‘Survivor’ hid an immunity idol in NC. Here’s how to find it — and win big

North Carolinians will soon have a chance to play “Survivor” without ever leaving the state.

Ahead of the milestone 50th season, CBS launched the Survivor 50 Challenge, a nationwide scavenger hunt that will hide an authentic immunity idol in every state.

Continuing through February, fans are asked to crack clues and solve riddles to track down the hidden idol in their home state. Whoever finds North Carolina’s idol will win an invitation to attend the live season finale in Los Angeles on May 20.

The challenge comes as the long-running reality competition, hosted by Jeff Probst, prepares to premiere its 50th season on Wednesday, Feb. 25. The show famously strands contestants in remote locations where they must outwit, outplay and outlast one another to win.

Here’s what you need to know.

How to enter the Survivor 50 Challenge

To enter the “Survivor 50” challenge, go to survivor50challenge.com.

To register, enter your email address, create a password and provide your state and date of birth. You can also opt in to receive clues for contests in nearby states.

What is an immunity idol?

In “Survivor,” a hidden immunity idol is a secret object hidden around the game area that a castaway can find and use to protect themselves from being voted out at Tribal Council.

When a player plays the idol before the votes are read, any votes against them don’t count, and the person with the next highest number of votes can be eliminated instead.

NC ‘Survivor’ contestants

Here are some notable past “Survivor” contestants from North Carolina:

• Sandra Diaz-Twine: Although born in Connecticut, she lives in North Carolina and is considered one of the most successful “Survivor” players ever. She is the only two-time winner of the show and has appeared multiple times in subsequent seasons and as a mentor.
• Kenzie Petty: A Charlotte salon owner who won Season 46 in 2024.
• Jesse Lopez: A Durham resident and Duke Ph.D. candidate who competed on Season 43, where he reached the final stages and finished in fourth place.
• Keith Sowell: A Duke pre-med student and Fayetteville native who competed on Season 38 in 2019.
• Molly Byman: A Duke law student and Boston native who appeared on Season 39 in 2019.
• Jeff Varner: Originally from Greensboro, he appeared on several “Survivor” seasons including “The Australian Outback,” “Survivor: Cambodia” and “Survivor: Game Changers.”

How to watch ‘Survivor’

“Survivor 50” premieres Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 8 p.m. on CBS and will air weekly on Wednesday nights.

This story was originally published February 4, 2026 at 1:19 PM.