Since the official cast for “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” was announced on May 28, plenty of the show’s former stars have come out of the woodwork to express their disappointment over not making the landmark largest-ever cast.
While some past castaways have opened up about their grief over being ‘cut’ after months of casting interviews, others, like “Survivor: Philippines” star, Lisa Whechel, have revealed that they were never even contacted by CBS.
Lisa Whelchel Says She Was ‘Not Contacted’ for ‘Survivor 50’
Decades before her time on “Survivor,” Whelchel kickstarted her acting career as a child star on “The New Mickey Mouse Club,” before gaining notoriety as Blair Warner on NBC’s “The Facts of Life” in the 1980s.
CBS/GettyWhen Whelchel joined the cast of “Survivor: Philippines” in 2012 as one of the season’s two celebrity contestants, however, she hid her fame from her competitors. Through trial and error, Whelchel eventually made it to the season’s final Tribal Council before her secret was spilled at the live finale by fellow castaway Jonathan Penner.
Despite not winning the season, Whelchel was awarded $100,000 when she was named the Sprint Player of the Season.
While the cast of “Survivor 50” confirmed returning celebrity contestants, like “The White Lotus” creator Mike White, Whelchel told Entertainment Weekly: “I was not contacted.”
As to the reason why? Whelchel thinks the reason lies in comments she made during EW’s “Survivor Quarantine Questionanaire” interview in 2020.
In the interview, when asked if she would ever consider returning to “Survivor,” Whelchel’s response was simply, “No.”
“I got what I wanted and, more importantly, what I needed, and I am forever grateful for that,” the star elaborated, adding that she’s now “content to enjoy the show from the warmth, comfort, and emotional safety of my own home.”
The ‘Facts of Life’ Star Teases a Run on ‘The Traitors’
While Whelchel’s made it abundantly clear that she has no interest in returning to “Survivor,” what about a run on another reality competition series? In the past, castaways from the show’s history have gone on to compete on, and even win, competitions like “Big Brother,” “The Challenge” and “The Amazing Race.”
Speaking with Parade, Whelchel revealed: “My kids have been after me to do ‘The Traitors’.”
The Peacock murder-mystery competition series has featured “Survivor” stars on each of its three completed seasons. The official cast for Season 4, announced on June 13, similarly features three former “Survivor” players.
CBS/Getty“I have to say, I started watching [‘The Traitors’] because of the ‘Survivor’ cast, Carolyn [Wiger] and Boston Rob, and Parvati [Shallow] and Cirie [Fields],” she added.
As to whether she’s down to make Alan Cumming’s castle of chaos her latest reality playground, Whechel said: “You never know. I mean, between ‘Facts of Life’ and ‘Survivor,’ [‘The Traitors’] might be a good fit.”
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Celebrity ‘Survivor’ Alum Reveals Why She Wasn’t Invited Back for Season 50