Survivor has crowned 41 castaways as the Sole Survivor (with Sandra Diaz-Twine and Tony Vlachos as the show’s only two-time winners) since 2000. While sometimes the jury gets it right and awards the most deserving person with the $1 million, other times fans don’t agree with the winner. And now and then (certainly in Nick Wilson’s case), personal ideologies and opinions influence Survivor fans’ thoughts on a Sole Survivor.
Nick Wilson won ‘Survivor: David vs. Goliath’
Survivor fans first met Nick Wilson when he joined the David tribe in Survivor: David vs. Goliath, aka season 37. And they likely would have waved goodbye to him during the premiere had the producers not medically evacuated Pat Cusak following a boating accident. The Davids lost their Immunity Challenge, and some castaways wanted to send Nick home due to his laziness around camp. But he was spared and eventually made it to the Final Tribal Council.
Nick realized how close he was to being the first person voted out, so he kicked his game into high gear. He formed multiple alliances and personal relationships to ensure his safety. And the one alliance that was Nick’s saving grace was his final three with Mike White and Angelina Keeley (two original Goliaths). The three came together during a tribe swap and protected one another for the remainder of the season.
Nick won the last three Immunity Challenges, securing his spot in the final three alongside Mike and Angelina. And ultimately, the jury crowned Nick the Sole Survivor of Survivor: David vs. Goliath in a 7-3-0 vote.
Nick returned alongside 19 other Sole Survivors in Survivor: Winners at War, aka season 40. He played a similar game where he pledged his allegiance to multiple people. However, this time, he was among the best of the best. Nick finished in seventh place and voted for Tony to win.
Nick is a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
Following his Survivor career, Nick ran unopposed for a seat in the Kentucky House of Representatives 82nd District and was elected in November 2022.
He was a public defender in the state before the election, which he discussed during his first season of Survivor. Nick’s mother died of a drug overdose, so he was passionate about using his law degree to end the opioid epidemic. But he was evidently looking for a bigger platform to enact change.
Nick, a Republican, assumed office on January 1, 2023, and just a few months later, he’s already making waves in the Survivor community.
‘Survivor’ players and fans call out Nick for voting to pass anti-LGBTQ legislation
On March 16, members of the Kentucky legislature, including Nick Wilson, passed Senate Bill 150. The bill, according to Courier Journal, includes a ban on gender-affirming medical care for young transgender people, allows teachers to misgender their students, prohibits schools from discussing sexual orientations and gender identities, and more anti-gay and anti-trans legislation.
Kentucky’s Democrat governor, Andy Beshear, is expected to veto the bill, but the legislature can override his veto.
Following the news, Survivor alums and fans took to social media to share their disappointment in Nick. Ricard Foyé, a castaway from Survivor 41, was especially heartbroken by Nick’s anti-LGBTQ views.
Ricard tweeted, “This is what confuses the s*** out of me. I spent time with Nick Wilson in December. So kind. So sweet. Felt such a good connection that we ended up grabbing a beer and talked about my husband being pregnant (this right before we lost her) and couldn’t have felt more understood. Who the f*** was that person I met? Honestly? If you’re accepting behind closed doors but your political career allows you to disregard the actual real life people in front of you… who the f*** are you?”
“I don’t know this man who votes against trans and gay rights,” he added. “I don’t. Do you even know yourself? Everything, all this political madness, is such a f***ing act and for what. F***ing WHAT. We bonded over our babies being on the way, as two soon to be (3rd time for me) dads… but I guess my fam ain’t really s***, huh? Erasing our pic now. I’m good.”
Multiple other former Survivor castaways shared their aversion to Nick’s views, including his fellow David vs. Goliath tribemates Angelina and Christian Hubicki, who explained the science behind how gender-affirming care is lifesaving.
Survivor is available to stream on Paramount+. And new episodes of Survivor 44 air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
