Sonja Christopher was a contestant on the first season of “Survivor” in 2000 and the first person ever voted off the show.
- Died: April 26, 2024 (Who else died on April 26?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 87.
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Sonja Christopher’s legacy
Christopher auditioned for “Survivor” at a time of upheaval in her life: She had recently recovered after being treated for breast cancer, and her relationship had recently ended. Newly living single in a retirement community, Christopher saw the casting call for “Survivor” and felt drawn to it as a breast cancer survivor. Her audition tape, in which she played the ukelele, was a hit with the producers, and she was cast on the inaugural season of the soon-to-be hit reality series, set in Borneo.
At 63, Christopher was the oldest woman among the contestants, and she remains the oldest woman ever to compete on “Survivor.” She was also the first lesbian contestant. In a memorable moment during her time on the show, she sang a version of “Bye Bye Blues” while playing along on her ukelele. A member of the Tagi tribe, she was popular with her fellow contestants, but injuries caused her to stumble at a key moment of a challenge, and her tribe lost. It was among the reasons she was the first voted off the island.
In her life away from “Survivor,” Christopher was a teacher and investment counselor who worked as a music therapist in retirement. She was active in her local Unitarian Universalist church. After her “Survivor” fame, Christopher was cast in a small role on an episode of “Diagnosis: Murder.”
Notable quote
“Someone once asked me if I thought my being voted off early was due to ageism. And I said, ‘Oh, no.’ And you know why is because I had no concept of ageism. I was always good at sports and very active physically. I just didn’t realize I was, to some of these people, an old lady.” — from a 2020 interview for Entertainment Weekly
Tributes to Sonja Christopher
Full obituary: People
