Survivor 51 Premieres with New Format, 21 Castaways
The reality competition series kicks off its "Open Era" with a two-hour premiere and longer individual episodes.
Survivor returns for its 51st season on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, ushering in the show's "Open Era" with a two-hour premiere episode. Following the premiere, subsequent episodes of Survivor 51 will be extended to 90 minutes.
This season features 21 new castaways competing for a $1 million prize. The season has adopted the catchphrase "permanent uncertainty," hinting at potential twists and challenges ahead.
The premiere of Survivor 51 airs at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. Viewers can also stream the season live on Paramount+. Following the premiere, subsequent episodes will be available weekly.
For those without traditional cable, CBS can be accessed through live TV streaming services such as DIRECTV, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and Sling TV. Several of these services offer free trials for new subscribers.
Paramount+ offers two subscription tiers: Essential, an ad-supported plan, and Premium, an ad-free plan that includes Showtime and live CBS. A seven-day free trial is available for the Premium plan.
The 21 castaways competing in Survivor 51 are:
Aaliyah Puglia, 24, chef Alexis Levine, 34, criminal defense attorney An “Thien An” Nguyen, 24, medical student Ana Sani, 34, voice actress Angelica “Jelly” Loblack, 29, sociology professor Brady Brooker, 27, pro wrestler Carter Krull, 24, livestock farmer Cristian Chavez, 26, head of HR Danny “Kilby” Kilby, 30, game designer Devin Way, 33, actor Eric Macksoud, 34, mental health counselor Jenna Doore, 30, wedding photographer Kristin Flickinger, 49, crisis management Lewis Kelly, 28, farmer Linnea Capobianco, 25, entrepreneur Maggie Nestor, 40, farmer Mike Pinsky, 32, baseball executive Ori Jean-Charles, 27, personal trainer Patt Cannaday, 33, federal prosecutor Rob Antonson, 40, airline gate agent Sharonda Cox, 34, OBGYN resident