$100,000 went to Cirie Fields in the Survivor 50 finale after fans, not Sia alone, chose this season’s Sia Prize winner.
Jeff Probst said the fan-vote format came from Sia herself, matching Survivor 50’s theme of putting power in viewers’ hands; he had asked her to revive the unofficial award for the milestone season.
Fields finished sixth on Survivor 50, but Probst said her victory "should come as no surprise" for a prize long associated with beloved underdogs.
Across 14 seasons, Sia has handed out more than $1 million to 19 contestants, last awarding three players in Survivor 45 in 2023.
The finale also featured a live spoiler mishap when Probst introduced Rizo Velovic as the final jury member before the fire-making challenge aired; Survivor 51 is due in September.
Will fan-voted cash prizes turn Survivor into a popularity contest instead of a strategy game?
After major spoilers and celebrity influence, is Survivor's original format being lost to entertainment spectacle?