Jonny Fairplay announced Saturday that his grandmother has died…this time for real.
Fairplay was responsible for one of the most infamous moments in reality TV history, a moment that would shape reality TV for decades to come.
The reality star has shared that his grandmother, Ellen Jean Hauser, has died at 90 years old, over two decades after he lied about her death to avoid elimination on Survivor.
‘I’ll miss her every day,’ Fairplay told Entertainment Weekly of his beloved grandmother’s death.
‘It’s easy to think she was just part of one of the biggest lies in TV history, which made me famous, but I look at her place in my life as a loving grandparent who only wanted the best for me in my life and would do anything to help me get it. Which she did.’
The infamous moment took place in 2003 on an episode of Survivor: Pearl Islands (Season 7) in which Fairplay was reunited with a close friend as a part of the game.
The friend – following a plan the pair had made beforehand – falsely told Fairplay that his grandmother had died in order for the contestant to avoid elimination and earn the sympathy of the other competitors.
The trick was a success, and Fairplay was able to win the challenge and spend 24 hours with his friend at the campsite and go on to place third on the season. The stunt made such a cultural splash, he’s still one of the most famous Survivor contestants in history to this day.
When viewers were informed that Fairplay’s grandmother was actually alive and well, outrage echoed throughout the world and the ruse became front page news, raising questions about the ethical line in reality shows.
When he revealed the trick to viewers via a secret interview at the time, he said: ‘My grandmother’s sitting home watching Jerry Springer right now.’
Other players on the season wouldn’t find out about the lie until after filming on the season concluded, leaving many feeling betrayed and certain Fairplay had crossed an ethical line.
The incident made Fairplay incredibly famous, and he continued to appear on Survivor spin offs including several Survivor All-Stars seasons, House of Villains, The Traitors, and many more reality competitions.
‘Her dying words were something like, “Jonny, I want to see you on Survivor 50, The Traitors, and Deal or No Deal Island,” Fairplay said to Entertainment Weekly.
‘I had no idea she had so many streaming services.’
Reality star’s gran dies 22 years after he made up her death in ‘biggest lie in TV history’