Todd Herzog from Survivor: China season 15 has had a harrowing journey since his big victory, and there’s a lot to know about this Survivor winner’s life since competing on the show. Survivor 44 is currently airing, but Todd triumphantly competed his way through Survivor: China in 2007. Unfortunately, his actual trial came in the years following his success on the competition show. From his marriage, to his ongoing issues with alcoholism, here’s everything Todd has been up to since winning Survivor: China.
Before joining the cast of Survivor season 15, Todd lived an extraordinary life. As an openly gay Mormon who traveled the world as a flight attendant, Todd was not necessarily a typical competitor on Survivor: China. Todd did well in physical challenges, and allied with competitors like Survivor: Micronesia‘s Amanda Kimmel. Even though Todd burned many of his bridges by the season’s finale, he could still appeal to the jurors’ reason, by demonstrating that he’d played the best game out of all the finalists. Todd ultimately won four of the seven council votes.
Todd’s Post-Survivor Journey
While his victory on Survivor: China took incredible skill and endurance, Todd’s most significant challenges came in the years following his triumph. In 2009, for instance, Todd appeared in the Survivor Millionaires: Where Are They Now? special, which explored where the earliest Survivor winners were in the late 2000s. In 2010, Todd continued his victory lap with the reality competition show, and attended Survivor‘s 10th-anniversary event. However, the 2010s proved to be a trying period for Todd. The reality TV star reached a breaking point, after the fame and success that came from his victory in season 15.
Todd Lived With Alcoholism
In 2013, Todd opened up about living with alcoholism. The world got a disturbing look into Todd’s illness when he appeared on Dr. Phil in late 2013. Todd’s first Dr. Phil appearance lives on in infamy, as he could not walk onto the stage without help. Although Todd was intoxicated, he spoke with Dr. Phil about his issues with alcohol and addiction. The episode ended with Todd agreeing to go to rehab. Todd received support from fellow Survivor alum Courtney Yates, and Survivor season 40 contender, Sandra Diaz-Twine. Then, Todd reportedly spent hundreds of days sober, following his hard-to-watch Dr. Phil debut.
Todd returned to Dr. Phil in 2016, after his mother revealed that Todd had relapsed. In 2017, Todd spoke out about his Dr. Phil experience, and claimed he was put in a compromising situation behind the scenes. Todd alleged he was left alone with a bottle of vodka, and was handed a Xanax before making his Dr. Phil debut. Dr. Phil and his team denied Todd’s claims, but many fans feel like the talk show’s producers exploited the Survivor winner. While his time on Dr. Phil remains controversial, Todd has successfully remained sober since 2017.
In 2019, Todd got engaged to his boyfriend, Jesse. The couple tied the knot on November 11, 2020. In addition to marriage, Todd makes custom Funko Pops that fans can order online. Todd‘s Instagram is entirely dedicated to his current business of making Funko Pops based on various pop culture characters. From contestants on Survivor to superheroes, Todd has hundreds of posts dedicated to his creations, and over 17,000 followers who enjoy his content. Although Todd had a successful run on Survivor: China, he faced unprecedented obstacles after his reality television win.
Source: Todd Herzog/Instagram
