The Big Picture
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Survivor
cast may refuse food trades, risking health for gameplay - Liz faced severe physical strain due to lack of food on the island
- Medical team monitors cast’s nutrition needs and influences game rewards
The new era of Survivor films for a shorter amount of time and the cast doesn’t start with food. That means they have to win challenges for tools and supplies like flint, tarp, and fishing gear to fend for themselves on the reality series. But Liz Wilcox of Survivor 46 is in a unique position because she’s allergic to most things in Fiji like coconuts.
She previously revealed she hadn’t eaten in 72 hours before Jeff Probst gave the cast a surprising gift of popcorn at Tribal Council. The marketing strategist also revealed she hadn’t been able to relieve herself on the island. So it was obvious the game conditions were wearing on her physically. This season’s game is even harder on the cast since they refused to make a trade with Probst for rice in episode 8. A Survivor alum explained how the timing of rice and food rewards are planned and what we can read into Liz’s story in episode 10.
Survivor
A reality show where a group of contestants are stranded in a remote location with little more than the clothes on their back. The lone survivor of this contest takes home a million dollars.
- Release Date
- May 31, 2000
- Cast
- Jeff Probst
- Seasons
- 46
- Studio
- CBS
- Creator(s)
- Charlie Parsons
A Survivor Alum Says Medical Is Part of the Food Decisions
“Run the Red Light” showed the cast competing for an overnight Applebee’s reward. Liz made it clear that she could eat the burger on the menu, and she goes to the restaurant every week after watching Survivor. However, she didn’t win and Q Burdette, who she previously targeted, won. He refused to pick Liz because of this.Dwight Moore of Survivor 43 talked about the episode and the timing of the food reward on the Black Bi Reality podcast.
“There’s a reason they put that in the game when they do,” Moore explained. “They have doctors on the set. They know their nutrition. Like they have to get these people something at some point because their bodies will shut down. And Liz has been worse off than most of those people and they don’t have rice either. So…it’s bad.”
These Castaway Legends Should Return for ‘Survivor 50’
Jeff Probst has officially revealed that the landmark 50th season of CBS’s Survivor will feature returning players.
Tiffany Nicole Erwin revealed to Parade that some of the chosen castaways for the reward challenge was ready to switch places with Liz, but Q refused. “Both Maria [Shrime Gonzalez] and Kenzie [Petty] tried to give up their spot for Liz,” she said. “And Q said, ‘No. I chose who I chose.'” She later said, “I’m surprised they didn’t show that. That happened. I didn’t try to give up my spot because I was hungry, and I was going no matter what. Also, I did feel in that moment that me and Q needed to chat because we hadn’t spoken in two days.”
Probst gave the cast another opportunity for four people to sit out of immunity in exchange for rice. Kenzie Petty was the only one to step forward. The host then offered Liz a personal amount of rice in exchange of her sitting out and she took the offer. “Jeff has this individual portion of rice, which to me screams, producers, being like, ‘Get her some damn food!'” he later said.
Liz finally has the nutrition she needs without it seamlessly being part of the game. It’s still up for debate whether it’s necessary or entertaining not to give the cast any rice at the start of the season. If we continue to get more competitive castaways like in season 46, then risking losing a vote or sitting out of an immunity challenge in a $1 million might not be worth it and that comes with medical concerns.
Survivor can be streamed on Paramount+.
