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Survivor alum shuts down Survivor 50 casting rumors: ‘I'm not doing that’

Ahead of the Survivor 50 cast announcement, one rumored contestant is shutting down the idea of them returning.
ByCody Schultz|
“Only One of Yous Can Win” – The $1 million dollars is closer than ever as the remaining castaways enter the final stretch of the game. A major come-from-behind win earns one person a trip to the sanctuary and a spot in the final four. Then, a tumultuous fire-making showdown determines the final three. One castaway will be crowned Sole Survivor and awarded the $1 million prize, on the season 48 finale, followed by the After Show, hosted by Jeff Probst, on SURVIVOR, Wednesday, May 21 (8:00-11:00
“Only One of Yous Can Win” – The $1 million dollars is closer than ever as the remaining castaways enter the final stretch of the game. A major come-from-behind win earns one person a trip to the sanctuary and a spot in the final four. Then, a tumultuous fire-making showdown determines the final three. One castaway will be crowned Sole Survivor and awarded the $1 million prize, on the season 48 finale, followed by the After Show, hosted by Jeff Probst, on SURVIVOR, Wednesday, May 21 (8:00-11:00 | CBS

As we wait for the Survivor 50 cast to be revealed, it seems there is one more name we can cross off the list of possible returnees. 

On the eve of the Survivor 50 cast announcement, former player Elisabeth Hasselbeck has revealed that the rumors about her participation in the milestone season are not to be believed. 

"No, I'm not doing Survivor. That is funny though. I'm not doing that. I'm gonna be back there with, like, snacks instead," she told her followers, panning the camera to show a pool behind her. I'll be gardening ... and working on some fun projects which I'll tell you about, but it does not include Fiji or Survivor. I'm not doing that. I wanna be with my family and a burger in the backyard,” Hasselbeck confirmed via Instagram, shutting down the speculation that she was staging a return to CBS’s long-running franchise! 

Part of the speculation about her involvement stemmed from a recent podcast appearance in which she skirted questions about a possible return. While she indeed danced around the idea of returning for Survivor 50, it wasn’t as though she fanned the flames but it was enough to create rumors about her possible return. 

Hasselbeck’s name had been circulating among fans with growing speculation that the former The View co-host was set to compete in the upcoming milestone season. As exciting as it would have been to see Hasselbeck back for Survivor 50, this was one rumor that seemed a bit far-fetched. 

Fans will recall, Hasselbeck appeared on the second season of Survivor, Survivor: The Australian Outback, which aired way back in 2001. Following her fourth place finish, Hasselbeck’s star took off as she landed a gig as a co-host of The View on ABC, winning a Daytime Emmy during her 10 years as part of the show. After her departure in 2013, Hasselbeck pivoted to the Fox & Friends team where she served as a host for two years before stepping back from the show. 

As fun as it would have been to see a player from one of the first seasons of Survivor return to play the game again, it’s clear that Hasselbeck has moved away from reality TV. While Hasselbeck has made a number of TV appearances since, she’s pivoted from working in TV to taking on other ventures including becoming an author, with her latest children’s book becoming a New York Times bestseller. 

Although Hasselbeck won’t return for Survivor 50, fans can look forward to seeing a number of familiar faces back to compete in the milestone season! There's no telling who CBS has tapped to return for season 50, but CBS is set to reveal the official cast on May 28 via CBS Mornings. We’re just hours away from the big reveal, and then the fun begins of counting down the days until Survivor 50 airs in Spring 2026!

Don't miss the Survivor 50 cast reveal on Wednesday, May 28 on CBS Mornings!

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