The world of Survivor is filled with thrilling tasks and puzzles, with players fighting it out for the grand cash prize. But apparently, along with strategy, deception is equally important in some cases. That was the case for Jonny Fairplay from Survivor: Pearl Islands, who pulled off a major bluff and solidified his place in reality TV history.
Fairplay used the now-infamous “dead grandma” lie to gain sympathy and secure his safety in the game. While it was just a strategy back then, years later, his grandmother actually passed away in 2025.
Jonny Fairplay and his smart move of faking his grandmother’s death
Survivor is a very tough game, and everybody is eyeing to be the next Sole Survivor. But with eliminations happening every now and then, players think of various ways to secure their place in the game. The same was true for Survivor: Pearl Islands contestant Jonny Fairplay. Known as one of the most notorious villains in reality TV history, he pulled off a shocking lie in 2003.
With the help of a friend, he convinced fellow castaways that his grandmother had passed away so that he could gain their sympathy and secure his place. This scheme obviously worked, and he managed to continue in the game effortlessly. But decades later, in a twist of fate, his grandmother, Ellen Jean Hauser, actually passed away.
He confirmed the news himself via Entertainment Weekly and remembered her as a loving grandparent who always wanted the best for him. Jonny Fairplay also added, “It’s easy to think she was just part of one of the biggest lies in TV history,” but she was someone who was a major source of support in everything he did.
He also mentioned that she enjoyed the attention she got from his stunt and, “She thought Jeff (Probst) was one of the most handsome men on the planet.” As for the lie, Fairplay has no regrets, and the “Dead Grandma” lie still holds its place as one of the most infamous moves in the show’s history.
Medical evacuation on Survivor that even scared Jeff Probst
There’s no hiding the fact that Survivor can easily be one of the most physically challenging shows out there. And during one particular task, player Caleb Reynolds pushed himself way beyond his limits, only to find himself in a life-threatening situation. Throughout its run, the show has seen several medical emergencies, but this one, in particular, was something that even scared Jeff Probst.
In an interview via Entertainment Weekly, Reynolds detailed, “The adrenaline kicked in, and I just kept pushing.” But soon after the competition had ended, he started to feel dizzy, and just moments later, he collapsed. He was unresponsive, which forced the medical team of the show to intervene immediately.
The situation took a turn for the worse, and he was airlifted from the beach—but his ordeal was far from over. While struggling to regain full consciousness, he awoke in the middle of the flight and started panicking that he was no longer a part of the game.
He then spent several days in the intensive care unit and received multiple IV fluids before he could even begin to recover. Looking back, the player is totally on board with his bags packed if the show would want him to return.
You can watch all the seasons of Survivor on Hulu.
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