Jeff Probst Reflects on Past Plans to Leave ‘Survivor’ Ahead of Season 50

Longtime Host Considered Leaving Hit Series After Season 12

Jeff Probst, the 64-year-old host and showrunner of the television series Survivor, once seriously contemplated leaving the program after its 12th season in 2005. At that time, his contract with the show expired at the end of season 12, and he was frustrated by what he viewed as a large pay gap between scripted television stars on the same network and his own compensation for hosting one of its highest-rated programs.

Probst had also developed interests outside of the reality series by 2005. He had written and directed a thriller film before that point, and he viewed the demands of being tied to a reality television show as potentially limiting. Reality TV, according to the account, was still regarded with some skepticism within the entertainment industry at that time.

Contract Renewal Keeps Probst at the Helm

Following his contract expiration after season 12, CBS reached a new agreement with Probst. The network renewed his contract for four additional seasons and later extended it again after that period. As a result, he remained host and showrunner of Survivor, and the series continued its lengthy run.

Another period when observers suspected Probst might depart came in 2012, when he began hosting a daily syndicated talk show titled The Jeff Probst Show. The program ran for a single season before it was canceled. During that time, some questioned whether he would continue hosting Survivor if the daytime show proved successful, but he ultimately remained with the competition series.

Production in Fiji and Reflection on Missed Year

Probst discussed these earlier crossroads during an interview conducted in Fiji at a production base camp while filming Survivor season 50, which is scheduled to premiere on February 25. The series, according to the account, has been on the air for 26 years and is preparing to mark a major anniversary with its 50th installment.

He stated that there were years when the extensive travel, prolonged periods away from home, and the pressure to keep the series high in the ratings had a cumulative effect on him. He described feeling exhausted during those stretches of back-to-back seasons. Probst said that the continuous grind of producing season after season eventually took a toll.

COVID Break Cited as Turning Point

Probst attributed a change in his outlook to a break in production during the COVID period, when filming stopped for a full year. He said that this pause allowed him and the crew to step back from immediate production demands for the first time and simply think about the show without the obligation to begin another season right away.

According to Probst, this enforced hiatus renewed enthusiasm among the team and reminded them how much they valued working on Survivor. He described this “rebirth during COVID” as one of the best developments both for the program and for himself personally, saying he had not felt the earlier exhaustion in a long time.

Probst Now Regrets Considering Departure

Looking back while in Fiji for the filming of season 50, Probst said that leaving the franchise would have been, in his view, “the worst decision” of his life. He acknowledged he was not certain how serious he truly was about walking away during those earlier periods, but he confirmed that he was tired enough at the time to contemplate it.

Probst added that he now feels some embarrassment when recalling those moments because of how firmly he believes that departing Survivor would have been a major mistake. He emphasized that, in his assessment, it would have been the single worst decision he could have made, underscoring how strongly he values his continued role with the long-running series.