It all comes down to this. The Survivor 2023 winner is finally crowned after a rollercoaster of a season on the island filled with lots of twists and turns.
The reality TV show stems from the Swedish television series, Expedition Robinson, which Charlie Parsons created in 1997. However, the American version of Survivor aired for the first time on May 31, 2000. Jeff Probst has hosted every season of Survivor and is also an executive producer alongside Mark Burnett and Parsons. The rest of the television franchise includes Australian Survivor, Survivor South Africa, and Survivor New Zealand.
The long-standing reality TV series follows tribes of contestants that live on remote islands, compete in challenges, and vote each other off of the show. Their ultimate goal is to outwit, outplay, and outlast each other so that they can be the last person standing. The winner receives a check for $1,000,000 and the title of “Sole Survivor.”
Between living on a desert island, forming alliances, breaking alliances, doing physical and mental challenges, dealing with harsh weather, and enduring a full 26 days (previously 39 days) of complete isolation, you won’t want to miss all of the action in the finale.
Jeff Probst talked to Entertainment Weekly about what fans can expect in the finale. “We have two fantastic challenges in the finale, and both of them are dramatic. The stakes are so high for the final five challenge because if you win immunity, then you know you will never be voted out and you are at least guaranteed to make fire. That kind of pressure impacts every player differently. Some soar under pressure, others collapse.”
He continued, “The final Tribal for Survivor 45 is a war. Several jury members were undecided about who they were going to vote for, and I was very impressed with how they conducted their interrogation of the players. They were very specific in what they wanted to know to help them make their decision and they gave the players ample opportunities to own their game and make their case. I was also very impressed with the final three. Everybody made their case in a way that felt true to their game. That’s all you want in a final Tribal: great questions and honest answers, then the jury decides!”
So who wins Survivor 2023? Read more to find out.
Who’s the Survivor 2023 winner? The winner of Survivor 45 is Dee Valladares. Dee had three immunity wins and won the final immunity. Pitted against showmance Austin, Dee won the game by a vote of 5-3.
According to GoldDerby, Dee Valladares was predicted to be the most likely to win this season of Survivor at an odds of 69/20. Austin Li Coon followed her up with the odds of 9/2.
Who are the final five of Survivor 45? The final five include Austin Li Coon, Dee Valladares, Julie Alley, Jake O’Kane, and Katurah Topps.
Austin Li Coon is a 26-year-old grad student. On what his most difficult day on the island was, he told Entertainment Weekly, “Day 10 was by far the most difficult day physically. We had recently swapped tribes, so I was with new tribe members at Belo beach. That day, hunger was at an all-time high, and the entire tribe had so little energy that we couldn’t even leave our shelter (even Kendra!). “
Dee Valladares is a 26-year-old-entrepreneur. One of her favorite moments was when she was still with the OG Reba. “The six of us woke up one morning and did an affirmation circle and we really took our time with it,” she recalled. “We highlighted positive things about each person’s character and it was absolutely wholesome.”
Julie Alley is a 49-year-old estate attorney. She was sentimental about her time on the island particularly with fellow final five Katurah during the first merge. “She shared about being gay and felt like an outcast, and I shared about being divorced and felt the same way. Now knowing that we were both hiding the fact that we were attorneys makes the moment even sweeter.”
Katurah Topps is a 35-year-old civil rights attorney. She shared the same kind of feelings throughout her stay as her favorite parts were “talking about life, career, and family with Dee, Austin, and Julie days 12 through 14. They were so unbelievably kind and genuine with me, and I felt more seen and included with them than I had felt the entire first 12 days of the game.”
Jake O’Kane is a 26-year-old attorney. He recalled how when Bruce played his immunity he had to up his game. “In that moment, I knew I truly had no one out there and no one would put their eggs in my basket strategically. Not personal on their parts, they are all wonderful people. But on a lighter note, following that moment, I was really able to highlight to myself that I don’t quit. I’m a fighter. Regardless of how much I’m beat down, I will exclusively play to win.”
Survivor will air on CBS at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays. Here’s how to watch it for free.
