‘Survivor’ Season 47 Finale: Date, Time and More to Know as the Season Concludes With 4 Players Left

Another season of Survivor is coming to an end. Just four players are left heading into the upcoming season 47 finale, and fans are anxious to see how it all plays out.

When Is the ‘Survivor’ Season 47 Finale?

The season 47 finale of Survivor airs on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, at 8 p.m. ET. The episode is two hours long, which means the winner will be announced by the 10 p.m. ET conclusion.

This season’s finale was actually split into two parts – part 1 aired on December 11, 2024, and was also two hours long. Normally, the Survivor finale is one three-hour episode that also includes a reunion show. Because of the two two-hour finale episodes, rather than one three-hour episode, Survivor fans are getting an extra hour of content this season.

On the December 12 episode of his “On Fire” podcast, host Jeff Probst explained that CBS came to the Survivor team “months before” they shot season 47 and asked if it would be possible to make the season 14 episodes instead of the usual 13. “They had some things they wanted to try in their schedule, and part of that working out would depend on whether or not we could do 14 episodes,” Jeff added. “So [executive producer] Matt [Van Wagenen] and I sat down and broke the finale down into parts and examined if and how we could pull it off.”

Normally, there are five or six players remaining in the Survivor finale. This season, part one featured the sixth and fifth place castaways being voted off, leaving just four left in the final episode of the season.

“What we really quickly realized was if we structured it so that part one got us down to four players, then part two, we could spend a lot more time with our final four as we lead into the final four challenge, and then the fire making, and then the final three, and then the final tribal council,” Jeff continued. “Because typically our finales are so full of content that we end up not having enough time to show all the stories we’d like to show.”

Will There Be a Final 2 on Season 47 of ‘Survivor’?

Because of the new finale format, some fans speculated that season 47 might return to the original final 2 format instead of a final 3. However, Jeff did not beat around the bush and made it clear that that is not what happens.

“It’s certainly possible, but I don’t want to have speculation that goes nowhere,” he said. “I don’t want to confuse or disappoint anybody. But I will say, it is a tremendous finish to a great season.”

Will There Be an After-Show During ‘Survivor’ Season 47 Finale?

With the final episode only being two hours long, fans were wondering whether or not there would be enough time for the traditional post-show conversation with the finalists and jury members. Jeff confirmed in a December 16, 2024, episode with Entertainment Weekly that the after-show would still air.

“The reason I like the after-show is because it’s raw,” he explained. “The beauty is in the authenticity that comes with a group of people who have not been influenced by social media and don’t feel the need to defend their game. I especially love the conversations with the final three, because they are literally just beginning their transition back to a normal life, and we get to see it play out in real time.”

For the first 39 seasons of Survivor, the after-show was a live reunion event that took place after the finale aired (which was generally months after the season was filmed). Season 40 aired amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which made it impossible to gather in person for a live reunion, so the catch up took place over Zoom.

In the “new era” of Survivor – seasons 41 and on – the format shifted. Instead, there was no live reunion and the players gathered immediately following the final tribal council to discuss what happened. This format will continue in season 47.

Who Is Left on ‘Survivor’ Season 47?

The four remaining players are Sam Phalen, Sue Smey, Rachel LaMont, and Teeny Chirichillo. Genevieve Mushaluk finished the season in fifth place after winning immunity at the final six to survive one extra week. Andy Rueda was blindsided and eliminated at the final six vote.

“I think this final four is a great reminder that in any given season of Survivor, any type of person can win,” Jeff told EW. “At the start of the season, you would have never predicted this would be our final four because Survivor changes moment by moment, day by day, and only those who can adapt quickly will survive. Rachel, Sue, Sam, and Teeny have all encountered obstacles this season, but they’ve each done a great job of maneuvering their way out of trouble.”

While Rachel seems to be the widespread favorite to win, anything can happen on Survivor. The finale will feature the players competing in their final immunity challenge. The winner will get to decide who he or she wants to take to final tribal council, leaving the other two players to battle it out in a fire making challenge. The winner will take the final spot to plead their case to the jury.

Meanwhile, the members of the jury are Andy, Genevieve, Sierra Wright, Caroline Vidmar, Kyle Ostwald, Gabe Ortis and Sol Yi, along with whoever loses the fire making challenge.

“I’ve been very impressed with our juries of late,” Jeff dished. “They really take their role seriously and want to give their vote to the player they most want to represent their season. What’s unique about juries in the new era is that they tend to consider the entire picture of a player’s game. Not just their moves in the game, but also the way they carried themselves at camp and if they contributed to the community at large.”