The currently airing 45th season of Survivor is home to one of the show’s biggest-ever superfans, in the form of recently eliminated contestant, Brandon Donlon. After a short-lived, five-day run on the survival reality series, the New Jersey native was evicted from the Mamanuca Islands in the action-packed second episode.
Donlon will be remembered for his longtime devotion to Survivor years before appearing on the show, and his somewhat liability status in challenges alongside his tribe mates. Perhaps most notably, Donlon suffered a panic attack during the opening challenge of the premiere episode, which saw him be targeted by fellow contestants for the remainder of his run.
So who exactly is the Survivor superfan, and why was he voted off so early?
Who is Brandon Donlon from Survivor 45
Brandon Donlon is a 26-year-old content producer from Sicklerville, New Jersey. Prior to being cast in the most recent season, Donlon was vocal about his devotion to Survivor, writing on Instagram that he’d hoped to appear on the series since he was a child. So enduring is Donlon’s passion for the show, which he first watched at 11 years old, that he submitted auditions to be cast long before he was even of the eligible age.
Donlon says he was close to making the cut for Survivor 44, and undertook swimming lessons and fire-starting courses prior to being cast on the current season. In his Survivor bio, Donlon described himself as neurotic, but said he entered the experience to “have a lot of fun.” Donlon cites Mike White — who placed second in David & Goliath — as his all-time favorite Survivor player.
Why was Brandon Donlon voted off Survivor 45?
Donlon’s consistent struggles during challenges throughout his Survivor run were ultimately his downfall. After his ally, Hannah Rose, quit the competition, Donlon was left at the mercy of his Lulu tribemates, who credited his lacklustre challenge performances with his elimination in the second Tribal Council.
These struggles were immediately apparent in the first episode, when Donlon suffered a panic attack in the opening challenge when trying to climb a ladder. The incident saw him tended to by medical professionals, and unfortunately set the tone for following challenges while placing a target on his back among the other players.
Lacking in the physical challenges — which also saw him struggle up a ramp in the first immunity test — Donlon promised his teammates of his strength at puzzles, but went on to lose three puzzle challenges by the game’s second cycle. In the end, Donlon’s teammates were forced to measure the value of the energy he bought to camp against his performance, and ultimately deemed him a liability to the Lulu tribe.
Regardless of his short run, Donlon exited Survivor 45 with a smile, offering advice for viewers to “come and do this.” Donlon’s elimination dealt another blow to the Lulu tribe, who’ve had a rough start to the season plagued by over-zealous players and quitters.