Thanks to a clever arrangement by YouTube star MrBeast, the traditional $1 million winner’s prize has been doubled during the landmark season.
Los Angeles – after four o’clock season After more than a decade of heartbreak, Aubrey Bracco is finally crowned “Sole Survivor.”
The 38-year-old actor, who first captivated audiences in 2016 on “Survivor: Kaôh Rōng” but lost in the series’ most controversial jury vote, was named the winner of “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” on Wednesday night, taking home a $2 million prize.
The landmark 50th season brings back 24 former Castaways, including legends like Cirie Fields, Ozzy Lusth, Rick Devens, Mike White and Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick, to compete for the biggest award in franchise history. The traditional winner’s prize of $1 million has been doubled thanks to a twist by YouTube star MrBeast.
The three-hour live finale was the show’s first live reunion in a decade.
The final three were Aubrey Bracco (“Kaôh Rōng,” “Game Changers,” “Edge of Extinction”), Joe Hunter (Season 48) and Jonathan Young (“Survivor” Season 42), who each made their case to the jury. Tiffany Young and Rizo Velovic were eliminated in fifth and fourth place respectively.
Jonathan formed strong bonds throughout the season, including his “Honor and Integrity” alliance, and won the crucial individual immunity challenge, which allowed him to vote in both Tribal Councils when the tournament was split into a double-elimination bracket.
Joe, who finished third in the last competition, once again won multiple immunity challenges and became the emotional center of the season, speaking openly about the grief of losing his sister Joanna.
Aubrey has spent much of the season earning what fans call a “winner editor” — appearing more frequently in confessionals and strategy conversations as the season progresses — hoping to finally claim the title that has eluded her since 2016’s “Kaôh Rōng.”
Probst’s live ending goes awry
The ending will also be remembered Awkward live TV moment.
Before the final four fire-making segments aired on the East Coast, host Jeff Probst seemingly inadvertently revealed that fan favorite Rizo Velovic, 26, of Yonkers, N.Y., had failed the fire-making challenge for the second consecutive season, inadvertently confirming him as the final member of the judging panel before viewers could see it for themselves.
It was a particularly cruel turn for Rizzo, who failed the same fire-making challenge on “Survivor 49” where he was defeated by eventual winner Savannah Louie.
Reaction was immediate on social media, with fans pointing out the gaffe in real time as footage from Fiji continued to play. Probst did not appear to acknowledge the mistake on air.
Despite the exit, Rizzo’s back-to-back runs cemented his status as a “new era” legend – one of the few players in franchise history to reach back-to-back Finals.
The $2 million winner was announced in front of a live studio audience in Los Angeles. Fans also cast one final vote: selecting a favorite player to receive a $100,000 bonus from pop star Sia, a tradition in recent seasons.
