'The White Lotus' creator Mike White joins 'Survivor 50'

Mike White will return to Survivor for its 50th season airing in 2026.

Mike White, screenwriter and creator of HBO’s The White Lotus, is set to return to Survivor for its milestone 50th season.

Host Jeff Probst confirmed the news during an appearance on “CBS Mornings,” stating, “In between writing and directing seasons of ‘White Lotus,’ Mike White is back.”

White previously appeared on Survivor in 2018 during its 37th season, staying for the full 39 days and finishing as runner-up. His time on the show reportedly influenced The White Lotus, the acclaimed anthology series that premiered in 2021.

The show’s third season, which aired this spring and featured Parker Posey, Carrie Coon and Walton Goggins, drew over six million viewers for its finale.

Before Survivor, White competed twice on The Amazing Race alongside his father. He has described reality television as a source of creative inspiration. “For me, as a writer of drama, I aspire to do what reality television already does,” he said in a 2021 interview with The New Yorker.

Survivor’s 50th season, scheduled to air in 2026, will include several returning contestants, such as Jenna Lewis-Dougherty from Season 1, and veteran players Cirie Fields and Ozzy Lusth. Filming is set for this summer.