History repeated itself in episode 8 of Survivor 45, bringing back the Survivor Auction — much to the delight of fans of the franchise — all while implementing some brand new twists and turns.
Just in case you are unfamiliar with what the Survivor Auction entails, it is “a special Reward Challenge where the players are temporarily relieved from competing in strenuous challenges. Instead, they will be given a specific sum of money where they must outbid the other contestants for certain items, mostly food, with instances where a temporary use of amenities or a visit from loved ones are also offered.”
In addition to food, amenities, and visits from loved ones, the Survivor Auction used to include “instances where there are game-changing powers that contestants can outbid on, such as the power to send another player to Exile Island, an advantage at the next Immunity Challenge, or a clue to a Hidden Immunity Idol” as well.
Prior to Survivor 45, the Survivor Auction occurred in the following seasons of the beloved competition series:
- Survivor: The Australian Outback
- Survivor: Africa
- Survivor: Thailand
- Survivor: The Amazon
- Survivor: Palau
- Survivor: Guatemala
- Survivor: Cook Islands
- Survivor: Micronesia
- Survivor: Gabon
- Survivor: Tocantins
- Survivor: Samoa
- Survivor: One World
- Survivor: Philippines
- Survivor: Caramoan
- Survivor: Cagayan
- Survivor: Worlds Apart
Taking a hiatus for nearly decade, Survivor superfans were thrilled when this event returned for Survivor 45. While the Survivor Auction remained relatively similar to the one that made its debut in Survivor: The Australian Outback, castaways had to fight for their money this time around — and no advantages were available as well — ultimately adding a “New Era” spin to this Reward Challenge we know and love.
Because of the excitement surrounding the return of the Survivor Auction, fans of the franchise cannot help but wonder whether or not it is here to stay, returning for Survivor 46, as well as future seasons.
Fortunately, Survivor host Jeff Probst has us covered, revealing the future of the Survivor Auction in an exclusive interview with Parade reporter Mike Bloom. Keep scrolling to see for yourself…
The Survivor Auction will not be returning for Survivor 46
Although the return of the Survivor auction was a smash hit, it will not be coming back for Survivor 46.
“We loved the auction as much as the players and fans did, and we will be doing it again, but not in Survivor 46,” Probst revealed, admitting that “the philosophy of the ‘New Era’ is to create uncertainty at every turn. The more the players begin to accept the uncertainty, the more permission they can give themselves to just go play the game.”
“That’s what you’re going to see happen this season… tremendous gameplay,” he concluded passionately, and we seriously cannot contain our excitement.
With a cast that is nothing short of sensational, who will take home the title of “Sole Survivor” and the million-dollar cash prize? To find out for yourself, catch the premiere of Survivor 46 on Wednesday, February 28 at 8pm ET/PT on CBS, with brand new episodes to follow every Wednesday afterwards.
Who knows what surprises Jeff Probst and the rest of the production team have in store!