Lisa Whelchel revealed that she was not approached to join the cast of Survivor 50—but that it wasn’t a surprise. The Fact of Life star, who famously landed as runner-up on Survivor: Philippines in 2012, told Entertainment Weekly that she made her stance clear in a previous interview about the CBS reality show.

In a 2020 Survivor Quarantine Questionnaire for EW Whelchel, who won the $100,000 fan favorite award during Survivor: Philippines, revealed that she “cried for almost three straight days” after walking away from the Tribal Council, and later faced “a whole new round of PTSD when the season aired.”

When asked if she would ever return to Survivor, she gave it a “no.” “I got what I wanted and, more importantly, what I needed, and I am forever grateful for that,” the actress explained. “I’m content to enjoy the show from the warmth, comfort, and emotional safety of my own home, thank you very much!”

In the new interview, Whelchel, 62, pointed out that she has always said she wouldn’t do Survivor again. “I was not contacted,” she said of the upcoming Survivor 50. “I think one of the reasons is because you did do the COVID interview with me, and I was very clear that I would never do it again.”

Despite her stance on not returning, Whelchel told Parade she remains a “huge Survivor fan.” “I still have not missed a single episode in 48 seasons,” she said.

Survivor 50 will feature 24 returning players competing in Fiji for the $1 million prize. Returnees include Survivor legends Cirie Fields, Ozzy Lusth, and The White Lotus creator Mike White.

During an appearance on CBS Mornings, Survivor host Jeff Probst said the original list of returning cast members had 200 names on it. “And so, we went from 200 on a list to 100, to 80, to 50. And then those last 26, they were brutal cuts,” Probst said. “And they still are. There are so many people we could have put out there, but there are only so many people you can put on the show.”

Related: ‘White Lotus’ Creator Mike White Once Predicted He’d Never Be Asked Back to ‘Survivor’

Celebrity ‘Survivor’ Alum Lisa Whelchel Wasn’t Asked Back for Season 50—For 1 Big Reason first appeared on Men’s Journal on Jun 21, 2025