Returning Players

Returning Players in Survivor offer the opportunity for former contestants to return for another shot at becoming the Sole Survivor.

Origins
The idea of former players returning occurred in. Executive Producer Mark Burnett wanted to showcase "The best of the best" after the ratings increase of. During pre-production for All-Stars, Burnett wrote down the series' most likable, villainous, and memorable players on a legal pad and shortlisted eighteen names within minutes.

All-Stars
All-Stars seasons feature a cast comprised entirely of returning players. The eponymous season,, saw 18 returnees divided into three competing tribes. Amber Brkich ultimately won the season against Rob Mariano. The All-Stars twist was revived for the ten-year anniversary season, Heroes vs. Villains. This season divided the returnees based on the heroic or villainous reputations. Sandra Diaz-Twine became the first two-time winner of Survivor, beating Parvati Shallow and Russell Hantz.

Although proving to be a success for fans of the show, some critics argued that the survival aspects were completely removed in favor of strategy and exuberant challenges. Fans also responded negatively to players that, according to popular opinion, had no plausible reason to return. Notable casting controversies include Amber Brkich in (who had been a backup to Elisabeth Filarski and Colleen Haskell) and Candice Woodcock in Heroes vs. Villains (whose most notable action in her past Survivor career was Mutiny, not the most heroic action but not necessarily meaning she belonged on the Villains tribe).

Fans vs. Favorites
Although initially intending to produce a second all-stars season, Burnett pushed for Survivor to experiment with different twists in their 16th season. The result was the Fans vs. Favorites twist that saw a tribe of ten returning players pitted against a tribe of ten "die-hard" fans of the show. Both iterations of this twist have seen the favorites tribe comprised solely of contestants who had only played once previously and who did not win.

The first installment,, became one of the series' most popular installments. Returning player Parvati Shallow beat out fellow favorite Amanda Kimmel in a 5-3 vote.

The twist was brought back ten seasons later for. Returning player John Cochran beat out fellow favorite Dawn Meehan and fan Sherri Biethman in a unanimous 8-0-0 vote.

One Returnee per Tribe
The One Returnee per Tribe twist sees two to three returning players competing against new castaways, with one returnee placed on each of the competing tribes. In all seasons featuring this twist, a returning player has made it to the Final Tribal Council.

The twist was first introduced in. Two former castaways from, Bobby Jon Drinkard and Stephenie LaGrossa, returned for a shot at redemption after being the final two members of the infamous Ulong tribe. New contestant Danni Boatwright won the season against Stephenie.

The Redemption Island twist saw the resurrection of this method for introducing Returnees. In, Rob Mariano and Russell Hantz were brought back to settle their rivalry from Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains. Russell was targeted early when his tribe threw a challenge to vote him out. Meanwhile, Rob won the game against fellow Ometepe tribemates Phillip Sheppard and Natalie Tenerelli.

The Redemption Island format was revisited in, with Coach Wade and Ozzy Lusth returning to improve on their weak social games. This was the first time the two returning players had not previously competed on the same season. New contestant Sophie Clarke claimed the prize, beating Coach and Albert Destrade.

introduced three previous contestants, Russell Swan, Michael Skupin, and Jonathan Penner, all of whom were evacuated due to medical reasons. This is the only iteration of the One Returnee per Tribe twist to bring back more than two returning players. New contestant Denise Stapley won the game against Lisa Whelchel and Skupin.

Couples
Another type of Returnees vs. New Players format is the couples format, where returnees would compete against people they personally know. It was first used in, where ten returning castaways would compete against their loved ones. However, each castaway would compete individually, so a castaway would still be in the game even after its partner was voted out. The twist would play its part when a castaway can opt to replace its partner who is currently on Redemption Island before a duel takes place, thus allowing its partner to take its place in the tribe.

Success in the Game
It should be noted that during every season thus far that has featured returning players, at least one has made it to the Final Two/Three in those seasons. These players include Rob Mariano (All-Stars and Redemption Island), Amber Brkich (All-Stars), Stephenie LaGrossa (Guatemala), Amanda Kimmel (Micronesia), Parvati Shallow (Micronesia and Heroes vs. Villains), Russell Hantz (Heroes vs. Villains), Sandra Diaz-Twine (Heroes vs. Villains), Coach Wade (South Pacific), Michael Skupin (Philippines), Dawn Meehan (Caramoan), John Cochran (Caramoan), Gervase Peterson (Blood vs. Water), Monica Culpepper (Blood vs. Water) and Tyson Apostol (Blood vs. Water).

Trivia

 * There have been 59 returning players.
 * There have been 14 three-time players and 2 four-time players
 * Sandra Diaz-Twine, Jenna Morasca, Michael Skupin, and Colton Cumbie are the only returning players to never be voted out.
 * However, Sandra is currently the only returning player to never be eliminated. Jenna made the Final Tribal Council once and quit once, Michael made the Final Tribal Council once and was medically evacuated once, and Colton was medically evacuated once and quit once.
 * Survivor: Micronesia currently has the most returning players out of all seasons, with seven.
 * As Micronesia featured returning castaways, Survivor: The Australian Outback has the most original returning castaways, with six.
 * Erik Reichenbach was the only original castaway to return from Micronesia while the rest of them were returnees themselves in Micronesia.
 * ,, and are the only seasons to have had no players return for a subsequent appearance.
 * In addition, no players that debuted in have returned. The only returnee from Guatemala, Stephenie LaGrossa, was a returnee herself on that season.
 * All 3 returning Asian-American contestants are currently the only representatives of their season.
 * Two returnees from Survivor: Samoa are named Russell.
 * Both Russells were the first returnees to be voted out of their respective tribes in separate One Returnee per Tribe seasons.
 * Neither one have ever been on the jury. (Russell Hantz made the Final Tribal Council in Samoa and, and was voted out before the jury phase in , while Russell Swan was eliminated before the jury phase in both Samoa and .)
 * Coincidentally, the third returnee from Samoa would share a name with another castaway on her second try.
 * All the returnees from have participated in the game three times, and it is the season to have introduced the highest number of three time players, with four.
 * The six returnees from have returned nine times total, the most of any season.
 * Rob Mariano and Rupert Boneham are the only contestants to play four times.
 * On their fourth attempts, Rob was the Sole Survivor, while Rupert was the first to be eliminated. Both of these fourth attempts featured both new and returning players, and also had Redemption Island in play.
 * On their first seasons, both were eliminated towards the middle of the game, and both then participated together in  and .
 * Starting from Survivor: Philippines, the producers have began to bring back players who placed lower than 10th place; before then, only players who made the final 10 in their first appearance were asked back. Russell Swan, Michael Skupin, Francesca Hogi, Monica Culpepper and Colton Cumbie have all returned after finishing 11th or lower in their first appearance.
 * Gervase Peterson currently holds the record of the longest period between appearances on Survivor with 26 seasons.
 * Before Gervase, Michael Skupin held this record with 23 seasons in between appearances on Survivor.
 * In all three seasons where the tribes were divided as new players against returning players:
 * A Tribe Switch occurred, mixing the tribes between new and returning players.
 * Post-switch, the tribe originally consisting of new players won every Immunity Challenge.
 * Every season filmed in the Philippines that featured returning players had the youngest returning player be a male contestant who debuted in a season filmed in Samoa.
 * For Philippines, Russell Swan, who debuted in Samoa.
 * For Caramoan, Brandon Hantz, who debuted in South Pacific.
 * For Blood vs. Water, Colton Cumbie, who debuted in One World.
 * Every season with more than three returning players has had three contestants who debuted in the same season returning for the first time.
 * In All-Stars, from Africa: Tom Buchanan, Lex van den Berghe, and Ethan Zohn.
 * In Micronesia, from Cook Islands: Ozzy Lusth, Jonathan Penner, and Parvati Shallow.
 * In Heroes vs. Villains, from Tocatins: Tyson Apostol, Coach Wade, and J.T. Thomas.
 * In Caramoan, from Redemption Island: Andrea Boehlke, Francesca Hogi, and Phillip Sheppard; and from South Pacific: John Cochran, Brandon Hantz, and Dawn Meehan.
 * In Blood vs. Water, from One World: Monica Culpepper, Colton Cumbie, and Kat Edorsson.