Parvati Shallow, Boston Rob Mariano, Sandra Diaz-Twine, Tony Vlachos and Natalie Anderson
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If there ever was a Mount Rushmore of the reality television greats, Survivor would be etched in stone.
One of the longest-running competitive reality programs ever, Survivor has remained a force in the TV landscape, notably deemed the most-watched Emmy nominee of last year’s awards cycle. Since debuting in 2000, the CBS series has aired 49 seasons, with each differing from the rest, and each crowning a new winner that defined every separate installment.
Many of the Survivor winners are considered pros at the game, successfully influencing the show and how it is played year and year by eager cast members vying for a shot at also being deemed a Sole Survivor.
But with 50 seasons under the show’s belt, only 48 have actually won the show. And that 48th winner was just named with the end of Survivor 50.
Before a new winner is added to the list, The Hollywood Reporter has compiled a go-to roundup of all the Survivor winners, what seasons they’ve appeared on and all the milestones each champion contributed during their time in the game.
This story was originally published on Feb. 7, 2026, and has been as new winners are announced.
Richard Hatch won the inaugural installment of Survivor in 2000, becoming the first Sole Survivor to take home the $1 million prize. To commemorate the show’s 20 year anniversary, Hatch spoke with The Hollywood Reporter, where he said he knew the show would “knock people’s socks off” before it even aired.
His run set the framework for all of the manipulation, backstabbing and strategy that is now standard for the reality series. Hatch was later sentenced to 51 months in prison for not paying taxes on his winnings, and he also received another nine-month sentence for failing to amend his 2000 tax return.
He made his sole Survivor return in season eight, the first All-Stars installment, where he placed 14th. Dubbed one of reality TV’s first villains, Hatch appeared on the second season of E!’s House of Villains, and has appeared in various reality shows over the years including The Biggest Loser and The Apprentice.
