Atlanta’s Savannah wins ‘Survivor’: ‘My game play was very loud, very bold’

Credit: CBS SCREENG

Credit: CBS SCREENG

“They told me while we were still in Fiji, and it was so shocking,” she said. “I was so humbled. To know I was going to be playing against some of ‘Survivor’s’ greatest players, that is truly a dream for anyone who’s ever played the game.”

She’ll be facing off against big name players “White Lotus” creator Mike White, Colby Donaldson, Benjamin “Coach” Wade, Cirie Fields, Ozzy Lusth, Aubry Bracco, Georgia Tech grad Christian Hubicki and former Macon news broadcaster Rick Devens.

Savannah was a reporter and anchor for WANF, which was a CBS affiliate for three years until 2024. Her contract was not renewed that summer. If she had stayed, she would not have been allowed to play “Survivor” because of her employer’s ties to CBS. So in a sense, WANF ― which is now an independent station after dropping its CBS affiliation this past August ― did her a favor by relieving her of her duties.

“That was my sign,” she said. “I loved working as a journalist. I am so proud of what I did. … But when I got let go, I thought this was my chance selfishly to do something for myself.”

Credit: CBS

Credit: CBS

Savannah, 32, who has obsessively watched the show since she was 7 years old, won over the jury of ousted players with savvy strategic and physical game play. She received five of eight votes, while Miami’s Sophi Balerdi pocketed two and Sage Ahrens-Nichols of Olympia, Washington, finished third with one vote from the jury.

“When I went out to Fiji, I decided I was going to bare it all,” Savannah said. “You’ll see my best qualities and some qualities that may make you hate me. I’m OK with that. I accept that.”

Indeed, she rubbed some players the wrong way with her aggression. She openly expressed her irritability when Jawan Pitts took her personal bag to collect firewood. And she blatantly tried to swipe Michelle “MC” Chukwujekwu‘s key that would unlock an immunity idol.

Credit: CBS

Credit: CBS

“I thought when I came in that I’d be able to play this deceptive game,” Savannah said, “but the further in I got, I realized my best bet was to own who I am. My game play was very loud, very bold. You couldn’t ignore me. People could take me or leave me because hey, I’m here to take a million dollars!”

Savannah was targeted by various players as soon as the three tribes merged for the top 11 during the seventh episode, but she won four key individual immunity competitions to avoid getting eliminated. Even when she was vulnerable, she persuaded her allies to take down other players instead.

She said she was flattered and surprised she came across as such a threat.

“I’m 5 feet tall, yet people saw me as this big, scary intimidating player,” she said.

Credit: CBS

Credit: CBS

Ultimately, she was able to make the final four with two of her closest allies: Sophi and exuberant, emotional Yonkers, New York, player Rizo Velovic, who will join Savannah on the 50th season.

“Rizo is a lot like my younger brother,” she said. “They have similar mannerisms. They talk the same way. They have that same youthful, goofy, silly energy. So when I met Rizo, I said ‘I could work with him!’”

For most of the game, she had no idea Sophi was considering turning on her and Rizo. “It’s almost like feeling rejected by a boyfriend in a sense,” she said.

But she didn’t take that personally after the season ended. “Sophi and Rizo are friends for life,” she said. “I text them every day.”

She also took pride in winning the fire challenge that guaranteed her a spot in the final three.

“I thought I was going home that night,” she said.

Credit: CBS

Credit: CBS

When the jury questioned the final three players, Kristina Mills (who ultimately didn’t vote for Savannah) asked Savannah to name at least one family member from each jury member. The implication was that Savannah’s social game was lacking.

Savannah was honest. She said she was going to fail. Indeed, she could name family members of just three of the eight jurors.

But she didn’t believe it hurt her in the end: “I don’t think it swayed the votes of people who respected my strategic and physical game,” she said.

Credit: NETWORK TEN/

Credit: NETWORK TEN/

Savannah visually resembles Season 16 winner Parvati Shallow, who grew up in Atlanta and graduated from the University of Georgia. But Savannah’s style of play was different than Parvati’s, considered by many “Survivor” experts as one of the best players in the show’s 25-year history.

“Parvati flirted with everyone and used her charm to make them defenseless,” said Ron Clark, a Season 38 contestant who runs Ron Clark Academy, where he holds a big “Survivor” party every spring. “Savannah focused on making relationships with two key people.”

But that didn’t make her any less effective, he said: “Savannah is a beast and she made ATL proud. She took no prisoners and served Black Widow excellence.”