So!... it's almost time for the next instalment of Survivor - Blood vs. Water. It premieres on SABC3 this Monday (28 March) at 20h30 and comes with a juicy new take on the cast.
Reality shows always bang on about "the next big thing" coming up to overhype things and their claims are usually a letdown but this time the next big thing looks promising.
Former Survivors are going to play with and
against their loved ones for the first time in the history of the show.
Everyone competes for the win as individuals but the former, returning players can decide whether they want to help their relatives on the game or leave them to rot.
This is the official description of the format:
Alliances and relationships will be tested and bonds will be broken when mothers, daughters, brothers, spouses and partners vie against each other in the ultimate competition, raising the question: which is thicker - Blood or Water?
This edition of Survivor features the return of Redemption Island, where castaways who have been eliminated from the game can seek redemption and return for a chance to win the million dollar prize.
The twist this season, however, is loved ones will be forced to choose whether to "save" their partner on Redemption Island and switch places with them, thus allowing their loved one to immediately re-enter the game, or leave them in exile to survive on their own.
This is who's coming back and with who...
BROTHERS
Aras and Vytas
Name: Aras Baskauskas (31)
Tribe Designation: Returning Player
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Vytas' Brother
Previous Season: Survivor: Panama – Exile Island, winner
Current Residence: Santa Monica, Calif.
Occupation: Musician
(! I always feel a small twinge of guilt with Aras because I dissed him BIGTIME for all his yoga during his season. Remember how obsessed he was?? Any spare moment they had he would be in a yoga pose. Between his season and now I've become hooked too so I can't roll my eyes at him anymore. At least not for the yoga - I'm sure he'll do lotsa other *bleep!* that's gonna annoy me.)
Name: Vytas Baskauskas (33)
Tribe Designation: Loved Ones
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Aras' Brother
Current Residence: Santa Monica, Calif.
Occupation: Yoga Instructor/Math Professor
Personal Claim to Fame: Beating heroin addiction, yoga discipline and receiving a graduate degree in math.
MARRIED
Candice and John
Name: Candice (30)
Tribe Designation: Returning Player
Relationship to Significant Castaway: John's Wife
Previous Season: Survivor: Cook Islands-13th out, 5th jury member; Survivor: Heroes vs. Villians-13th out, 5th jury member
Current Residence: Washington, D.C.
Occupation: Physician, Anesthesiology Resident
Name: John (30)
Tribe Designation: Loved Ones
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Candice's Husband
Current Residence: Washington, D.C.
Occupation: Physician, Army Orthopedic Surgery Resident
Personal Claim to Fame: Being a West Point grad, graduating from Georgetown Medical School and training at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for my Orthopedic Surgery residency.
ENGAGED
Colton and Caleb
Name: Colton Cumbie (22)
Tribe Designation: Returning Player
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Caleb's Fiancé
Previous Season: Survivor: One World – medically evacuated on day 16 due to illness – 6th out
Current Residence: Collinsville, Ala.
Occupation: Student Teacher
(Urgh!! One of the nastiest Survivors. Ever.)
Name: Caleb Bankston (26)
Tribe Designation: Loved Ones
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Colton's Fiancé
Current Residence: Collinsville, Ala.
Occupation: Post Office Manager/Farmer
Personal Claim to Fame: Shooting a 12 point buck on my first deer hunt.
UNCLE AND NIECE
Gervase and Marissa
Name: Gervase Peterson (43)
Tribe Designation: Returning Player
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Marissa's Uncle
Previous Season: Survivor: Borneo – 3rd jury member
Current Residence: Philadelphia, Pa.
Occupation: Cigar Lounge Owner
Name: Marissa Peterson (21)
Tribe Designation: Loved Ones
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Gervase's Niece
Current Residence: Chapel Hill, N.C.
Occupation: Student
Personal Claim to Fame: Putting myself through college.
DATING
Kat and Hayden
Name: Kat Edorsson (23)
Tribe Designation: Returning Player
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Hayden's Girlfriend
Previous Season: Survivor: One World – 6th jury member
Current Residence: Orlando, Fla.
Occupation: Full-time student/Sales
(Yay - pleased she's back. I only started liking her when she got voted off last time.)
Name: Hayden Moss (26)
Tribe Designation: Loved Ones
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Kat's Boyfriend
Current Residence: Springtown, Texas
Occupation: Real Estate
Personal Claim to Fame: Winning Big Brother 12.
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER
Laura and Ciera
Name: Laura Morett (43)
Tribe Designation: Returning Player
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Ciera's Mother
Previous Season: Survivor: Samoa – 3rd jury member
Current Residence: Salem, Ore.
Occupation: Co-owner of Morett construction
Name: Ciera Eastin (24)
Tribe Designation: Loved Ones
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Laura's Daughter
Current Residence: Salem, Ore. Occupation: Cosmetology Student
Personal Claim to Fame: Despite the fact that I got pregnant at 17, I am most proud of the fact that I finished high school, worked three jobs to support my daughter, and now I am happily married with two beautiful children.
MARRIED
Monica and Brad
Name: Monica Culpepper (42)
Tribe Designation: Returning Player
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Brad's Wife
Previous Season: Survivor: One World – non-jury, 5th out
Current Residence: Tampa, Fla.
Occupation: Former NFL Wife, homemaker
(WTF? - who is she??)
Name: Brad Culpepper (44)
Tribe Designation: Loved Ones
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Monica's Husband
Current Residence: Tampa, Fla.
Occupation: Attorney and retired NFL player. Played for the Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears.
Personal Claim to Fame: My 21 year marriage.
MARRIED
Rupert and Laura
Name: Rupert Boneham (49)
Tribe Designation: Returning Player
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Laura's Husband
Previous Season: Survivor: Pearl Island – 2nd jury member; Survivor: All Stars – 6th jury member, won $1 million for fan favourite; Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains – 7th jury member
Current Residence: Indianapolis, Ind.
Occupation: Mentor for Troubled Teens
(That crazed look in his eyes is obviously because he isn't smoking... remember what a chain smoker he turned out to be in Heroes vs. Villains)
Name: Laura Boneham (44)
Tribe Designation: Loved Ones
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Rupert's Wife
Current Residence: Indianapolis, Ind.
Occupation: Merchandiser
Personal Claim to Fame: Raising a bright, independent, beautiful daughter who is now 13 years old.
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER
Tina and Katie
Name: Tina Wesson (52)
Tribe Designation: Returning Player
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Katie's Mother
Previous Season: Survivor: Australia – winner; Survivor: All Stars – non-jury, 1st out
Current Residence: Robbinsville, N.C.
Occupation: Motivational Speaker
(The luckiest Survivor of all time. We can never forget that Colby let her win the season.)
Name: Katie Collins (25)
Tribe Designation: Loved Ones
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Tina's Daughter
Current Residence: New York, N.Y.
Occupation: Hedge fund support
Personal Claim to Fame: Raising thousands of dollars for the American Lung Association by climbing 55 flights of stairs at Penn Plaza.
DATING
Tyson and Rachel
Name: Tyson Apostol (34)
Tribe Designation: Returning Player
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Rachel's Boyfriend
Previous Season: Survivor: Tocantins – 2nd jury member; Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains – 6th voted out.
Current Residence: Provo, Utah
Occupation: Former Pro Cyclist/Shop Manager
(Mindboggling that anyone would want to date him.)
Name: Rachel Foulger (33)
Tribe Designation: Loved Ones
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Tyson's Girlfriend
Current Residence: Provo, Utah
Occupation: Cocktail Waitress/Graphic Designer
Personal Claim to Fame: Starting and owning my own business that landed sales with Target and QVC.