Survivor 2023: Introducing the Diverse Cast - An Ultra-Marathon Runner, Pro Roller Skater, and Disabled Surf School Owner, Challenged to Thrive with Limited Resources on an Island

The brand new series of Survivor promises to deliver the ultimate physical and psychologic test to those brave enough to take on the challenge.

Viewers will watch as contestants test their brains and brawn, as players compete to outwit, outplay and outlast their rivals to be crowned the Sole Survivor.

The show will be hosted by Joel Dommett and 18 contestants are marooned in a tropical location where they are divided into two tribes.

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They competing against each other in a range of physical and mental challenges for reward or immunity.

One by one, players are voted out of their tribes at the Tribal Council until the two tribes eventually merge and the game becomes a head-to-head battle.

Ultimately only one person can triumph, winning the cash prize of £100,000 and the title of Sole Survivor.

So let’s meet the Survivors…

ASHLEIGH

Ashleigh, 34, who is from London and works as a brand strategist, describes herself as a ‘very upbeat and positive person’ who likes to step up for other people.

She claims she is always happy to put herself forward for tasks and is willing to push herself in order to succeed with her team.

Ashleigh suffered a set back when her coeliac disease flared up three weeks before the show started, which seriously impacted her training.

During her recovery she had to cut back her training, which would typically have been running three times a week with weight training or boxing twice a week.

Rather than vying for a place of leadership, Ashleigh revealed her plans to keep a low profile and work her way up from the bottom of the pack.

Ashleigh said she struggled with the hunger and was a ‘tired and desperate’ for food, which made her realise how privileged she is to live at home.

Ashleigh, 34, who is from London and works as a brand strategist, describes herself as a ‘very upbeat and positive person’ who likes to step up for other people

CHRISTOPHER

Christopher signed up to the show with the hopes of facing his fears head on and pushing himself out of his comfort zone.

The singer/songwriter, 39, from Bridgend, revealed he was ‘excited’ by having all of his luxuries stripped away while competition on the ‘world’s toughest game show’.

Christopher said that while he hopes his fellow contestants would be able to come to him for support, he also wanted to ‘have fun’ with his mischievous side.

While preparing for the show, Christopher, who has a regular gym routine, said he didn’t do anything out of the ordinary to prepare, apart from some extra cardio and swimming sessions.

He said: ‘I am extremely competitive, I will just keep going even when I feel like I can’t give anymore. I will do whatever it takes to outlast the biggest strongest contender. I am one not to be messed with, I play to win!’

One fear that he did have were the ‘creepy crawlies’ on the beach, as he admitted that the ‘unknown’ terrified him.

Christopher signed up to the show with the hopes of facing his fears head on and pushing himself out of his comfort zone.

DOUG

Doug, 32, said he was inspired by appear on the show after watching the original UK version of the programme back in the early noughties.

The flood risk consultant, from the Isle of Mull, recalled re-enacting some of the challenges with his family.

Doug hoped to ‘spread a little joy’ among his campmates and also felt that his height of 6ft4 would be an advantage during the challenges.

Doug revealed he upped the ante in the gym ahead of the show and planned to make himself an ‘indispensable member of the tribe’.

Before entering the show, Doug – who says he eats between 3000 and 4000 calories a day – said he was on a ‘see food’ Diet, and ate as much as he possibly could.

He revealed he is competitive thanks to his twin sister who lives back home on the Isle of Mull and ‘kept him on his toes as a youngster’

While most longed for this home comforts, Doug relished being away from luxury day to day items.

He said: ‘Although we were without food, internet and a bed, being away from the comforts of home was incredible. Living on the bare essentials and being away from everyday distractions was an amazing experience.’

Doug, 32, said he was inspired by appear on the show after watching the original UK version of the programme back in the early noughties

HANNAH

Hannah said that Survivor was her lockdown binge-watch and she decided that she would absolutely love to be on the programme.

The semi-pro footballer, 30, said that she believes she is a strong mental and physical player and her key strategy was using her communication skills.

The London native said that her football career has given her a taste for competition and a drive to succeed.

Discussing what she struggled with, she said: ‘Having sand stick to you constantly and dealing with those flies made it quite jarring but I knew what I’d signed up for and I was determined to tough it out.

Hannah said that Survivor was her lockdown binge-watch and she decided that she would absolutely love to be on the programme

JESS

Jess, 38, wanted to ‘do something wild’ before approaching her 40th birthday.

The fitting model, who is from London, hopes that she can bring her ‘fun, laughter and positivity’ to the group.

While others mapped out a game plan, Jess said that she just wanted to be true to herself while on the show.

Discussing her time on the show, she said: ‘Everything about it was my literal worst nightmare, I was so out of my comfort zone but I did it.’

Jess, 38, wanted to ‘do something wild’ before approaching her 40th birthday

LAURENCE

Laurence, 29, revealed the biggest coincidence about being chosen as one of the contestants on the show is that he has a health-tech start-up with the same name.

The entrepreneur, who is currently doing an MPhil in Artificial Intelligence Ethics at Cambridge, makes his money selling anti-hangover capsules.

Born in Vienna, and raised in Costa Rica, Laurence said he felt he had become ‘too comfortable’ with his life and felt it was time to ‘shake things up’.

He said: ‘I wanted to see whether my character would remain the same when put to the test, or whether I would crack under pressure like most other fellow soft millennials.’

Laurence said his ‘hidden ace’ was growing up in neighbouring Costa Rica, consequently speaking fluent Spanish, and knowing the geography, flora, and fauna.

In order to prepare for the show, Laurence admitted he brought a flint and practiced setting fire to the kitchen and also went to a Thai restaurant famous for serving bugs.

Discussing his experience, he said: ‘Though I came out weak, bedraggled and wearing rags, I came out considerably stronger. I achieved the impossible for a Brit – lasting more than a day without tea, coffee, or a drink – the latter of which was certainly a whacking surprise to the liver.’

Laurence, 29, revealed the biggest coincidence about being chosen as one of the contestants on the show is that he has a health-tech start-up with the same name

LEE

Lee, 28, said he was excited for the Irish and British public to see me as my true authentic self.

The professional boxer said that he felt he had the mental strength needed for the challenges, to persevere and push yourself to the limits.

Lee, from Belfast, said the experience made him feel more grateful for the luxuries he has back home.

He said: ‘I loved pushing myself physically and mentally, and testing my body to see how resilient it could be. I loved being part of a iconic show like Survivor and being within the world of TV.’

Lee, 28, said he was excited for the Irish and British public to see me as my true authentic self

LEILANI

Leilani, 45, said that physically she prepared for the experience by practicing yoga and going to the gym, however the mental struggle came with leaving her son.

The barista, who also works as s cleaner at a yoga studio, said she had never seen the show before ‘didn’t realise there was a psychological aspect to the game.’

Leilani, from Hertford, said that the challenges on the show were an ‘insane level of difficulty’ but she didn’t mind at all living with ‘no comfort’.

She said: ‘It’s a beautifully simple existence which I have always wanted to experience and I’m very grateful for being given this opportunity. I will say though that your bum constantly hurts from sitting on trees, rocks and rolls of bamboo though!’

Leilani also found the lack of food troublesome because there isn’t much else to think about while on the island.

Leilani, 45, said that physically she prepared for the experience by practicing yoga and going to the gym, however the mental struggle came with leaving her son.

MATTHEW

Matthew, 21, is from Cumbria and works in hospitality, is the youngest of the group and wanted to push himself to the limits.

As well as pushing himself in the challenges, Matthew hopes to keep his tribe entertained with tricks such as juggling knives and balancing anything on his head.

Discussing his game plan, he said: ‘To prepare mentally I knew that I would need a game plan that could be easily adapted whenever needed. I expected emotions to run high and for there to be some tough decisions I was going to have to make, so I practiced staying calm and trying not to lose focus.’

He also mentioned being the youngest player: ‘I love being around people, so my strategy was to play the social game. As the youngest player I knew people would underestimate me but I used that to my advantage. I needed my strategy to be adaptable because I never knew what was going to be thrown at me next. I was there to play and wanted to play with no regrets by being true to myself.

Matthew, 21, is from Cumbria and works in hospitality, is the youngest of the group and wanted to push himself to the limits

NATHAN

Fitness instructor Nathan said that whenever he grows the most is always during times where he has been met with challenge.

When asked how he prepared, Nathan said: ‘Mentally, it was a case of daily positive affirmations, reminding myself that if I’m able to get through the things I have got through so far in life, that I will be able to get through anything the game would be able to throw at me.

‘On the physical side, prior to confirmation of my involvement in the show, I already had a fairly intensive training programme, however, I introduced more cardio and calisthenic exercises into my training and undertook swimming lessons.’

Nathan said he is a nine on the competitive scale.

Fitness instructor Nathan said that whenever he grows the most is always during times where he has been met with challenge

PEGLEG

Pegleg, 54, who works as a surf school owner from St Agnes, said that he hopes to bring his life experience to the challenge.

He insisted his ‘Gen X attitude for just getting on with it and not whining and moaning about the hardship of it all’ will serve him well on the show.

Pegleg, who built a couple of challenges in the garden and doubled my normal training schedule to prepare, said: ‘Mentally I knew I had what it takes as a lifetime of overcoming preconceived ideas of disability has prepared me well.’

Pegleg said that he commits to things 100 per cent and after signing up for the show he lost out on the option to retain the World Champion in his surf division.

When asked about what he learned, he said: ‘That I can bite my lip and not tell people just how stupid they are, that I could go more extreme living and surviving than this and that I can still give the youngsters a run for their money.’

Pegleg, 54, who works as a surf school owner from St Agnes, said that he hopes to bring his life experience to the challenge

RACHEL

Rachel, 40, from Whitstable said that she has always been a ‘adventurous, strong, outdoorsy, sporty person who loves a challenge’.

The Insurance claims handler said that she was encouraged to appear on the show by her mum, who tagged her in an advert for the competition.

She said: ‘My motivation was that I wanted my children to know that not having a dad around does not mean that one parent isn’t enough and to show them that anything can be achieved if you put your mind to it.’

When asked what challenges she was looking forward to, Rachel said: ‘All of them, head-to-heads especially so I can showcase my strengths and attributes to the team especially as an older and bigger person.’

Rachel, 40, from Whitstable said that she has always been a ‘adventurous, strong, outdoorsy, sporty person who loves a challenge’

RACH

Rach, 23, said she first heard of the show earlier this year after watching the Australian version of the programme.

The personal trainer, from Glasgow, said that she immediately knew that she wanted to be a part of it.

She said: ‘I knew going in that my physical strength would be my strongest attribute. I have a really strong mindset and that is something you need in Survivor.

‘I think people think that it is all about physical strength, but it’s really not. If you don’t have a strong mindset you will struggle, it is one of the most gruelling game shows on earth.’

Rach said that she had been dieting for 15 weeks for a photoshoot so her body was in a state of fatigue before the show.

She said: ‘I was told that I needed to gain more body fat, so my coach Claire adjusted my plan to help me prepare. I train 5 days a week so I knew I would be physically capable.’

Rach, 23, said she first heard of the show earlier this year after watching the Australian version of the programme

REN

Ren, 28, from London, said ‘survivor has been my all-time favourite show since I found it when I was 14, obsessed is an understatement’.

The network data scientist is looking forward to the mental and social aspects of the game as well as spending time outdoors.

She said: ‘I enjoy getting to know new people and forming real connections, so I hoped tribe mates would see I developed genuine relationships that weren’t centred around game-play.

‘But most importantly, if it came down to it, I was willing to separate those relationships from the game – I’d blindside anyone in a heartbeat.’

Ren said that she had a ‘serious programme’ for preparing for the show, revealing that she had spreadsheets about elements which are most often featured.

She said: ‘I 3D printed the more popular puzzles to practice, worked on knot untying techniques, and even tried to improve my swimming (this went less well…).’

Ren, 28, from London, said ‘survivor has been my all-time favourite show since I found it when I was 14, obsessed is an understatement’

RICHARD

Richard, 36, from Dalkeith, Scotland, said he is always looking for a new challenge and this was the perfect opportunity for a mental and physical test.

The pensions manager and RAF reservist said he has great communication, is a good team player and has empathy for others.

He said: ‘I am generally a resilient person so life set me up mentally. I continued to walk the Scottish Munro’s, run, gym and swim.

‘I wanted to try to be in the middle of the pack and look for opportunities that I could use to my advantage. All the while enjoying the game and experience.’

Richard, 36, from Dalkeith, Scotland, said he is always looking for a new challenge and this was the perfect opportunity for a mental and physical test

SABRINA

Sabrina, 45, has a very busy life as an ultramarathon runner, charity founder, author, mother of four and grandmother of three.

The Stroud native joked the show came around at the right time as she could escape the cold UK winter and escape to a tropical island where she can’t be contacted.

Discussing her preparations, Sabrina revealed she ran two multi-stage 300K off-road trail ultramarathons.

She said: ‘One of them being in the remote Scottish highlands. I camped out. I ate rations. I gladly put myself in a deep dark hole physically and mentally.’

When asked about beach living, she said: ‘I took to it like a duck to water. I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed it, it felt like home! I have a massive snake phobia and that is something I was absolutely terrified of, I really didn’t want to see a snake or have one on me.’

‘I’m an ultra-runner and once upon a time I ran an 89K race (as part of a 250K stage race) in the Sahara desert on little more than a bag of mini-cheddars because I couldn’t heat my food. Suffice to say, I didn’t have an issue with hunger.’

Sabrina, 45, has a very busy life as an ultramarathon runner, charity founder, author, mother of four and grandmother of three

SHAI

Shai, 33, from London works as a finance risk manager, is a super fan and has been watching the show since he was in 11 where he grew up in Sri Lanka.

He said: ‘When the opportunity arose, I jumped at it! Who wouldn’t want to be stranded on a random island with nothing but basic rations against a bunch of random strangers, competing in the best game ever!’

Shai said he kept sharp ahead of the challenge by doing puzzles and physically he tried to put on weight to give him some energy reserves.

When asked about how he dealt with the hunger, he said: ‘The first few days were tough but I managed to get through it with the whole excitement of being on a remote island with random strangers.

‘Eventually my body got used to my new reality of living on the island. Post the island experience I will never take food for granted!’

Shai, 33, from London works as a finance risk manager, is a super fan and has been watching the show since he was in 11 where he grew up in Sri Lanka

TINUKE

Tinuke, 30, from London, works as a professional roller skater and adventurer.

She said: ‘I have always loved the show alongside all other survival shows since I was a kid. I was so excited when I saw it was coming to the UK.

‘I want to go on the show for my late parents and to prove to myself that I am so much stronger than I thought I was.

‘This is a complete game-changer for me, I am ready to change my life and fill it with adventure and challenge and this is the first stepping stone to get me there. I am ready to leave behind the troubles and grief of my past and prove that anyone can turn around any dark experience.

‘You always have more in the tank than you think you do, and I am ready to show that! I want to be a massive inspiration for anyone who has also experienced deep loss and sadness.’

‘To prepare I have watched every season of Survivor and I read FBI interrogation persuasion techniques and body language books to give me the upper-hand. I also lived in the woods for four days learning all the basic bushcraft and survival skills which was WILD. From my real life I already had a lot of general resilience and life skills to get me through the show.’