Meet Survivor Alternate-Turned-Contestant Michelle “MC” Chukwujekwu

Michelle “MC” Chukwujekwu almost didn’t get the chance to outwit, outplay or outlast.

When she applied for season 49 of Survivor, the 29-year-old was first put on the waiting list as an alternate. However, two contestants were disqualified right before filming started because they had broken the rules about talking to each other beforehand. This meant she and Jason Treul were unexpectedly added to the cast just 12 hours before the competition began.

I was initially disappointed when I received the call letting me know I hadn’t been cast, but was chosen as an alternate,” MC shared in a September 24 interview with KXAN, an Austin-based news outlet. “They suggested I take some time to consider the alternate position.

After talking it over with her sister, the fitness trainer who lives in San Diego quickly made up her mind. She didn’t need much time to consider the decision.

She explained, “I returned their call within five minutes, and I told them, ‘Yes, I’m interested. I’ll travel to Fiji for a week and see what happens.'”

It wasn’t as if she considered her time in Fiji a simple break. In fact, MC prepared herself for the chance to actually compete on Survivor. And eventually, that opportunity became a reality.

I spent the entire week preparing and worrying that someone would get frightened and quit, or that something bad would happen,” she remembered. “Then, out of nowhere, I got the news: ‘You’ve officially made it to season 49. Be prepared, we begin in 12 hours!’

And her late call-up doesn’t mean she isn’t ready to go all the way.

She confidently stated, “I believe I can become Sole Survivor because I’m physically strong and capable of winning challenges. But it’s not just that-I’m also socially adept. People genuinely like me, and I’ve built a strong network. I understand how to communicate effectively and say the right things to achieve my goals.”

She went on to say, “I’m also strong mentally. When others feel like giving up because they’re tired and haven’t eaten, I can find the inner strength to keep going – I know I’m capable of overcoming challenges, and that’s why I’ll be the Sole Survivor.”

Survivor host Jeff Probst recently explained the issues surrounding season 49, just before it premiered on Sept. 24. He shared that, for the first time in the show’s 25-year run, they had to remove players from the competition because they were talking to each other in Fiji before the game officially started. He believes this situation serves as a cautionary tale.

Jeff clarified on his podcast On Fire With Jeff Probst that we won’t hesitate to remove players from the game, even if it seems unlikely this will ever be necessary again. He emphasized, “It doesn’t matter how much time or money we’ve invested in you.”

He stressed, “We value the integrity of the game more than anything.”

MC and the other castaways on Survivor 49 are continuing that tradition. Keep reading to learn more about the newest group of players hoping to become the Sole Survivor…