Jeff Probst Reveals If He'll Ever Leave 'Survivor' As Host

Jeff Probst is opening up about his future with Survivor.

The host of the reality competition series has been with the show since the beginning, and in a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, revealed that there was a time he was about to leave.

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Jeff revealed that during 20′s season 12 of the show, Survivor: Panama, he wasn’t sure if he’d stay on. In season 16, his contract was up as well, and on top of that, he was making considerably less than scripted stars pulling in smaller ratings on the network.

He stayed on though, and since then, he’s gradually gained more control behind-the-scenes, and worked his way up to producer, to executive producer, to co-showrunner, to showrunner.

Speaking with the outlet, Jeff says that the pandemic was a blessing in disguise for him in a way, helping him really think out his future with the franchise.

“The Covid break was a great Survivor reset for me,” he shared. “Coming on the heels of Winners at War, which I loved, I was more tired than I realized. When we had to postpone our shoot, it gave me a chance to step back and once again reflect on all the things I absolutely love about this show.”

So, is Jeff still thinking about leaving the show as host? He doesn’t think so.

“It’s impossible to describe what Survivor represents to me. Impossible. It goes beyond creative expression or professional recognition. It’s much deeper.”

Jeff adds, “It’s right in line with the ideas I try to impress on our players. It’s about pushing myself further than I think I can go, about trying to stay in the moment and adapt to my surroundings, about being a good ‘tribe member,’ about being open to new ideas and new people. The same opportunities Survivor offers the players, it offers me. I love Survivor and I still need Survivor.”

Season 43 of Survivor will premiere on December 14 on CBS. Stay tuned for more details!