Who Is Survivor’s Colby Donaldson? Meet Season 50 Star and ‘Australian Outback’ Contestant

He’s back! Old school Survivor fans were thrilled to see Colby Donaldson announced as part of the season 50 cast. In Touch takes a deep dive into the player who was initially a finalist on Survivor: The Australian Outback.

Who Is ‘Survivor’ Star Colby Donaldson?

Colby was born on April 1, 1974, in Cristobal, Texas. He graduated from Texas Tech University in 1996 with a degree in marketing.

When Did Colby Appear on ‘Survivor’?

Colby was cast in the show’s second season, Survivor: The Australian Outback. He was a beast in his season thanks to the former high school football player’s athleticism, winning five immunity challenges. Colby was also known as a hunk, with costar Jerri Manthey developing a crush on him despite the harsh living conditions in the Outback.

However, strength and good looks weren’t enough to win the game. Colby lost to Tina Wesson in the final tribal council’s vote by a seven to three margin.

The CBS star went on to appear on 2004’s Survivor: All-Stars, where he finished in 12th place. Colby returned again for 2010’s Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, placing fifth.

During the latter series, his physical dominance seemed to have faded somewhat, as Colby quit at least one challenge and didn’t seem as adept at knowing how to play hidden immunity idols, since they weren’t part of his season in the Outback.

Host Jeff Probst wrote in a May 2010 blog following the show’s episode 13, “I can’t believe I am saying it again but once again Colby Donaldson was first out of the challenge. If I had told you at the beginning of the season that the biggest letdown would come from our most celebrated hero, nobody would have believed me. Yet, as mentioned earlier … Colby is still in the game.” Jeff predicted if Colby made it to the final, he would be “probably the odds-on favorite to win the money,” but was voted out the following week.

In a 2014 Reddit thread, a user pointed out that Colby said during his video at the Ponderosa after getting voted out of Heroes vs. Villains that he entered the game beyond fit with a minuscule four percent body fat. As a result, when he lost 25 pounds during the season, it was mostly muscle mass.

Colby Donaldson Pursued an Acting Career After Appearing on ‘Survivor: The Australian Outback’

With his handsome face, bright white smile and on-camera presence, Colby tried his hand at an acting career starting in 2002 after his debut season on Survivor aired.

That year, he appeared in an episode of the NBC comedy Just Shoot Me, the WB’s Reba and the TV movie Another Pretty Face.

Colby played himself in a 2004 episode of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, while taking on character roles on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless, the CBS procedural JAG and the ABC sitcom 8 Simple Rules. He went on to appear as Gunnar in a three-episode story arc on NBC’s Joey and took roles in the mid-aughts on NBC’s Las Vegas and Fox’s Bones.

Colby Donaldson Hosted Reality Competition Shows

Proving to be such a worthy competitor on Survivor, Colby used his skills as the host of the History Channel’s shooting competition series Top Shot and Top Guns. He also hosted the cable network’s The Butcher and Mountain Men: Ultimate Marksman, as well as doing exit interviews with season 7 contestants who tapped out of the channel’s survival series Alone.

Is Colby Donaldson Married?

Colby married longtime girlfriend and fellow Texan Britt Bailey in September 2016. The couple share a teenage daughter, Brin, and reside in Austin, Texas.

While Colby disabled his Instagram page upon being announced as a competitor on Survivor 50, Britt’s messages of love towards her husband are visible on her page.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you @colby_donaldson. Your love, your kindness, and the way you always show up for me ad Brin means more than words can say. I am so grateful for you, for us, and for the love we continue to build every single day,” his proud wife gushed in a March 2025 Instagram Post showing a photo of the happy couple.

Colby Donaldson’s Wife Britt Is Supportive of Him Competing on ‘Survivor’ 50

“Welp… the cat’s officially outta the bag — the rumors are TRUE! Colby is headed back once again for his FOURTH round on Survivor!” Britt gushed in a May 28, 2025, Instagram post.

I’m beyond excited for him to take on this wild adventure (again), and even more proud to watch him chase it with everything he’s got. But let’s be real … I’m the one who’s gonna need help surviving with zero contact,” she continued. “Go get ’em, babe — we’re cheering you on from afar every step of the way!! No matter what happens, you’re already a legend in my book. Let’s do this!”