Meet the Castaways Who Are Competing for $1 Million Bucks on 'Survivor 42'

After 22 years and 41 seasons on-air, the veteran CBS series Survivor remains one of the most talked-about reality competitions on television. This spring, the series returns for Season 42, and viewers are dying to learn more about the castaways who are stranded in the Mamanuca Islands off the coast of Fiji.

The 18 competitors traveling to the islands are from very different walks of life. Among them is a waitress, a retired firefighter, a stay-at-home mom, and a registered dietician. Each of them hopes to take home the grand prize, but only one contestant will be crowned Sole Survivor in the season finale.

So, who was cast in Season 42 of Survivor? Here’s everything we know about the premiere so far.

The cast of Survivor 42 ranges from ages 19 to 58. Each contestant brings a balance of brains and brawn that will surely make for close competition.

19-year-old Swati Goel from Palo Alto, Calif., is the youngest contestant of the season, but she plans to give her Survivor castmates a run for their money — both literally and figuratively. Swati attended Harvard University ahead of her Survivor debut, and according to the student, she’s not afraid of a challenge.

“Having grown up in the most competitive environment in America, I’ve gotten pretty good at persuading people to cheerfully act in my best interests and not theirs.” She added, “Recommendation letters, winning elections, high attendance for all my events, etc. — my entire life has been a highly successful exercise in persuasion.”

• Chanelle Howell, 29, an executive recruiter from Hamden, Conn., currently living in NYC
• Daniel Strunk, 30, a law clerk from Cincinnati, Ohio, currently living in New Haven, Conn.
• Drea Wheeler, 35, a fitness consultant from San Antonio, Texas, currently living in Montreal, Quebec
• Hai Giang, 29, a data scientist from Atlanta, Ga. / Gia Rai, Bac Lieu, Vietnam, currently living in New Orleans

• Jackson Fox, 48, a healthcare worker from Pasadena, Texas, currently living in Houston
• Jenny Kim, 43, a creative director from and currently residing in Brooklyn, N.Y.
• Jonathan Young, 29, a beach service company owner from Gadsden, Ala., currently living in Gulf Shores, Ala.
• Lindsay Dolashewich, 31, a dietician from Morganville, N.J., currently living in Asbury Park, N.J.
• Lydia Meredith, 22, a waitress from Fredericksburg, Va., currently living in Santa Monica, Calif.

• Marya Sherron, 47, a stay-at-home mom from Lansing, Mich., currently living in Noblesville, Ind.
• Maryanne Oketch, 24, a McMaster University seminary student from and currently residing in Ajax, Ontario
• Mike Turner, 58, a retired firefighter from and currently residing in Hoboken, N.J.
• Omar Zaheer, 31, a veterinarian from Kitchener, Ontario, currently living in Whitby, Ontario

• Rocksroy Bailey, 44, a stay-at-home dad from Brooklyn, N.Y., currently living in Las Vegas
• Romeo Escobar, 37, a pageant coach from Los Angeles, currently living in Norwalk, Calif.
• Swati Goel, 19, a Harvard student from and currently residing in Palo Alto, Calif.
• Tori Meehan, 25, a therapist from Tulsa, Okla., currently living in Rogers, Ark.
• Zach Wurtenberger, 22, a Washington University student from Weston, Fla., currently living in St. Louis, Mo.

At this time, it’s hard to tell which contestants have what it takes to earn the title of Sole Survivor. But viewers will get a glimpse of what’s to come in the Season 42 premiere. So, when is Survivor coming back on?

Executive producer Jeff Probst will return to reprise his role as host in the two-hour premiere of Survivor 42, which airs on Wednesday, Mar. 9 at 8 p.m. EST on CBS. Like last season, Season 42 was filmed on a 26-day schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic.