Injured in the first episode last season, RI man gets second chance on 'Survivor'

"Survivor" has released the full list of castaways for its upcoming season, and a Rhode Island man is getting a second crack at the $1 million cash prize.

The landmark 45th season of hit the reality show, which is set to premiere on CBS on Sept. 27, features the return of Bruce Perreault, a contestant from last season who was medically evacuated just minutes into the first episode after hitting his head on a beam.

Perrault, 47, an insurance agent from West Warwick, will join 17 new contestants competing for the and the title of Sole Survivor, according to the network. This season "continues to define a bold new era of the series with the return of risky advantages, game-changing twists and a relentless pace that will push these castaways to their limits," the network said in a news release.

Other RI contestants who competed on 'Survivor'

Rhode Islanders have had a long history with the CBS reality show "Survivor,"  the program that jumpstarted the TV reality boom.

In fact, Richard Hatch, a Newport native, was the winner of the very first season of "Survivor" in 2000. He went on to compete in other reality shows like "The Celebrity Apprentice 4" and "The Biggest Loser," but he also gained infamy for a 2006 conviction for tax evasion.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck, a Cranston native and graduate of St. Mary Academy - Bay View, competed in 2001 in "Survivor: The Australian Outback," when she placed fourth. She went on to co-host "The View" and "Fox & Friends."

Helen Glover, a survival swim instructor for the Navy from Middletown, competed in 2002 in "Survivor: Thailand," where she survived until the final episode.

– With reports from USAToday.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: 'Survivor 45' cast: West Warwick RI contestant gets second chance