Survivor: South Pacific will premiere on Wednesday, September 14 at 8pm in a special 90-minute debut. And just like last season, two of the 18 total castaways will be former players looking at a chance for redemption. See who they are here!
Also returning is the "Redemption Island" twist. Each week at Tribal Council, when a castaway is voted off, they will be sent to live alone on Redemption Island and, in order to stay in the game, will need to compete in a duel against the next person eliminated. The winner of each duel earns the right to continue fighting for an opportunity to return to the game and the chance to compete for the title of Sole Survivor; and the loser is sent home.
Check out the 16 contestants who will compete alongside two returning players in Survivor: South Pacific.
Keith Tollefson (26) Tribe designation: Savaii Current residence: Edina, Minn. Occupation: Water Treatment Tech Personal claim to fame: I graduated college and moved to Hawaii for two years because that was my dream. |
Whitney Duncan (27) Tribe designation: Savaii Current residence: Nashville, Tenn. Occupation: Country Music Singer Personal claim to fame: My first record Right Road Now was released on Warner Brothers in 2010. It’s definitely my biggest achievement to date. |
Stacey Powell (44) Tribe designation: Upolu Current residence: Grand Prairie, Texas Occupation: Mortician Personal claim to fame: Going to school and being a single parent. None of my children were ever in trouble with the law. |
Rick Nelson (51) Tribe designation: Upolu Current residence: Aurora, Utah Occupation: Rancher Personal claim to fame: My family and my ranch. |
Sophie Clarke (22) Tribe designation: Upolu Current residence: Willsboro, N.Y. Occupation: Medical Student Personal claim to fame: I won Prom Princess at my small rural high school where my graduation class was 28 students. |
Albert Destrade (26) Tribe designation: Upolu Current residence: Plantation, Fla. Occupation: Baseball/Dating Coach Personal claim to fame: I hit my first college home run off of a guy that was a 1st round draft pick. |
Semhar Tadesse (24) Tribe designation: Savaii Current residence: Los Angeles Occupation: Spoken Word Artist Personal claim to fame: My poetry on YouTube. |
Mikayla Wingle (22) Tribe designation: Upolu Current residence: Tampa, Fla. Occupation: Lingerie Football Player Personal claim to fame: I was on the cover of Playboy February 2011 and met the hard working Hugh Hefner. |
Mark Caruso (48) Tribe designation: Savaii Current residence: Forest Hills, N.Y. Occupation: Retired NYPD Detective Personal claim to fame: I was a NYCPD Morgue Detective for 20 years and I retired with honors from the mayor and police commissioner. |
Christine Shields Markoski (39) Tribe designation: Upolu Current residence: Merrick, N.Y. Occupation: Teacher Personal claim to fame: All the goals I have set for myself, I’ve accomplished. |
John Cochran (24) Tribe designation: Savaii Current residence: Washington, D.C. Occupation: Harvard Law Student Personal claim to fame: I won the Dean’s Scholar Prize at Harvard Law for an essay I wrote on the Survivor jury system. It was one of the few times in my life where my personal interests and academic obligations coincided perfectly. |
Elyse Umemoto (27) Tribe Designation: Savaii Current Residence: Las Vegas Occupation: Dance Team Manager Personal claim to fame: I was the second runner-up to Miss America and I raised my three younger sisters. |
Jim Rice (35) Tribe Designation: Savaii Current Residence: Denver Occupation: Medical Marijuana Dispenser Personal Claim to Fame: I’ve worked on Wall Street, won over 40 poker tournaments, started several successful businesses and earned my MBA at a top five school from the University of Michigan. |
Edna Ma (35) Tribe designation: Upolu Current residence: Los Angeles Occupation: Anesthesiologist Personal claim to fame: I was the first in my family to finish college. I subsequently went onto complete medical school and am board certified in anesthesiology. |
Dawn Meehan (41) Tribe designation: Savaii Current residence: South Jordan, Utah Occupation: English Professor at Brigham Young University Personal claim to fame: Adopting our six children. |
Brandon Hantz (19) Tribe designation: Upolu Current residence: Katy, Texas Occupation: Oil Tanker Crewman Personal claim to fame: My little boy, Elijah. |
If the final contestant's last name seems familiar it's because he is the nephew of Survivor all-star -- and super villain -- Russell Hantz.
Will Brandon behave like his uncle, or branch out with his own style of game play? We'll have to wait and see when Survivor: South Pacific premieres on Wednesday, September 14 on CBS.