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As fans of the Emmy award-winning series “Survivor” eagerly wait for its season 48 premier airing later this month, some local viewers may recognize Livermore resident Kevin Leung among its 18-member cast.
Per “Survivor” tradition, the 34-year-old finance manager will compete to outlast fellow castaways to win $1 million and the title of Sole Survivor.
“I’m a little bit nervous now. I’m here, like now what?” Leung said of being on the show during a recently released promotional video by CBS.
“I still recall watching Cook Islands as a teenager and holding mock tribal councils at home (sorry Dad, you always had to go), but now it’s ACTUALLY HAPPENING!” Leung said in a recent Instagram post.
Prior to applying, Leung — who is a Fremont native currently residing in Livermore — found inspiration in watching the success of Yul Kwon, winner of Season 13 “Survivor: Cook Islands” and returning contestant on Season 40.
“I always thought of myself as the brainy guy, like the nerdy guy. Seeing Yul Kwon on TV just made me realize, I’m not pigeonholed into this archetype,” Leung said in the cast introduction video. “Someone who looks like me is on TV and he’s not just smart, he’s strategic and he’s athletic and he’s a great game player, so he really inspired me to hopefully apply for the show.”
As for strategy, Leung intends to find strength in being underestimated. He said, “I want to look as ditsy and clueless as possible because that’s what’s going to help me go far in this game.”
Whether Leung makes it to the $1 million prize is yet to be seen. But the story will begin to unfold during a two-hour season premier from 8-10 p.m. Feb. 26 on CBS. The show will also be available to stream through Paramount+.
Following the premier, the series will transition to 90-minute weekly episodes starting March 5.
