Facts of Life Star Among New Survivor: Philippines Castaways
Survivor
She took the good, she took the bad, and now Lisa Whelchel is taking on the jungles of the Philippines as a contestant on the 25th season of CBS' Survivor, premiering Sept. 19 at 8/7c. The actress, who portrayed snobby Eastland schoolgirl Blair Warner on The Facts of Life and now travels as an inspirational speaker, says she's not afraid of the show's harsh conditions. "I love the idea of being out in nature and just roughing it," the mother of three tells TV Guide Magazine just days before the game started. "I genuinely like people, and I like to know their story and connect with them."
Whelchel, 49, admits that she's "worried about being the oldest woman [in the competition.] I hope I have a few days to prove that I have strengths that are worth keeping." And she'll try to keep her TV past a secret. "I probably won't come out and say it, but if somebody does recognize me, I won't deny it," she says. "It was a wonderful time in my life and I love it, but it really was a long time ago!"
Other famous faces in this year's cast include retired Major League Baseball player Jeff Kent, a five-time All Star who won National League MVP in 2000 while playing for the San Francisco Giants, and former beauty queens Katie Hanson (Miss Delaware 2011) and Angie Layton (Miss Utah Teen USA 2010).
For the first time since 2003's All-Stars season, the newbies will compete in three tribes of six players. And in typical Survivor fashion, they will encounter a game-changing twist within the opening minutes of the competition as three former castaways who had all been medically evacuated from their previous seasons will be welcomed back in an attempt to complete their game. (The identities of these players will be revealed later this week).
Here is the complete list of new Survivor: Philippines castaways divided into their three tribes:
Kalabaw Tribe:
Sarah Dawson
Age: 28
Current Residence: Silver Spring, Md.
Occupation: Insurance Sales
Katie Hanson
Age: 22
Current Residence: Newark, Del.
Occupation: Former Miss Delaware 2011
Jeff Kent
Age: 44
Current Residence: Austin, Texas
Occupation: Retired MLB Player
Dana Lambert
Age: 32
Current Residence: Winston-Salem, N.C.
Occupation: Cosmetologist
Carter Williams
Age: 24
Current Residence: Shawnee, Kan.
Occupation: Track Coach
Tandang Tribe:
Abi-Maria Gomes
Age: 32
Current Residence: Los Angeles
Occupation: Business Student
Roberta "RC" Saint-Amour
Age: 27
Current Residence: New York
Occupation: Investment Banker
Artis Silvester
Age: 53
Current Residence: Terry Town, La.
Occupation: Computer Engineer
Lisa Whelchel
Age: 49
Current Residence: Dallas
Occupation: Former TV Teen Star (The Facts of Life)
Peter "Pete" Yurkowski
Age: 24
Current Residence: Holmdel, N.J.
Occupation: Engineering Graduate
Matsing Tribe:
Malcolm Freberg
Age: 25
Current Residence: Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Occupation: Bartender
Zane Knight
Age: 28
Current Residence: Danville, Va.
Occupation: Tire Repairman
Angie Layton
Age: 20
Current Residence: Provo, Utah
Occupation: Model/Student
Roxanne "Roxy" Morris
Age: 28
Current Residence: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Occupation: Seminary Student
Denise Stapley
Age: 41
Current Residence: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Occupation: Sex Therapist
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