From a final three that had the oldest average age than perhaps any in “Survivor” history, the tough therapist from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Denise Stapley,41, won the $1 million on Sunday’s 25th season finale of “Survivor: Philippines.”She had already set a show record by being called into every tribal council of the season and avoiding being voted out.
Both she and Malcolm Freberg had been on the one team that lost consecutive immunity challenges early in the game, and kept losing as the teams merged. Malcolm won consecutive individual immunity challenges toward the end and looked to be the overpowering winner amid the elders in his final four, but a shaky hand at the last competition cost him immunity (despite winning an extra advantage at an earlier contest).
Seeing their chance, the rest of them voted him out at their last opportunity and Denise took the jury vote save for one vote each for Michael Skupin, the one returning player to make it to the end, and Lisa Welchel, the former child star who had a religious struggle while on the island, only to emerge as one of its most wiley players. She earned the $100,000 fan favorite prize voted upon by viewers.
Plans for the next edition, “Survivor; Caramoan,” were leaked during the three-hour finale, delayed by live coverage of memorial services in Newtown, Conn. In it, they will return to the fans vs. favorites format.