainer for Survivor 50, as it would be compelling to see if she could finally emerge victorious after falling short twice in two different reality TV competitions. In addition, Survivor would’ve been able to garner fans from The Traitors, who may have tuned-in to watch Wiger on the show, but unfortunately, that opportunity will not come to fruition in the near future.

3Ian Rosenberger’s Honorable Exit Made Him a Deserving Contestant to Return

Image via Screen Rant

Ian Rosenberger has been a castaway that fans have been craving to see return to Survivor for years. At age 23, he appeared on season 10 of the show, where he finished in the final three, but the way he was eliminated is why the Survivor faithful wanted him to return so badly. In one of the most iconic final Individual Immunity challenges in show history, Rosenberger and eventual winner Tom Westman went head-to-head, holding onto wooden poles in the water for nearly 12 hours. However, instead of one of the contestants finally giving up due to the pain, Rosenberger voluntarily quit after feeling guilty of his perceived betrayal of Katie Gallagher, who also made the final three. Rosenberger felt that it was more important to give Gallagher the opportunity to rival Westman for the million-dollar prize, rather than win with a guilty conscience. Although Rosenberger ultimately turned down the opportunity to return on Survivor: Cambodia in 2015, Probst hopefully asked the fan-favorite if he had changed his mind for season 50, especially due to the honorable way he left the game 20 years ago.

2Domenick Abbate Deserved Another Opportunity to be Crowned Sole Survivor

Image via CBS

Although Survivor: Ghost Island isn’t remembered very fondly by fans, it still had one of the most entertaining final Tribal Councils in the show’s history, which led Domenick Abbate to lose the million-dollar prize by one vote. The 46-year-old had advanced to the final three alongside Wendell Holland and Laurel Johnson, with each contestant making a bold case to earn the jury’s vote and be crowned sole survivor. However, after the ten jury members split the vote between Abbate and Holland to cause a tie, Johnson was immediately moved to the jury and voted for Holland to win the game. Although the ending to season 36 was exciting, it was also one of the most devastating losses for any contestant in Survivor history, as Abbate’s fate was left in the hands of one person. In addition, the construction supervisor has only appeared on the show once, which would’ve made Survivor 50 the perfect opportunity for him to make his long-awaited return.

1‘Survivor 50’ Needed an All-Time Villain

Image via CBS

Although Kass McQuillen has already been featured on Survivor twice, she’s still one of the greatest villains to ever participate in the competition and would’ve been a massive name added to season 50. McQuillen lasted 19 days during her time on Survivor: Cambodia, but her iconic run playing on Survivor: Cagayan is the season she’s often remembered for. After lasting 38 days and finishing in the final three alongside Tony Vlachos and Yung Woo Hwang, McQuillen was finally eliminated from the game, but more impressively, she only received two votes in the final, despite being one of the season’s biggest villains. Probst and CBS definitely decided to feature more likable fan-favorites than Survivor’s best antagonists on season 50, which is why McQuillen would’ve been the perfect choice to add some balance to the cast.

Other Survivor legends who will be appearing on season 50 include: Stephenie LaGrossa, Colby Donaldson, and Jenna Lewis-Dougherty, who was part of the first edition of the show. In addition, New Era players like Genevieve Mushaluk, Q Burdette, Emily Flippen and season 48 winner Kyle Fraser will also appear. The premiere date is yet to be announced, but Survivor 50 will debut in spring 2026 with filming set to begin this summer.