‘Survivor’ Host Jeff Probst On Keeping the Iconic Reality Competition Series Fresh After 46 Seasons

“The tribe has spoken.”

Survivor host Jeff Probst has spoken those infamous words for 46 seasons now with a 47th coming up this fall. It’s an incredible run that places him squarely in the pantheon for greatest reality competition show hosts of all time. Probst received 12 Emmy nominations across the series’ run, including five nominations for Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program.

In fact, after winning the very first Emmy for the category, he’s actually never lost if he was nominated, winning every year from 2008 through 2011. This year’s nomination marks a return to the category.

So, how exactly does Probst keep things fresh after 46 seasons? The answer may surprise you…

“I think the biggest stamp would be coming out of COVID. That was a big refresh, and that turned out, in terms of a TV production point of view, a blessing for us because, when we had to postpone due to COVID, that was the first time I’ve ever had time to think about the show without the pressure of having to produce a season because our schedule is pretty nonstop,” Probst revealed over Zoom. “It just became really clear to me that Survivor needs to be a fun family show. That started this ball rolling of a lot of changes, which now encompass and make up the new era. But that really refreshed it for me. And I can tell you, I’ve loved Survivor since I got the job.”

This “new era” became a controversial turn of events for die-hard fans of the show. Spend a few minutes online, and you’ll find hundreds of videos and essays illustrating why. Whatever their opinions, the changes revitalized the show in new and compelling ways. That felt necessary to Probst and the team because most of the applicants are Survivor die-hards, many raised on watching the series with their family since early childhood.

Here, in an interview with Awards Daily, Probst talks about creating this “new era” and how the savvy contestants make it a challenge to plan for competitions. He talks about tribal councils and how, particularly in Season 46, they each feel more unhinged than the last. That puts him in the role of a counselor, helping the contestants navigate their intense psychological reactions to the extreme circumstances while still playing the game. That’s a role, according to Probst, he absolutely loves.

He also talks about the now-iconic Liz meltdown from last season which instantly became a meme moments after it aired.

Take a look at my interview with Jeff Probst, current Emmy nominee for Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program, below!

Survivor 47 premieres September 18 on CBS.