Overview

• The Sept. 24 premiere aired on CBS with live streaming for Paramount+ Premium subscribers and next‑day access for all Paramount+ plans.
• Eighteen first‑time castaways began competing in Fiji’s Mamanuca Islands for the $1 million prize with Jeff Probst returning as host and executive producer.
• Two alternates, Jason Treul and Michelle “MC” Chukwujekwu, joined the cast shortly before filming after two players were removed for pre‑game rule breaches, according to media reporting.
• The opening episode introduced the three tribes and concluded with the season’s first Tribal Council and an initial elimination without revealing further plot details.
• Season 49 sets up the milestone Season 50, titled In Hands of the Fans, which will feature 24 returning players including two yet‑to‑be‑named contestants from this season.