Former Facts of Life star, Lisa Whelchel, didn’t win the title of Sole Survivor, or snag the $1 million payout but she has jump started her career.

Whelchel, who was a household name growing up when she played the snotty, Blaire on the Facts of Life sitcom. Lisa, who tied for 2nd place did manage to earn $87,500 for the tie, $100,000 for being the fan player of the season and an extra $10,000 for showing up for the live finale, definitely didn’t hurt her bank account by appearing on the reality competition show. Read the rest of this entry »

Lisa Whelchel — best known for her role as Blair on the 1980s sitcom The Facts of Life — says she’s been diagnosed with West Nile virus, a mosquito borne illness marked by fatigue and body aches. The 49-year-old made headlines for the first time in years when she agreed to appear as a contestant on Survivor: Philippines.

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It was the first all-female final in 24 seasons of Survivor…and last night didn’t disappoint.

After sending Alicia to the jury, and then Christina, the final three who aligned on Day One, Chelsea, Sabrina and Kim, sat last night to see who would take the title of Sole Survivor ad who would snag that $1 million check. Read the rest of this entry »

CBS has ordered two additional seasons of Survivor, keeping the long-running reality series on the air through 2013, the network said Thursday.

Jeff Probst is confirmed to return as host — he’ll shoot the two extra seasons back-to-back next spring, balancing tribal council with his duties on a new daytime talk show, which is slated to premiere in Sept. 2012. The 24th edition of Survivor premieres Wednesday, Feb. 15; it’s called Survivor: One World and will split its castaways into male and female tribes who live together on the same beach.

Ethan Zohn was approaching the second anniversary of remission from Hodgkin’s lymphoma when he learned he that the cancer he was first diagnosed with in 2009 has returned.

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