Australian Survivor is gearing up for its eighth season on Network Ten, and rumors are swirling about the cast for the show's next outing. Taking after season 20 of the American version, season 8 is confirmed to be a Heroes v. Villains season and will feature returning players. The show will be looking to bounce back after its poorly received Blood v. Water season, which drew criticism from fans for being too predictable and too lopsided in its editing. Ultimately, returnee Mark Wales pulled out the win on that season, playing a dominant game against a crop of under-prepared newbies and a few notable returning players, including American Survivor icon Sandra Diaz-Twine.
After months of speculation and rumors on social media, Network Ten recently confirmed that season 8 will indeed be a Heroes v. Villains season. Similarly to the legendary US version, the theme will pit players who value honesty, loyal, and integrity against players who will do anything to win. Unlike the cast of its American counterpart, which was composed entirely of returning players, the Aussie version of the theme is expected to contain a mix of returnees and new players.
The Australian Survivor Veterans Rumored For 'Heroes v Villains'
With cast speculation running rampant in recent weeks, the final list of returnees participating in Heroes v. Villains seems to be becoming clearer. According to Redditor Victims_Arent_We_All, these are the Australian Survivor vets set to appear: season 1's Sam Webb; Champions vs. Contenders' Steve Khouw, Jackie Glazier, and Shonee Fairfax; Champions vs. Contenders 2's Shaun Hampson; Brains V Brawn's Simon Mee, Flick Palmateer, George Mladenov, and Hayley Leake; and Blood v. Water's Nina Twine and Jordie Hansen. These 11 returnees will be battling against a rumored 13 newbies in the season. Other notable players like All Stars champ David Genat, two-time standout Mat Rogers, and season 1 winner Kristie Bennett were formerly rumored to be on the cast but are now not expected to appear.
The biggest names of the rumored cast include Hayley, who won Brains v. Brawn, and Shonee, the only rumored name to have already played twice before the upcoming season. Shonee was a beloved fan favorite in her original game and had another strong run in her All Stars appearance. Additionally, "King" George and "The Joker" Jordie, two of the biggest characters of recent seasons, are also major figures in the Australian Survivor landscape. They're joined by two-time American winner Sandra's daughter Nina, who appeared with her mom in Blood v. Water but was medically evacuated from the game. Nina showed promise on her season and is an exciting addition. The rest of the rumored cast have much less name recognition than their fellow returnees, but they could surprise viewers and cement their status as forces to be reckoned with.
Overall, the season definitely has potential. Hopefully, the show learned from some of its mistakes on Blood v. Water and will make some improvements to the show's editing and casting. Though it's exciting to have big name returning players, the absences of great players like Sarah Tilleke, Tessa O'Halleran, and Benji Wilson, who have yet to return, is still a bit perplexing. However, the show definitely seems interested in bringing back alumni often, so there's still a chance for them in the future. All in all, though, Heroes v. Villains is definitely an exciting step for Australian Survivor.
Source: Australian Survivor/Instagram, Victims_Arent_We_All/Reddit