Who was voted off Survivor 49 in episode 1? Details explored

CBS’s popular competitive reality show Survivor premiered with season 49 on September 24, 2025.

Titled Act One of a Horror Film, episode 1 held its first Tribal Council, which resulted in the elimination of Nicole Mazullo from the show. 

Nicole was part of the Kele tribe, which consisted of Alex Moore, Jake Latimer, Jeremiah Ing, Kimberly “Annie” Davis, and Sophi Balerdi.

After the Kele tribe lost the immunity challenge and found themselves in a vulnerable stage, they began to strategize for the upcoming vote. 

They ultimately set their target on Nicole, who was voted off by her tribemates with a 5-1 vote.

During Tribal Council, the members of the Kele tribe told host Jeff Probst that the decision was based on keeping the tribe strong and removing “weak” contestants as early in the game as possible. 

Nicole was not pleased with the outcome, as she walked away, saying nothing but a “wow” after Jeff snuffed her torch.

In her exit interview, the Survivor star expressed her disappointment, calling her elimination a “true blindside.” 

Nicole was upset that the people she trusted lied to her about the eviction plan. She claimed she would be the “b*tt of every joke” after her return for being voted out first.

What led to Nicole’s elimination in episode 1 of Survivor 49?

Nicole, a 26-year-old financial crime consultant from Philadelphia, came from a big Italian family from New York. Her tribe members, especially Jeremiah, perceived her as a weak contender, convinced she was outside of her comfort zone in the jungle. 

However, Nicole disagreed, determined to prove them wrong. 

In the meantime, alliances were formed within the Kele tribe, of which Nicole was unaware.

Alex formed a bond with Annie, saying he wanted to play the game with “mother figures” like her. He managed to keep their team under wraps, but his bromance with Jake irked Sophi.

As a result, she collaborated with Jeremiah as her number one, unaware that Jeremiah was also interested in working with Jake, because no one would doubt it. 

Soon after, it was time for the Survivor tribes to participate in their first immunity challenge to earn safety from Tribal Council. 

The task required the contestants to compete in pairs by racing through a muddy rope course to secure three oversized snakes. Following that, three tribe members would navigate a ball through a trap. 

The winners of the challenge would not only earn immunity but also camp supplies as a reward.

The losers, on the other hand, would have to give up their fire-starting flint and face elimination. 

Jeremiah and Nicole paired up for the muddy course, but struggled to get through. 

At one point, Survivor host Jeff advised the pair to “go to a park” if they wanted to picnic.

Despite making attempts to redeem herself, Nicole lost track of the task after getting into a confrontation with Annie. 

Ultimately, the Kele tribe lost the challenge and headed to Tribal Council. Jake campaigned to eliminate Nicole over Annie, claiming the latter would be stronger in future challenges. 

At the same time, they blindsided Nicole by making her believe that it was Annie who was at risk of being sent home. 

Shortly after, Annie approached Sophi with a plan to target Alex or Jake next. Sophi disclosed Annie’s strategy to the boys, stirring chaos within the tribe. 

At Tribal Council, Jeff asked Jake about Nicole’s role within the tribe, to which he replied that she worked hard and gave it her best. 

Despite being targeted, Nicole chose not to play her Shot in the Dark. Soon after, the contestants cast their votes and made Nicole the first player voted off Survivor 49.

Stay tuned for more updates.