Every contestant that shows up to play Survivor thinks they have what it takes to win the game. Optimism abounds! Everything is sunshine and Fun Dip and unicorns! And then those happy-go-lucky souls are dropped off on island and reality hits.

When Cedrek McFadden was going through the rigors of medical school, Survivor was his therapy. In the time since, he's become a colorectal surgeon, as well as a TV medical consultant for men's health issues.

The beloved host/showrunner has been peeling the curtain back on the official Survivor podcast On Fire with Jeff Probst. During an episode about Season 47, he revealed why his instructions before reading the votes is no longer included. As he put it:

Season 48 will follow the 18 castaways as they attempt to survive the elements and each other while stranded on picturesque but remote islands of Fiji. The players, who will be divided into three tribes of six, must navigate physical challenges and tenuous social alliances in the hope of becoming the Sole Survivor and winning $1 million.

BERLIN (Reuters) - A 99-year-old Holocaust survivor said on Thursday he would return his federal order of merit award to the German state in protest over a parliamentary vote in which support from the far-right was used for the first time to secure a majority.

Shauhin Davari, a debate professor, previously said he had suspected Papini's kidnapping to be a hoax shortly after he heard the news about it.

Season 48 of “Survivor” is set to debut with a two-hour premiere episode on Wednesday, February 26, at 8 p.m., airing on CBS and streaming live on Paramount+. Following the premiere, 90-minute episodes will air weekly beginning March 5.

Parvati Shallow tells TODAY.com about her time on "Deal or No Deal Island," why her memoir is "intense" and if she'll ever play "Survivor" again.

After a lengthy investigation, Papini was arrested in March 2022. She struck a plea agreement by pleading guilty to one count of making false statements and one count of mail fraud. Papini was sentenced to 18 months in prison. She completed her sentence in August 2023. Meanwhile, Davari will compete on the upcoming season of Survivor.

It's almost time for a new season of "Survivor" and we recently got a look at the 18 castaways who will compete in the show's 48th edition. One of them is Thomas Krottinger, who's from The Woodlands.

Shauhin Davari, who is part of 'Survivor' season 48, previously claimed he dated Sherri Papini before her kidnapping hoax