YouTube Russell Hantz
In an August 9 YouTube video, former castaway Russell Hantz revealed if he would ever play “Survivor” again.
The 49-year-old, who has been critical of recent “Survivor” seasons, told fans he would return to the show under one condition.
Russell Reveals His One Condition
In the video, Russell said he would play again if producers agreed to compensate him for the appearance.
“There [is] a strong possibility that I would not [play again] even if they called because I would require some sort of payment,” he said.
The TV villain then told fans he felt taken advantage of by “Survivor” producers in season 20, stating that he was not paid for his appearance on the show.
“I heard in Heroes vs. Villains [season 20] they paid people and they took advantage of the fact that they didn’t have to pay me even though I was basically the star of [that season],” he said.
“They didn’t pay me but they paid some people,” he continued. “I think that [is] unfair…Just because I don’t know the system yet, [they tried to] take advantage of me and not pay me, so I would not let them take advantage now.”
Russell told viewers that if he were to play “Survivor” again, he would need to be paid for the appearance.
See the full YouTube video HERE.
Russell Hantz: Survivor History
Russell Hantz is known as one of the most notorious villains in “Survivor” history.
The controversial castaway is best remembered for his cutthroat gameplay and for causing chaos on the island.
Russell made his “Survivor” debut in the fall of 2009 on “Survivor: Samoa,” where he earned his villainous reputation.
He manipulated several of his fellow castaways by creating conflicting alliances. He even lied about being a Hurricane Katrina victim in an attempt to gain sympathy from the other players.
Russell made it to Final Tribal Council, but his deceitful gameplay came back to haunt him. The majority of the jury cast their votes for Natalie White.
Russell returned to “Survivor” the following season for “Heroes vs. Villains” as a member of the villain tribe.
Once again, Russell proved to be a fierce competitor, winning multiple immunity challenges.
He once again made it to the Final Tribal Council, where he was struck with a bad case of Deja-Vu. Once again, the jury called out Russell for his devious behavior and he lost the title to Sandra Diaz-Twine.
Russell’s “Survivor” journey didn’t end there. He returned to the game in 2011 for “Survivor: Redemption Island.”
The Texas native didn’t perform as well the third time around. He was eliminated on day ten after losing a duel to Matt Elord.
Russell later competed in a season of “Survivor: Australia.” He was voted out on day five.
“Survivor 43” premieres on Wednesday, September 21 at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on CBS and Paramount Plus.
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