The fan favorite looks back at past heartbreaks on the eve of her final crack at the title.

*Survivor 50 *star Cirie Fields says winning The Traitors does not take sting out of Survivor losses

The fan favorite looks back at past heartbreaks on the eve of her final crack at the title.

By Dalton Ross

Dalton Ross is a writer and editor with over 25 years experience covering TV and the entertainment industry. *Survivor* is kind of his thing.

EW's editorial guidelines

February 4, 2026 9:15 a.m. ET

Twenty years ago, operating room nurse Cirie Fields infamously “got up off the couch” to go win *Survivor*. It was a fateful decision that led to her appearing on her favorite television show four times, competing on an international edition (*Australian Survivor*), spending a summer alongside her son Jared on *Big Brother*, and winning both *The Traitors* and *Snake in the Grass*.

But her true goal has remained frustratingly just beyond reach. Cirie lost in a final four fire-making tiebreaker on her first outing of *Survivor: Panama*, and would have won her return visit of *Micronesia* had there not been so many medical evacuations. Instead, because of all the players pulled from the game, the show went back to a final two and Cirie was voted out in third place.

After an abbreviated stay on *Heroes vs. Villains*, Cirie was on the receiving end of arguably the most controversial exit in franchise history when she was “voted out” in sixth place even though zero votes were cast against her. She was the only one of the final six that did not have immunity or an advantage in the overstuffed season and was therefore eliminated. Cirie then took her talents to *Australian Survivor: Australia v. The World*, where she once *again* lost a final four fire-making tiebreaker.

You might think Cirie’s success on other shows might lessen the blow of coming so close so many times on her true reality TV love, but you would be wrong. However, the most popular player to never win the game has one more chance to make good on her original get-up-off-the-couch mission when Cirie competes on *Survivor 50* (premiering Feb. 25 on CBS). And it will indeed be her last chance, as the 55-year-old told ** that she is retiring from the franchise after this one last go.

EW spoke with Cirie in Fiji just days before filming began for a discussion looking both back at mistakes made and ahead to how she wanted to play her final *Survivor* game.

*(This is one of 24 deep-dive, on-location interviews with the *Survivor 50 *cast. Links to the other interviews will be posted at the bottom of this article as they become available.)*

Cirie Fields of 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

**: Alright, Cirie, tell me why you're going to win *Survivor 50.***

**CIRIE FIELDS:** I'm going to win *Survivor 50* because it's my time. The stars are all aligning. The numbers are there. It's my 20th *Survivor* anniversary, it's my 20th wedding anniversary, I’ll be 55 in July, and it's season 50. It all adds up. The universe has brought me through all those other seasons for this moment right here.

**Why come back and do this again? You've obviously done this a lot. Why come back to *Survivor?***

To even be considered for season 50 is like the ultimate, right? It makes you feel like you're getting a call for the Super Bowl. People who play sports, they live for the World Series, the championship game, the Super Bowl, and this season 50 is what *Survivor* players live for. To get that call to come back for such a season of this magnitude, what other show is out there that has 50 seasons? I don't know of any. And to be asked to be a part of it, you got to feel like you are worthy of being here. The fact that they even asked, I'm honored to be here for season 50.

Cirie Fields on 'Survivor 50'.

**It's been a while since you were eliminated on *Game Changers* for being the only person without an idol or an advantage. How did that sit with you then, and how does it sit with you now?**

Sore. I mean, how crazy is that, to be eliminated without any votes in a game that you need to be voted out of? Right? I feel like if I had maybe a sandwich or something, I might've had the brain power to try to question:* Wait a minute, why is this the rules? If we going by the rules, the rules state the person with the most votes, I don't have any votes! So how is it me?  Why don't we revote or something?*

But at that time, I was just devastated and in awe. As a fan of the show, I can't believe this is happening. So I hope being that the game is now in the hands of the fans, I hope the one thing they voted for was to get rid of so many damn idols and advantages. Let's do it the old-school way. There's one idol in play. And listen, I like the idol and I'm with getting my hands on the idol. But with so many, I think it takes away and gives you a crutch instead of you having count on your skills and your social game or whatever your game is. So I wanted them to get rid of some of that.

Cirie Fields of 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

**Did winning *The Traitors* take any of the sting out of never having won *Survivor*?**

No. It's different. Listen, no shade to *The Traitors*. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to play and be the first Traitor, and only Traitor in America to win. But it's not the same, right? It is not the same. It's like going from your first love to your new relationship and your new relationship may be great and wonderful, and you may get married and have a happy life. However, you will never recapture those first butterflies. You'll never recapture that first kiss, that first feeling of being in love, and that's what *Survivor* represents for me in the reality TV world. This is my first love, and I want to get married to it. I want to finalize it.

**What would it mean to you, emotionally, to do that after coming so close so many times and after having that bizarre *Game Changers* exit. What would it mean to finally seal the deal in your fifth time?**

Oh my God, I can't even. I would need help because I would just be a blob. When I picture it in my mind, I picture seeing my family there to see it happen for me. And although I do want it for me, I want it so badly for them. I can see them in the front row. I can see my mother, it's a lot.

**You have to know that America wants you to win, and that people are in your corner on this.**

I do. I feel that. I feel that energy.

**So, if I were playing this game with you, I wouldn't let you get anywhere near the end. No way. If you get in front of a jury, you don't even have to make a speech. It's over. So how do you think that plays out there in terms of your threat level?**

I think the benefit of playing with the caliber of players that are on season 50 is I'm not the only threat out there, and my threat level, although it may be high, there are people there with threat levels or should be perceived threat levels just as high as mine. You have Kyle who won yesterday, his ink ain't even dry on his check yet and he's back out here? What is he back for? That says to me that Kyle has something to prove. Kyle is hungry to be the next two-time winner. So Kyle would be a way bigger threat in my eyes than me.

You also have Kamilla, Kyle's right-hand woman who people say the same thing about — if she ever got in front of a jury, she would win every Tribal Council she went to. She would win every vote, right? You got Dee who's won already. You got the next up-and-coming challenge beast who's going to break the record in Joe. There are so many other threat levels that are at least equal to mine that I shouldn't be the shining star of the threat out here.

On the beach for 'Survivor 50': An exclusive, all-access first look at the biggest season ever

Watch cast members of 'Survivor 50' vote their first players out of the game (exclusive)

**When you signed up to do *Australian Survivor*, did you think that that closed the book on you being on 50? Because I remember as soon as you and Parv and Tony did Australia, I'm like, “Oh well they're not going back for 50.” I thought Jeff Probst wouldn't want you all after doing that. Were you concerned about that at all when you signed up for that?**

I actually was a little bit concerned, but then I talked to Parvati and Parvati was like, “Girl, please, they're not going to close the door on you of all people.” So although I was a little bit nervous about it, I think I had already gotten a call for 50 right before I left.

**Did you tell them then you were going to do *Australian Survivor?***

I really don't remember, Dalton. I'm not sure.

**That was my concern when you did *Australian Survivor.***

Same. I was like: *Damn, you think they're going to be mad at me if I go do this?* But one, it's not going to be shown in the U.S. and two, it wasn't a full season. It was a special type deal. And then Jeff said I could do whatever I wanted.

Cirie Fields on 'Survivor 50'.

**Did playing any of the other games like *Big Brother, The Traitors*, or *Snake in the Grass* prepare you for this return in any way?**

I'll tell you the one thing *Big Brother* did give me is it gave me the mindset of knowing that although these people may be gunning for you today, tomorrow y'all can align and work together. I never played that way. Once you were gunning for me or mentioned my name, you were dead to me. That was it. We could never do anything.

But I learned that's not the right way. I have to be more open and more fluid. And just because you may have targeted me on Sunday, on Monday, you and I may be able to target someone else and get further in the game. So it did open my eyes to that, and it also opened my eyes to which I should have known already from being here so many times, anything is possible here.

In the real world, certain things that will happen, and it’s like “You can't come over for dinner. I don't want you to call me, don't send me no texts, don't Instagram me.” People do things that you'd be like, “They would never vote for me after I did this to them. They would never give me their idol after.” But in this world, they *will*. And I have to let all of that go and think of what the possibilities are in this game.

I clock myself thinking: *Oh, he wouldn't do that. He wouldn't give it to me*. But you won't know until you ask. What sticks out in my mind is *Micronesia*. I closed the door completely on having a conversation with Amanda at that final challenge, because in my mind there was no way she would ever sit next to me in a final. She would never choose me over Parvati, and I'll never know because I didn't try.

7:23 The Cast of ‘Survivor 50’ Reveals Who They Want to Vote Out First

**That’s a game regret. Do you have any personal regrets about past times you played?**

Not really, because I've been so exposed. People have seen me drown and can't cross the beam. I've been so vulnerable. It is what it is. That helped me too, because I know you don't believe me, Dalton, but I am a shy person. And so to have all of that…. Days after the beam, I just cried and cried and cried. I was so embarrassed. But you know what? Everybody has something, and I think it comes with age to know that I just don't see what your thing is. My thing has just been shown to the world.

**How much pregaming did you do this time?**

Not as much as they did, apparently.

**Why do you say that?**

I got ears to the ground, even though I don't go out. So I don't have to be out there. I have soldiers, and they bring a lot of information, even information about some of my so-called allies. I'm like, “Really? Wow.” So I don't have to be out there. I have soldiers.

**Well, you've done this before, so you know about the game before the game. How often does that end up lining up and working out?**

Never, really. Let me tell you something. I'm keeping it a buck with you. There was so much of that happening for *Australian Survivor*. None of it worked out. Not one ounce of it worked out. The people that were supposed to be aligned to doing this and that were voted out so far before they even got to the merge that there was nothing to be done.

And that's kind of how I feel about this game. People say, “What's your strategy going in?” I don't have one. I'll know what it is when I see who I'm playing with. Because I can plan and it all goes to nothing when I get to the beach and these players decide how they want to play.

Cirie Fields on 'Survivor: Panama'.

Monty Brinton/CBS

**Whom are you excited to be on the island with?**

Even though he's like a hot stove, I want to play with Q. Q is like chaos in a bottle. I want to just see if I can tame that dragon. I like Tiffany. I never got an opportunity to play with Coach, the Dragon Slayer. Seems like he has wisdom and he may be a standup type of guy. He's like an older artist in my mind. So that's the picture that I get from him. We never got to talk or play together. We were on the same season, but he was over there and then I went home fourth.

**What about on the flip side?**

I remember my very first season when they used to have us go to the Double Tree in L.A. and I remember seeing Aras, and he looks at me and he has this smile from here to here. And I smile if you smile, right? So we all smiling and then I see Terry, and I got that same goofy ass smile on, and he walks right past me, stoic and turns his head like I don't even exist. And I knew then from that moment that we would not jive if we were to make it. And I see a couple of those faces here like, “Oh, s---!”

**Who are you seeing those faces from?**

I could be wrong, but I get that face from Joe. I don't know about Rizo. I get a weird look from Rizo, but Rizo puts me off anyway. Anybody with a name like Rizo, you can't be trusted.

Cirie Fields on 'Survivor: Game Changers'. Robert Voets/CBS

**Do the season 49 people make you nervous? Other than that trailer, you haven't seen their game at all?**

Oh, definitely! The devil is better than the devil you don't know. Even though the last time that I encountered that with Zeke and Michaela, it worked out well. But what I remember is Russell Hantz, when he showed up and we hadn't seen his season. I got that same feeling about Russell that I get from Rizo.

**What about Ozzy? You’ve been on the same season with him a few times before. What’s your take on him in this game and as it relates to you?**

It could go either way. I hope Ozzy can let go of *Micronesia* finally and let us play this game together. I tried to do it in *Game Changers*, he wouldn't listen to me. And I get it. He's skittish because of what happened in *Fans vs. Favorites*. But Ozzy has to adapt his game. You have to be able to play with the people you are afraid of or you can't play.

I could have helped him in *Game Changers*, but he didn't allow me to. So I'm hoping he remembers that. I'm hoping he remembers that I was not a part of the people who got him out in *Game Changers,* and I told him that I wouldn't be. So I'm hoping that maybe he has is a little more open-minded. Him and Colby. Colby another one who gave me the Terry face on *Heroes vs. Villains*. He would not even look at me. Stephenie tried too to get us together to do something, but he wouldn't even look at me. I don't think we had a three word conversation.

Cirie Fields on 'Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains'.

Monty Brinton/CBS

**What about Steph? You've done three different shows with Stephenie.**

Stephenie is a worry wart. For real. Instead of Stephenie embracing the fact that we have played together… I'm sorry that I won [*The Traitors*], but I didn't win against you. I could see if I had targeted her to win the game. Now in *Snake in the Grass,* she was so obviously the snake. It was like… bad. So don't even count that.

But in *The Traitors*, I never wanted to murder you. I tried to keep you as safe as I can. So I'm sorry I won *The Traitors*, but that doesn't make us adversaries. Once you have me, you have me, right? Until you do something to show me that I don't have you. So I'm a little worried that Stephenie may be looking at it in the skewed way of: Cirie beat me. I didn't beat you dog. I just won. I didn't beat you though. So I would love to be able to trust Stephenie, but word on the street is that Stephenie’s a little worried about me.

**Why do you say, “word on the street?” What do you mean by that?**

I don't go to these functions anymore, but I guess Stephenie does. And the word at some of these functions were that she was saying verbatim, “Cirie is my kryptonite in these games.” Her words, not mine. And I'm like, “What the f---? I'm actually your closest ally. Or could be. I don't know why you don't see it that way.” So I heard that, and everything's hearsay, right? I didn't hear it come out of her mouth, but I heard it from several different people. People were inboxing me, “Watch out for Stephanie. Stephenie’s out to get you." I'm like, “Why, my dog?”

Cirie Fields of 'Survivor 50'.

Scott Duncan/CBS

**Is it a sign of respect though, when someone says something like that, when someone says you're her kryptonite?**

It's respect if you’re not my person.  If we've been ride or dies, we go into these games, we look out for each other, we have no reason to target one another, then no, it's not a respect thing. It's like, “Damn, what happened? We fell out. I thought we was cool.”

**Anyone else that you particularly want to work with or wary of?**

I love Aubry. I hope Aubry loves me still. Aubry is so wholesome. And you know who else reminds me of that? I could be wrong, she could be a certified killer, but Emily seems so wholesome. Maybe I could kind of take her under my wing and we could have be one big happy family. I like Jonathan, but I don't know. Jonathan might want to go with the strong guys, with the Joes and the Kyles. I might not be his type. Devens? [Making grimacing face] Ugggghhhhh…

Cirie Fields on 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

**Why are you making that pained face?**

Only because he's smiling at *everybody*. He’s like a puppy. Every time anybody walks by, he's just like, “See me! Take me! Grab me! And that's cool and everything, but everybody sees you doing that! And if you’re playing that hard already, you scare me. How could I trust you? And he seems a lot like me a little bit, except for I'm a little more quiet. I am not doing all the smiling. I feel like with him, you bulls--- a bulls---ter. That's just the vibe I'm getting off of him. So maybe can we do something for a vote or two, but I don't know that I would trust him.

Genevieve gives me school marm, that she's going to hit me with the ruler. I think Kamilla is smart. Kamilla should want to rock with me. The only problem I have with Kamilla is Kamilla took too much pleasure in lying. We all got to lie and tell a little white lie here or there, but she was thrilled about it and thrilled to be able to pull one over on you. So that gives me a little bit of pause. But being that we're so similar, we could shield each other. And I think if we throw Dee right in front of us, who's won already, we could probably go a little ways.

***Winners at War* end up being very old school versus new school. Do you think that's going to happen here?**

I hope not. I hope it's more dynamic than that. Because Jenna and Colby don't talk to me. Stephenie's acting weird. So if it goes that way, I don't know where I sit in that group. And that's why I'm open to making new friendships. I’m not solidified with nobody except Aubry. I could be Aubry's number one if she lets me.

**What happens if you *don't* win? What's that going to be like for you?**

I'll have to accept the 20 years that it's given me. I'll have to accept the longevity that I had, just going out and trying at an open call and being a part of such a fabulous organization and show and series and people and Jeff for 20 years, and being considered one of the greats of something. I'm not considered one of the greats of anything besides this. So if it was to not work out, I'd be devastated. But I would have to take it on the chin and stand up tall and kindly pass the torch to one of the others here.

**You're not passing any torch. You’ll be here for season 60.**

Oh, hell no! I almost died walking down the beach to go to the next shoot, Dalton. I'm like: *What are you doing here again?*

***Want to be kept up with all things Survivor? Dig deep and sign up for 's free Survivor Weekly newsletter to have all the latest news, interviews, and commentary sent right to your inbox. ***

**Other *Survivor 50 *deep dive player interviews:*****• Survivor 50* star Ozzy Lusth opens up about hitting 'rock bottom of my life'**• *Survivor 50* star Aubry Bracco opens up about the 'freedom when you fall from grace' **• Colby Donaldson reacts to playing *Survivor* for the first time without Jerri**• Angelina Keeley refused to do *Survivor 50* unless they gave her a jacket**• *Survivor 50*'s Coach goes deep on evolving from an 'arrogant ass' into the… Tide Walker?** • *Survivor 50* star Jenna Leiws-Dougherty is 'here to f--- you over in every way, shape, or form'**

- Survivor Fandom

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Survivor”