“Survivor” has crowned a winner for its milestone 45th season.
The three-hour finale extravaganza followed as the final five castaways competed in the final challenges before facing the jury. By hour two, the CBS competition series’ jury voted Dee Valladares as the winner of Season 45, securing the $1 million prize from the CBS competition series.
Dee claimed victory out of the final five, which also included grad student Austin Li Coon, estate attorney Julie Alley, attorney Jake O’Kane and civil rights attorney Katurah Topps. The jury ahead of the finale consisted of this season’s castaways Kaleb Gebrewold, Kellie Nalbandian, Kendra McQuarrie, Bruce Perreault, Emily Flippen and Drew Basile.
Host Jeff Probst guided the castaways through two immunity challenges, two tribal councils and one firemaking showdown before the final three faced the jury. Austin and Jake won the first competitions of the night. At the first tribal council, Jake used his idol to give Katurah immunity in an effort to get Dee out. But Katurah’s last second vote change led to Julie’s elimination.
The second day of competition left Jake and Katurah to compete with showmance Austin and Dee. For the third time this season, Dee won the immunity challenge and was first to secure her spot and plead her case to the jury. With a seat in the final three, she unsurprisingly chose Austin to join her and let Katurah and Jake battle it out for the last spot in the tribal council with a firemaking challenge. The tense game resulted in Jake advancing to the final tribal council, with Katurah and Julie joining the jury.
Jake, Dee and Austin answered questions from the jury, as all the players looked back on a season of wild challenges, strategic moves and shared love of the game. Dee and Austin even acknowledged their showmance, with Dee adding that emotions came first before they decided to join forces strategically for the rest of the game.
Dee won the final vote with five, Austin earned three votes and Jake earned none.
After naming the winner, Probst lead a debrief of the monumental season with all the castaways in an after show.
“Survivor” Season 45 is available to stream on Paramount+. The show will return for its 46th season Feb. 28 on CBS.
