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Survivor kicks off its 39th season tonight (yup, you read that right), and its featuring some cast members you might recognize from past seasons. While the people duking it out for the main prize are all newbies, two former Survivor stars are back as "mentors" this season: "Boston" Rob Mariano and Sandra Diaz-Twine.
In case youre not familiar with them, Rob was on Survivor: Marquesas, All-Stars, Heroes vs. Villains, and Redemption Island (which he won). He was targeted during his first Survivor season because some people thought he caused too much ~drama~, but Rob eventually outwitted, outplayed, and outlasted everyone to win Redemption Island many seasons later.
On the Survivor website , Rob now says that hes "seen the evolution of the game and I am proficient in the three main aspects of the game: the social component, the physical component, and the strategic/psychological component." He added, "I definitely know what I'm doing."
Sandra has a solid Survivor background too: She won Survivor: Pearl Islands and Heroes vs. Villains, and she was also on Game Changers. (You might remember that people wrote Sandra off early in her Survivor career because she wasn't physically strong and couldn't swim, but she proved every one of her naysayers wrong.)
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In an interview featured on the Survivor website, Sandra showed shes not here to mess around. "I am the only castaway to ever win the game twice and to this day that has never happened again," she said. "I'm not an Idol because I say I'm an Idol, but because my record proves it. Nine years ago and 19 seasons ago I became known as the Queen, and to this day, no one has ever come close to tying my record."
Host Jeff Probst told Entertainment Weekly that he came up with the idea to bring former champs back as mentors specifically because he was "wondering how to get a player like Boston Rob, who has said hed never compete againto return to the show." (Clearly, he found a way.)
Watch Survivor host Jeff Probst explain why he could never hack it on the show and what he really thinks of potential spin-offs:
Oh, and just in case you were wondering...yes, Sandra and Rob will actually be living in similar conditions to the rest of the cast. However, they'll be on a separate part of the island, will have better supplies up front, and will have more time to build their shelter and feed themselves, per The Hollywood Reporter . So, while theyre not technically competing in the game, theyll definitely be roughing it.
Cant. Freaking. Wait.