It’s a good time to be a reality TV fan, as the 51st season of Survivor recently premiered on CBS (and streaming with a Paramount+ subscription). The first episode had plenty of memorable moments, including contestant Danny Kilby revealing he learned how to swim for the show via a tutor from Reddit. Now that individual has come out of the woodwork and offered his perspective of the already-viral story.
Aside from how much money Survivor contestants make, a big mystery surrounding the show is exactly how Kilby was taught how to swim via a Reddit user. Luckily for us, he posted a video on Twitter, which included a statement from his swim teacher. That individual set up the story by saying:
I was scrolling Reddit one day and I saw a random post of a guy who said he needs to learn how to swim really quick. Said he could do a doggy paddle, could barely keep his head above water. Wasn’t sure what he needed to do, but I think swimming is an important life lesson that everybody should know how to do. So I volunteered to meet up with Kilby, unbeknownst to me at the time that he was going on Survivor.
The Open Era of Survivor is here, but some things never change. Namely that contestant need to be able to swim, as there are usually a number of water-based challenges during each season. So when Danny Kilby was cast as part of Season 51, he knew he had to learn how to swim, and quickly. Luckily someone answered the call over on Reddit.
Latest Videos FromCinemablend
Later in the same video, Kilby’s “swim coach” shared just how clueless he was about the role he was actually playing in Survivor 51. He humorously shared his perspcetive by offering:
So I met up with this random person from Reddit, had no idea. I didn’t even know his real name. His name to this day is still saved in my phone as ‘Reddit swimming guy.’
This whole story is really tickling me. While I was shocked to hear that Danny learned how to swim via Reddit, his teacher’s perspective is even more hilarious. Survivor 51 is changing its approach to Immunity Idols, and the way Kilby prepared is also totally original.
Not only did someone on Reddit answer the call, but the only payment he asked for was a case of beer. In the same clip he explained the origin of this form of compensation, saying:
Here in Canada we always try to take care of our neighbors. It’s pretty important to us. So the general currency around here is a case of beer. You need a friend to help you move? A case of beer.
Canadians have a reputation for being kind, and this story isn’t going to help beat those allegations anytime soon. Not only did Danny Kilby’s swim coach respond to a random post on Reddit, but he didn’t even ask for money. Instead he requested a case of beer, just like he would if he was doing a friend a favor. How sweet is that?
You can see the swim coach himself speak about his experience in the video below, which comes from Kilby’s official Twitter account.
HEAR FROM MY DRUNK STRANGER SWIM INSTRUCTOR WHO TRAINED ME FOR SURVIVOR!!! #reddit #survivor #survivor51 #rhap pic.twitter.com/sVskrCqfmvSeptember 29, 2026
I have to wonder if the swim coach was a Survivor fan before this fateful encounter with the Season 51 contestant. I have to assume that he’ll be watching now, if only to see how well his tutelage worked. The premiere wasn’t super encouraging in that regard; Kilby used a life preserver when the marooning began.
Survivor airs new episodes Wednesdays on CBS as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Hopefully Danny Kilby ends up making his swim coach proud. If not, he might want to buy him another case of beer.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(471x244:473x246)/CNN-New-Years-Eve-with-Anderson-Cooper-123124-9952e5f00fc1425f87113ba2bfb97b29.jpg "Anderson Cooper Says He Once ‘Hated’ New Year’s Eve While Co-Hosting CNN Broadcast")
