Jeff Probst Picks Five ‘Survivor: Kaoh Rong’ Castaways to Watch

Survivor
Monty Brinton /CBS
"I'm a Mental Giant" --Anna Khait, Michele Fitzgerald, Caleb Reynolds, Nick Maiorano and Tai Trang during the new season of SURVIVOR KAOH: RONG -- Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty. The show premieres with a special 90-minute episode, Wednesday, February 17 (8:00-9:30 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Monty Brinton /CBS Entertainment ©2016 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights. Reserved.

Come on in, guys!

Survivor kicks off its 32nd season tonight by returning to Cambodia for a second installment of its “Brains vs. Brawns vs. Beauty” twist.

Eighteen brand new castaways will battle against themselves and the brutal elements for a chance of becoming sole Survivor and winning the $1 million grand prize. But before the group is marooned to fend on their own, host Jeff Probst breaks down the five players that viewers at home should be watching closely. The host has spoken!

Survivor, Joseph Del Campo

Joseph Del Campo (72)

Vero Beach, Fla.
Former FBI Agent
Probst:
“I saw a tape of Joe when he was 71-years-old in his backyard doing an entire fitness routine, and I loved Joe the second I saw that. He had this ripped physique, great attitude toward life, and you could tell that whatever his background was, he had been in situations of adventure before. He brings a lot of experience from his job as a hostage negotiator and an art of patience. He really was a ‘yes’ from the moment we met him. I love having somebody from his generation on the show because it reminds people that are the same age that they can do this. It is possible to be in your seventies and still do something as physically demanding and emotionally draining as Survivor. He’s really wise and likable, so people could view him in terms of a threat or an asset.”

 

Survivor, Debbie-Wanner

Debbie Wanner (49)

Reading, Pa.
Chemist
Probst:
“Debbie is one of the most interesting women we’ve ever had. In the first episodic, she will tell you probably fifteen different careers she’s had, including currently being a server at Red Lobster. She has this crazy combination of experiences. She will tell you she can make fire and knows everything about boiling water, but she can also juggle. The other people on the island really don’t know what to make of her in the first few days. They can’t figure out if she’s this mad scientist or if she’s just mad. And Debbie has the greatest sense of humor and is incredibly earnest. It’s really compelling.”

 

Survivor, Kyle-Jason

Kyle Jason (31)

Detroit, Mich.
Bounty Hunter
Probst:
“He’s an interesting character. He’s an Army vet, but he’s a bounty hunter now. He’s fully tatted up with a beard, earrings and tattoo sleeves, and yet he’s also the guy who is taking his kids to school every morning and is a real family man. But his day job is to find you, catch you and bring you in. So it’s a really interesting combination, and I think the season is going to challenge Jason to see which part of his personality wins out.”

 

Survivor-, Cydney Gillon

Cydney Gillon (23)

Douglasville, Ga.
Body Builder
Probst:
“Cydney probably has the most sculpted body of any woman we’ve had on the show—and arguably the most sculpted of any guy! She’s just stunning to look at, and she’s a hard worker. She’s clearly a physical asset on her tribe, and people are going to be drawn to her. We haven’t had anybody like her with that kind of discipline in a long time. It will also be interesting to see what toll the game takes because she’s a woman who is used to having a lot of calories to have her body working, and as you know, calories are in short supply.”

 

Survivor, Julia-Sokolowski

Julia Sokolowski (19)

Boston
College Student
Probst:
“We really had to convince CBS to let us put her on because they were worried that she was simply too young. But Julia is one of those rare young women who has had such great life experiences and has a natural energy around her. She is a role model for other young women about what you can achieve even in your teens. When you think of a 19-year-old woman having to play the game with people in their 30s, 40s, all the way up into their 70s, the vast difference in life experience in almost every situation is a disadvantage for the younger person. And yet, Julia will really impress people—regardless of how long she lasts—with how good she is at navigating those relationships.”

Survivor premieres Wednesday at 8/7c on CBS.