Perch (also known as Self-Destruction, Last Man Standing, and Last Person Standing) is a recurring endurance challenge that originated in Survivor: The Australian Outback and has been used in later seasons. In most seasons, food temptations are offered in order to get contestants to drop out of the challenge. This challenge is infamous for causing two contestants to strip naked for peanut butter and chocolate.
Rules[]
Each tribe member will stand on top of a wooden pillar in the water. At random points, Jeff will tempt the Survivors to jump down by bribing food items. The last person left standing wins immunity.
History[]
United States[]
The challenge made its debut in Survivor: The Australian Outback. After 90 minutes, Nick stepped down. Colby quickly followed after. Four hours in the challenge, Jeff Probst offered the remaining contestants peanut butter, chocolate, and apples if they stepped down. Rodger and Varner bailed out for the food, which they shared with Colby and Nick. Jerri and Amber jumped down for ice cream and hot cocoa after 6 hours and 47 minutes. Elisabeth asked for a boat ride back. Jeff complied and Elisabeth stepped down after 8 hours and 58 minutes. After over 10 hours in, Jeff returned with coffee, hot cocoa and a ride back to shore. Alicia finally caves, leaving the final two contestants, Keith and Tina, to fight it out. Keith asked Tina to step down. Knowing he had the most votes cast against him, Tina concedes. 10 hours into the challenge, Keith won immunity.
The challenge reappeared in Survivor: The Amazon. After 30 minutes, Jenna wanted peanut butter and chocolate so badly that she stripped naked for it. Heidi would join her. Jeff held his end of the bargain and got chocolate cookies, peanut butter and soda for Jenna and Heidi. Roger, who was having trouble anyway, opted out without any food temptations. One hour after the challenge started, Jeff offered pizza. Butch, Rob, and Alex took up the offer. The next item on offer was buffalo wings, which Dave and Matthew took up the offer. The final food offered was spaghetti and meatballs. Christy and Deena, the final two competitors, both wanted it and decided to end the challenge. The pair decided to split the food and play rock-paper-scissors to decide who gets immunity. Christy picked scissors while Deena picked rock, meaning Deena won immunity.
The challenge was reused in Survivor: Palau as the first individual Immunity Challenge. Jeff asked Tom if Stephenie was a free vote. Coby intervened by saying this was a game and everyone wants her vote. Coby stepped down for doughnuts. Janu quickly followed because she had back pain. Jeff asked what does it say if people give up immunity for doughnuts, which Stephenie responded they don't care if they go home or they are confident. Caryn asked for peanut butter. Ian comically offers to strip naked for peanut butter and chocolate, referencing Jenna and Heidi doing just that when the challenge was used in Survivor: The Amazon, which Jeff said that no one wanted to see that. Tom wanted balut, to which Jeff replied saying there were none. After two hours, Jeff offered 15 chocolate chip cookies for any who jumps in 15 seconds. Jenn, Katie, Ian, and Gregg all took up the offer. At the three hour mark, Jeff offered pizza for everyone that jumps in five seconds. Stephenie and Caryn immediately jumped in, giving Tom immunity.
The challenge re-appeared as the Final Immunity Challenge of Survivor: Cook Islands with a slight variation. In this challenge, the contestants would not be offered temptations to step down. Also, the platform they were standing on would decrease in size every fifteen minutes until, after one hour, their footholds were less than half the size of a postcard. Becky dropped out of the challenge first, later followed by Yul, leaving Sundra and Ozzy as the final two castaways. Eventually, Sundra fell off her platform, giving Ozzy his fifth Immunity Challenge win.
France[]
Germany[]
In Gestrandet, the final three competed in the challenge for individual reward. Additionally, the first person to fall off their perch would automatically get eliminated from the game. After 35 minutes, the castaways had to stand on only one leg. Cori, who was disadvantaged going into the challenge with a weight in her left hand, fell off her perch first and was eliminated from the game. Caro ultimately defeated Alex to win the challenge.
South Africa[]
In Survivor South Africa: Panama, the challenge appeared as a Duel, where the inhabitants of Dead Man's Island competed for a spot back in the game. Lezel Crook was the first to fall, followed by Brigitte Willers, both of whom joined the jury after their elimination. Meanwhile, Mzi Tyhokolo and Vanessa Marawa won and returned to surprise the Burba tribe, who had mistakenly assumed that they were the final three of the season.
The challenge appeared as the Final Immunity Challenge of Malaysia, where the first person to fall off would automatically be eliminated from the game, while the last person standing would make a critical decision as to whom to bring to the Final Two. Mandla Mbau lost his balance and was eliminated in fourth place. Then, after over 2 hours, when the tide rose to a marker on each contestant's post, host Mark Bayly instructed the three remaining players to balance on one foot. Everyone lost balance quickly, but Lorette Mostert outlasted Grant Clark and Amanda Hoosen to win her second Immunity Challenge.
Winners[]
| Episode | Challenge Type | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| The Australian Outback "The Merge" |
Individual Immunity |  Keith Famie |
| The Amazon "Girls Gone Wilder" |
Individual Immunity |  Deena Bennett |
| Palau "I Will Not Give Up" |
Individual Immunity |  Tom Westman |
| Cook Islands "This Tribe Will Self-Destruct in 5, 4, 3..." |
Individual Immunity (Final Immunity) |
 Ozzy Lusth |
| Episode | Challenge Type | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Expedición Robinson 2024 Episode 1 |
Individual Immunity |  Samanta Herdt |
| Episode | Challenge Type | Winners | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gestrandet Day 55 |
Individual Reward (Sudden-Death Challenge) |
 Caro | |
| Episode | Challenge Type | Winners | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panama Episode 12 |
Duel |  Mzi Tyhokolo |
 Vanessa Marawa |
| Malaysia Episode 13 |
Individual Immunity (Final Immunity) (Sudden-Death Challenge) |
 Lorette Mostert | |
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Deena Bennett is the only female contestant to win this challenge.
- Keith Famie lasted 10 hours, 17 minutes to win this challenge in his season, the longest amount of time this challenge lasted.
- Deena Bennett lasted 2 hours, 40 minutes to win this challenge in her season.
- Tom Westman lasted over 3 hours to win this challenge in his season.
- Ozzy Lusth lasted 2 hours, 30 minutes to win this challenge in his season, the shortest amount of time this challenge lasted.
- When this challenge was played in The Amazon, Jenna Morasca and Heidi Strobel took their clothes off in exchange for peanut butter and chocolate.
- Ian Rosenberger would later make a reference to this event in Palau.
- This challenge has only been used as an individual Immunity Challenge.
- The name Perch was also used for the final five Immunity Challenge in Panama. However, that challenge is a different challenge altogether.
References[]