The Biggest ‘Survivor’ Off-Screen Controversies Through the Years
Since Survivor premiered in 2000, many former contestants have had their fair share of controversial moments.
While the first-ever winner, Richard Hatch, made headlines for his questionable behavior in the game, he also struggled in his personal life. After taking home the one million dollar prize, Hatch was convicted of attempted tax evasion and signing a fraudulent tax return. He served a 51-month sentence in federal prison.
Hatch isn’t the only player to experience drama after leaving the game show. Alec Merlino got in trouble for seemingly breaking his NDA after he shared a picture of him and a fellow season 37 David vs Goliath competitor before the cast was officially announced. Nick Wilson, who won David vs Goliath in 2018, also raised eyebrows when his career shifted from public defender to Kentucky congressman who backed controversial legislation.
Keep scrolling to see some of the biggest Survivor off-screen controversies over the years:
Stacey Stillman’s Lawsuit
Survivor got its first taste of post-game scandals following its inaugural season, Borneo. In February 2001, Stillman, who was the third person voted off the season, sued CBS claiming the show creator, Mark Burnett, orchestrated her exit and the outcome of the season.
In her lawsuit, Stillman claimed that two of her tribemates, Dirk Been and Sean Kenniff, were persuaded to vote for her instead of fan-favorite Rudy Boesch, who ultimately came in third place. She allegedly wanted restitution for lost prize money, plus $75,000 for out-of-pocket expenses. CBS refuted her allegations.
“We heard about Stacey Stillman’s allegations several months ago. They had no merit then; they have no merit now that she has packaged them into a frivolous and groundless lawsuit,” the network said in a statement at the time. “Survivor has received more press and public scrutiny than any show in recent television history, and its creative integrity has remained intact throughout. We are therefore confident that the courts, as well as Survivor viewers, will see the case as utterly without foundation.”
CBS and Stillman ultimately settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.
Richard Hatch’s Legal Trouble
In 2001, Hatch was charged with domestic assault after his former partner Glenn Boyanowski accused the reality star of assault. Hatch was sentenced to one-year probation but appealed the conviction the following year. In February 2002, the conviction and sentence were overturned.
Five years after his Survivor win, Hatch was convicted by a jury of two counts of attempted tax evasion and one count of signing a fraudulent tax return for not paying taxes on his game show prize, radio cohost earnings and rental property income. He served 51 months in federal prison.
Hatch was released in 2009 under a three-year supervision and was ordered to amend his tax returns. However, he did not follow through and served an additional nine months in prison in 2011.
Jeff Probst and Julie Berry’s Romance
Probst began dating Berry, who appeared on Survivor: Vanuatu, after filming wrapped. The former couple, who had a 19-year age difference, revealed their romance during the season’s reunion special in December 2004. Probst and Berry called it quits in 2008.
The longtime host shared in a 2008 interview with USA Today that he and Berry’s split was caused by long distance and his Survivor filming schedule. Four years later, Berry revealed in an interview on Rob Cesternino’s podcast that she could not return to the series following her romance with Probst since she was exposed to the behind-the-scenes work on the show.
Alec Merlino’s NDA Drama
Ahead of the premiere of Survivor: David vs Goliath, Alec seemingly broke his NDA by spoiling the cast before the news dropped. Alec posted a photo of him and fellow contestant Kara Kay on his social media, captioning the pic. “F–k it.” Following the post, Alec was uninvited from the reunion show and did not receive his appearance fees.
“The thing is, with social media, I feel things can be misconstrued, but I have nothing but the utmost respect for CBS, for Survivor, for Jeff. I went out there and I had the experience of a lifetime,” Alec said to Entertainment Weekly in November 2018. “My biggest dream was to be on Survivor, so to go out there and have the experience, that’s what I’m going to hold close to my heart and that’s what I’m going to cherish.”
Nick Wilson’s Political Career
Following his win on David vs Goliath, Nick was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 2022. Since entering office, Nick has supported several controversial bills including legislation that bans gender-affirming care for transgender children and the discussion of sexual orientation in schools.
In January 2024, Nick made headlines after he introduced a bill that would have legalized sex between first cousins. Nick subsequently withdrew the bill and claimed that it was an error on his part.
“During the drafting process, there was an inadvertent change, which struck ‘first cousins’ from the list of relationships included under the incest statute, and I failed to add it back in,” Wilson wrote via Facebook at the time. “During today’s session, I will withdraw HB 269 and refile a bill with the ‘first cousin’ language intact. The fact that I was able to file a bill, catch the mistake, withdraw the bill and refile within a 24-hour period shows that we have a good system.”
Wendell Holland’s Cheating Allegations
In January 2024, the Survivor Ghost Island winner was accused by his ex-girlfriend Chelsea Brooks, with whom he shares a son, of cheating. Following the allegations, rumors swirled that Wendell was linked to Survivor 45 winner Dee Valladares. Wendell addressed the speculation and apologized to Survivor fans in a since-deleted tweet.
"My gf and I broke up. I take responsibility for that. I'm sorry for her and all that has transpired," he penned. “The person the internet keeps attaching me to deserves an apology as well. We got close at the end of November and December, and I was dishonest about my family life with her. I created a situation that was unfair to both parties and although I apologized to both privately, I would like the community to know that I’m sorry.”
Carson Garrett’s Puzzle Scandal
The Survivor 44 player, who was best known for 3D-printing his own Survivor-themed puzzles, was accused by several sellers on Etsy that he purchased the trinkets online. One company named Outplay Puzzles came forward and alleged that Carson stole their brand’s marketing strategy when he launched his own brand Puzzlenaut, in December 2023.
“We met for coffee, I gave him free products to promote in his content, and we discussed payment,” the company wrote via X in April 2024. “Over the course of an hour he asked tons of questions about how I run and promote my business, how to promote my puzzles, etc. I answered honestly because I thought he was a friend.”
When Outplay Puzzles attempted to congratulate Carson on launching his brand, the business claimed that they were blocked on social media by the former contestant. Outplay Puzzles shared they don’t believe Carson did anything illegal and just referred to the situation as an “unethical” practice.
