Each season of Survivor sees one player outwit, outplay, and outlast their competitors to take home the grand prize of $1 million (with the all-winners Season 40 handing out a $2 million prize). Over the last several years, however, there has been an additional prize in play. Award-winning recording artist and Survivor superfan Sia has handed out her own money to Survivor players that moved her and other fans, though weren’t able to take to the top prize.
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Sia has been handing out money to Survivor players since Season 16, ranging from $15,000 to $100,000 per player. Many were interested to see who of the recently concluded might get some of that fan money, considering how popular the cast has been, but Survivor and Sia have officially gotten rid of the additional prize.
Survivor host and showrunner Jeff Probst took to Instagram over the weekend to reveal that there would be no Sia Prize for Survivor 46. He posted a long statement thanking Sia for the money she’s given out over the years, but a specific reason for the loss of the prize wasn’t mentioned.
“It’s the end of one of the most unique eras in the history of Survivor,” Probst wrote. “After eight years, 14 seasons, 19 players and over $1,000,000 awarded, Survivor is officially bringing the Sia Prize to a triumphant end! I still vividly remember the day Sia stood up in the audience during the live finale of Survivor” Kaoh Rong back in 2016 and made her way onstage. She was so taken by Tai’s commitment to protecting a chicken from being eaten that she awarded him $50,000 of her own money. Tai was shocked, the audience was shocked, I was shocked! What was happening? Sia was on stage in her wig handing out money to a Survivor player!?
“That was the beginning of what became affectionately known as ‘The Sia Prize.’ And over the many years Sia has brought so much joy to so many players and it was always straight from the heart. So it is with tremendous gratitude and admiration to Sia that we bring to a close one of the most unique relationships a TV show could ever have with a pop star of Sia’s global wattage. I’m really honored for Survivor to have this one of a kind association with Sia. She’s In the Survivor Hall of Fame of Superfans!”
