Original “Survivor” winner Richard Hatch claimed he wasn’t invited to the Season 50 live finale airing Wednesday.
“CBS Mornings lied this morning saying all Survivor winners were invited to [the] Season 50 finale!” Hatch, 65, wrote on X on Tuesday.
He added, “I’m the Original Winner, and I WAS NOT INVITED!”
CBS told Page Six in a statement, “All winners were invited to the Survivor 50 finale to celebrate the show’s legacy.”
Richard Hatch claimed in a post on X (seen above) that he wasn’t invited to the “Survivor 50” live finale airing Wednesday. @HatchRichard/X
Hatch (seen above at the “Survivor” Season 1 reunion in August 2000) tweeted, “I’m the Original Winner, and I WAS NOT INVITED!” Getty Images
The three-hour “Survivor 50” finale will see the final five contestants — Aubry Bracco, Rizo Velovic, Jonathan Young, Tiffany Ervin and Joe Hunter — battle it out for the $2 million prize. It will be followed by the show’s first live reunion since Season 39 in 2019.
The milestone season features several winners from previous years, though Hatch isn’t a contestant.
Hatch also wasn’t cast in Season 40, “Survivor: Winners at War,” in 2020, which featured all former champions of the show.
But CBS told Page Six in a statement, “All winners were invited to the Survivor 50 finale to celebrate the show’s legacy” (Hatch is seen above on “Survivor: All-Stars” in 2004). CBS via Getty Images
Hatch (pictured above on the show) won “Survivor” Season 1 in 2000 and returned for “Survivor: All-Stars,” where he sparked controversy for rubbing up against another contestant while naked. Monty Brinton/CBS
At the time, host Jeff Probst said he “didn’t feel comfortable” having Hatch on “Winners at War.”
“Given his history on our show, it did not seem appropriate,” Probst told Us Weekly. “We were in a different time and different culture back then and we would never let him run a challenge naked now. Looking back on it, it just didn’t seem to fit.”
Hatch famously won the first season that aired in the summer of 2000.
Hatch was later excluded from the “Survivor” Season 40 cast, as Jeff Probst (pictured above on “Survivor 50”) said he “didn’t feel comfortable” having Hatch on the season. Robert Voets/CBS
Probst (pictured above) added that it “did not seem appropriate” to cast Hatch on Season 40. Robert Voets/CBS
He returned for “Survivor: All-Stars” in 2004, where he sparked controversy for rubbing up against fellow contestant Sue Hawk while he was naked during a challenge. Hatch was voted out later that episode, while Hawk quit the game the next day due to being so distraught over the incident.
In 2006, Hatch was found guilty of two counts of tax evasion for allegedly not paying taxing on the $1 million he won from the show.
He was sentenced to 51 months in jail followed by three years of supervised release. After he still refused to pay the taxes, he was sent back to prison in 2011.
Hatch (pictured above on “Survivor: All-Stars”) went to jail in 2006 for not paying his taxes on the $1 million he won from the show. CBS via Getty Images
In March, Hatch (seen above during the “Survivor” Season 1 finale) was ordered to pay $3.3 million in taxes on his winnings from the show. Monty Brinton/CBS
In March, a Rhode Island judge ordered Hatch to pay $3.3 million in taxes, which ballooned from the original amount he owed for his winnings due to interest, according to People.
The reality star reportedly filed a notice of appeal and confirmed he will be representing himself in court.
The “Survivor 50” finale and live reunion airs Wednesday at 8 pm ET on CBS.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226.