"Don't be such a downer": Survivor winner Savannah responds to skepticism about her season 50 appearance

Survivor season 49 winner Savannah Louie not only took home the title of the Lone Survivor and the $1 million prize money, but also secured a seat in the cast of season 50 of the CBS show. 

However, netizens were not pleased, and now Savannah has broken her silence on the criticism. 

Fan-favorite alums from the past seasons will join her in the contest, along with her co-star from season 49, Rizo Velovic, who also earned the opportunity to participate in the landmark season.

While Savannah was thrilled and overjoyed to be given the chance to appear on screens right after competing in – and winning – the previous season, fans were skeptical of her participation, as many questioned whether it was necessary to involve her and Rizo when they just played a season. 

In an interview with TVInsider, published on December 18, 2025, Savannah addressed the apprehension surrounding her participation, asking them to be patient and watch the season before making their final opinions. 

“After you watch 50, if you really feel that strongly that the two 49ers shouldn’t be included, that is totally your prerogative, but don’t knock anything before you see what happens, okay? Have a little fun with it. Don’t be such a downer and a negative Nancy,” she said. 

The Survivor 49 winner firmly believed there was a reason why she was cast, and hoped fans would try to see that. 

Survivor 49’s Savannah Louie sees season 50 as an “overarching” game that covers every aspect of the franchise

Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans will premiere on February 25, 2026, featuring a star-studded cast of many fan-favorite castaways from previous seasons.

Starting from season 1 to the latest, the upcoming version of Survivor will include a blend of old-era and new-era players, and Savannah happens to be one of them, representing the new era castaways. 

While speaking with TVInsider, Savannah addressed the skepticism surrounding her return to the show, saying:

“Absolutely, I get it. You’re seeing so many people from the new era, especially the past two seasons, who are coming back. It’s so short after we just played.”

However, she believed that the brief break between the two seasons should not factor in deciding whether she is eligible to participate or not. 

“But the thing I think about Survivor 50 is it’s really this overarching game that encompasses things and people from season 1; Why wouldn’t it include people from the most recent season?” she asked.

Savannah went on to “brag,” suggesting she was worthy of the opportunity because she played a “pretty dang good game.”

She also defended Rizo, telling their “haters” to “just wait” and see how the season would play out. 

Savannah discouraged fans of the show from forming premature opinions about them without even giving them a fair chance. 

When asked to reflect on the moment when Survivor host Jeff Probst asked her to be on season 50, Savannah said:

“Honestly, when he first asked me, I was like, ‘Is this a prank?’ I did not think he was being legit. I think my answer when he first asked was like, ‘I gotta talk to my people, I gotta talk to my partner, I gotta talk to my family,’ because you want to go out there.”

She added that although the opportunity was like a “dream,” it was a difficult decision to make since she had to restart shooting within ten days. 

Savannah felt that she needed to consider her “responsibility back home,” including paying bills, family engagement, and other things, before declaring her answer. 

Although she managed to figure things out eventually, Savannah shared that her initial answer “wasn’t a full yes.”

After much deliberation, she was able to make things work out. Survivor season 50 will premiere on February 25, 2025, at 8/7c only on CBS.

Stay tuned for more updates.