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The “Survivor” community has seen its fair share of engagements, marriages, and baby announcements in recent months. On Tuesday, it was revealed that Chris Underwood, winner of season 38, “Edge of Extinction,” is becoming a father. Here’s what you need to know:
Chris Announces His Wife Katelyn Is 3 Months Pregnant
Chris, 29, who became the controversial winner of the 38th season of “Survivor” back in 2019, made a post on Instagram Tuesday revealing that he and his wife, Katelyn, are expecting their first child. Although he did not reveal the baby’s sex, he wrote that it is due in October, meaning that Katelyn is about three months pregnant.
“Baby Underwood making an appearance October 2022 !!” Chris wrote in his caption. “Thank you for all of your thoughts, prayers, and kind words during our journey towards parenthood! We are ready for this little beach baby 🏄🏻♀️🏄🏻♂️ to join the tribe.”
Many fans and alumni of the show sent their congratulations in light of the post. “Omg I’m screaming !!” wrote Brice Izyah Johnston, a well-known contestant of season 28, “Cagayan,” who now hosts a “Survivor”-themed podcast called Purple Pants Podcast. “I’m gonna be a mom 😍,” he added.
Ron Clark, a fellow contestant on Chris’s season who voted for him to win, joked that the baby would be born on October 24, Ron’s birthday. “Bet,” he wrote. Wendell Holland, winner of season 36, “Ghost Island,” wrote simply: “CONGRATS!!!!!”
Chris Met Katelyn at a Party in 2015
According to their wedding website, Chris and Katelyn Jermstad met at a college party in 2015, shortly after Katelyn had graduated from the University of Southern California. They started dating and, as the website states, “their love blossomed over the two years to follow.” In July 2018, shortly after filming had wrapped up in Fiji for “Survivor: Edge of Extinction,” Chris proposed to Katelyn, and she accepted. They got married on April 26, 2019 – a few weeks before Chris, then 26, became $1 million richer.
Chris’s win was naturally fairly controversial within the “Survivor” community; although he won in a landslide 9-4-0 jury vote, almost all of those votes were people who he didn’t vote off, thanks to the infamous “Edge of Extinction” twist. Chris was in fact voted out of the game third, on Day 8, and only re-entered the game 27 days later, with just five contestants remaining. Given that Chris only spent about 12 of 39 days in the game, and only participated in six Tribal Councils (one of which he was voted out), there was a fairly large backlash within the fan community upon his surprise victory.
The season was overall widely panned, though the Edge of Extinction twist was brought back two seasons later, for “Winners at War.” The winner in that case, however, spent no time on the Edge (although the runner-up did). According to EW, Chris received an invitation to return to “Winners at War,” but declined, due to having just gotten married a few hours before he received the call.
After winning the title of Sole Survivor, Chris spoke to Greenville News – an outlet of his native South Carolina – where he said he planned to put part of his prize money into savings, while using the rest for traveling. After that, he and Katelyn planned to have children. It looks like that plan has finally paid off.
“Survivor 42” airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific on CBS. The three-hour finale airs Wednesday, May 25, 2022.