• =?UTF-8?Q?=E2=80=98Survivor=E2=80=99_Boss_Jeff_Probst_May_Bring_Bac?= =?UTF-8?Q?k_Celebs=2C_Returning_Players_and_Themed_Seasons_=E2=80=94_But_Th?= =?UTF-8?Q?is_Could_Be_the_Last_Live_Finale?=

    From Brian Smith@dcg_brian@hotmail.com to alt.tv.survivor on Tue May 19 20:23:20 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.tv.survivor

    There's a ton of info in this article including no returning players in
    S51 or S52. ________________________________________________________________________

    rCySurvivorrCO Boss Jeff Probst May Bring Back Celebs, Returning Players and Themed Seasons rCo But This Could Be the Last Live Finale

    Emily Longeretta

    Tue, May 19, 2026 at 1:44 PM MDT

    rCLSurvivorrCY 50 is a milestone season for CBS and for Jeff Probst rCo and may just be the start of something new. On May 20, the show will air its finale, which will be live in front of an audience for the first time
    since 2019rCOs rCLEdge of Extinction.rCY

    The live finale was one of the many game elements fans voted for during
    rCLIn the Hands of the Fans.rCY Another fan vote is currently underway, as viewers can choose their favorite player, to be announced during the
    live show; Sia will award the player with the most votes with a $100,000 prize.

    But the season also introduced many new elements rCo some that could stay around and others that wonrCOt. Below, Probst hints at what the future of rCLSurvivorrCY looks like.

    Has Season 50 birthed a new era?

    Yes. The idea was, can this launch us into our next thing? And I think
    it did. We said to the players before the game started, rCLEither you can launch us into the next phase of the game, or werCOll do it without you,rCY which was just me being the coach in the locker room, trying to
    encourage them. And I think they did, and how they did that was by
    showing up and embracing uncertainty.

    Will you bring in more celebrities in the future?

    It depends on the situation. I have somebody very well known whorCOs
    already reached out and said, rCLNow that IrCOve seen what yourCOve done, if you could ever use me, IrCOd like to come out and be a part of the show.rCY The thing with Zac Brown is that he loves rCLSurvivor.rCY HerCOs never missed an episode. He said, rCLIrCOd like to be a part of your show.rCY IrCOm the producer who says, rCLIrCOm open to all ideas. LetrCOs try it.rCY Same with Jimmy Fallon. Same with MrBeast. These are all people who said, rCLIrCOd
    like to be a part of it.rCY I was over the moon excited to have them be a
    part of it. So, yeah, in the right situation.

    Are you keeping the boomerang idol in the game now?

    ItrCOs in our arsenal; it could come out. Anything werCOve ever done, pretty much, is in our bag. Some people may think, rCLTheyrCOll never bring this
    idea backrCY rCo I donrCOt know. DonrCOt be so sure about that, because the fact
    that somebody thinks we might not bring something back is all the more
    reason to bring it back immediately. I look at everything as IP. This is
    all part of the show. And you never know.

    Does that mean you could bring back themes?

    Yes, I think, in the future. We decided, for the new era, werCOre going to number the seasons, and werCOre going to stick with numbering the seasons.
    But moving forward, I donrCOt feel that we need to be locked into not
    doing a theme in the same way that I donrCOt think we have to do themes
    from now on. If, during casting, we discover a rCLDavid vs. GoliathrCY
    theme, itrCOs very likely werCOll do it, then the next could just be the number. The inconsistency is also another thing that werCOre embracing. LetrCOs just do whatrCOs best for the show and not worry about the overall symmetry. So all things are on the table moving forward.

    Does the same go for bringing back returning players?

    ThererCOs nothing on the horizon, but theyrCOre very fun to do rCo for us as well. And now we have enough players, we might be able to pull off
    something that includes returning players sooner than the period of time
    we had since the last one. But I donrCOt know. We know what werCOre doing
    for 51 and 52. ThatrCOs it.

    I have a random question: What happened to the mirror that used to be on
    the island for the players to see themselves toward the end?

    HererCOs a criticism I listened to! A few players told me that it was
    really emotionally disturbing to see what they looked like while they
    were still in the game, and I took that to heart. They were saying,
    rCLItrCOs hard for me now, because now I have self-awareness.rCY Literally, the idea of a mirror, of reflection, is not good, because now itrCOs a
    visual of looking tired rCo yourCOve lost weight, your face is dirty rCo versus the mirror you may have inside of being a warrior whorCOs been
    through a gallant battle. The first person who ever said it, I was like, rCLDone. I would not want that either. IrCOd never thought about it. IrCOve never been in this position. Thank you very much.rCY

    You mentioned before that you see the show continuing whenever it is you
    leave rCo hopefully many years into the future. Do you feel like it should
    be a former player?

    It probably, ultimately, wonrCOt be my decision, but it could be a player.
    I donrCOt think there are any qualifications. HererCOs the only thing I ever say anytime an executive has asked me about hosts and how to hire them:
    If you hire based on a look or social media following, yourCOre picking
    the wrong attributes. What you really want is a producer who is capable
    of presenting in front of the camera. You donrCOt want a host. The host
    has this idea of a long, skinny mic and a cool suit and a snappy batter. ThatrCOs not rCLSurvivor.rCY rCLSurvivorrCY is an in-the-moment show, and the reason IrCOm so grateful to be showrunner is not because that makes me the boss. ItrCOs because I donrCOt have to ask permission to do anything I want
    as the host.

    I donrCOt want to leave rCLSurvivor,rCY but if I forecast into the future, I get really excited thinking about someone else taking over to see what
    they would do with it. Then I become the fan, going, rCLOh, my gosh! They tried that. I never thought of that.rCY

    How did it feel leaving Fiji with the votes this time?

    That was fun. It was crazy because thatrCOs all we ever did, and we
    stopped. Then to walk out and say, rCLIrCOll see you back in Los Angeles for the reading of the live votesrCY was exhilarating. IrCOm still exhilarated now. IrCOm excited to do it. ItrCOs a lot of work to put on a live finale in between shooting two seasons and hosting the season thatrCOs currently on
    rCo it adds a ton of work. IrCOm super pumped. The whole team is back from
    our live show, and werCOve got a big stage and as many seats. That was the number one goal: letrCOs make the stage beautiful and ornate, and then
    letrCOs clear as much space as possible to get as many seats as possible.

    So, will you keep doing a live finale going forward?

    The thing that players donrCOt like to hear is that when theyrCOre in the jungle, right after the show ends, thatrCOs the most honest they are. They
    may not really know that or feel that, but theyrCOre honest, and theyrCOve
    not been persecuted by social media. Every single player gets
    annihilated for things they donrCOt deserve rCo mostly from people who mean well, but theyrCOll never play, so theyrCOll never understand how out of
    touch comments like that are and how much they hurt. So you get players
    when theyrCOre pure and theyrCOre unaffected by the impact of social media
    in Fiji. When you do a live finale, all you get is defense. The live
    finale becomes people defending, and for me, from a storytelling
    standpoint, I never find it as interesting. So I get the pomp and circumstances, itrCOs super fun, but I think werCOre going to change the format for the finale rCo make it more of a three-hour event, rather than
    a two-and-a-half-hour finale and a 30-minute reunion show.

    We want to celebrate as we go. When you sit down and just rehash, itrCOs
    never satisfying. This year, the way werCOre doing it, IrCOm pretty excited about it. We reimagined how we were going to do it, and it feels very
    fresh, big and equally fun. When we sat down initially, the first thing
    I suggested was, what if we donrCOt do a reunion show and instead, we take that time and sprinkle it in throughout the final episode? I think itrCOs gonna be more fun and exciting to take pauses along the way. It feels
    like a reinvention that feels right for where we are now, and itrCOs more inclusive of everybody. Our finales are so packed that we donrCOt really
    have enough time. The idea this time is: LetrCOs take the entire three
    hours, do it as one event. And then when it ends, it feels complete.

    The rCLSurvivorrCY finale airs on CBS on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET. This interview has been edited and condensed.

    Source: https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/jeff-probst-survivor-live-reunion-themed-seasons-returning-players-1236747767/
    --
    Brian
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Rick@Rick@nospam.net to alt.tv.survivor on Wed May 20 01:38:26 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.tv.survivor

    On 5/19/2026 10:23 PM, Brian Smith wrote:
    There's a ton of info in this article including no returning players in
    S51 or S52. ________________________________________________________________________

    I'll say! There are some other interesting bits of tid as well...


    rCySurvivorrCO Boss Jeff Probst May Bring Back Celebs, Returning Players and Themed Seasons rCo But This Could Be the Last Live Finale

    Emily Longeretta

    Tue, May 19, 2026 at 1:44 PM MDT

    rCLSurvivorrCY 50 is a milestone season for CBS and for Jeff Probst rCo and may just be the start of something new. On May 20, the show will air its finale, which will be live in front of an audience for the first time
    since 2019rCOs rCLEdge of Extinction.rCY

    The live finale was one of the many game elements fans voted for during rCLIn the Hands of the Fans.rCY Another fan vote is currently underway, as viewers can choose their favorite player, to be announced during the
    live show; Sia will award the player with the most votes with a $100,000 prize.

    But the season also introduced many new elements rCo some that could stay around and others that wonrCOt. Below, Probst hints at what the future of rCLSurvivorrCY looks like.

    Has Season 50 birthed a new era?

    Yes. The idea was, can this launch us into our next thing? And I think
    it did. We said to the players before the game started, rCLEither you can launch us into the next phase of the game, or werCOll do it without you,rCY which was just me being the coach in the locker room, trying to
    encourage them. And I think they did, and how they did that was by
    showing up and embracing uncertainty.

    Will you bring in more celebrities in the future?

    It depends on the situation. I have somebody very well known whorCOs
    already reached out and said, rCLNow that IrCOve seen what yourCOve done, if you could ever use me, IrCOd like to come out and be a part of the show.rCY

    I presume this isn't Tyler Perry or Sia or any of the other celebs Jeff
    has had on over the years. I really don't have a clue who this could be.

    The thing with Zac Brown is that he loves rCLSurvivor.rCY HerCOs never missed
    an episode. He said, rCLIrCOd like to be a part of your show.rCY IrCOm the producer who says, rCLIrCOm open to all ideas. LetrCOs try it.rCY Same with Jimmy Fallon. Same with MrBeast. These are all people who said, rCLIrCOd like to be a part of it.rCY I was over the moon excited to have them be a part of it. So, yeah, in the right situation.


    You'll notice that he pointedly didn't mention Billie Eilish in that sequence...

    Are you keeping the boomerang idol in the game now?

    ItrCOs in our arsenal; it could come out. Anything werCOve ever done, pretty much, is in our bag. Some people may think, rCLTheyrCOll never bring this idea backrCY rCo I donrCOt know. DonrCOt be so sure about that, because the fact
    that somebody thinks we might not bring something back is all the more reason to bring it back immediately. I look at everything as IP. This is
    all part of the show. And you never know.


    By that logic, is he going to bring back the Medallion of Power or
    whatever it was? Or better yet, how about the conch shell you had to
    hold back in season one before you could speak at TC? IP indeed. In
    this case, the I stands for "Idiotic".

    Does that mean you could bring back themes?

    Yes, I think, in the future. We decided, for the new era, werCOre going to number the seasons, and werCOre going to stick with numbering the seasons. But moving forward, I donrCOt feel that we need to be locked into not
    doing a theme in the same way that I donrCOt think we have to do themes
    from now on. If, during casting, we discover a rCLDavid vs. GoliathrCY theme, itrCOs very likely werCOll do it, then the next could just be the number. The inconsistency is also another thing that werCOre embracing. LetrCOs just do whatrCOs best for the show and not worry about the overall symmetry. So all things are on the table moving forward.


    Wow, what a line. "The inconsistency is also another thing that we're embracing." Seriously, Jeff?

    Does the same go for bringing back returning players?

    ThererCOs nothing on the horizon, but theyrCOre very fun to do rCo for us as well. And now we have enough players, we might be able to pull off
    something that includes returning players sooner than the period of time
    we had since the last one. But I donrCOt know. We know what werCOre doing
    for 51 and 52. ThatrCOs it.


    Does that suggest no returning players for 52? Hope so...

    I have a random question: What happened to the mirror that used to be on
    the island for the players to see themselves toward the end?

    HererCOs a criticism I listened to! A few players told me that it was
    really emotionally disturbing to see what they looked like while they
    were still in the game, and I took that to heart. They were saying, rCLItrCOs hard for me now, because now I have self-awareness.rCY Literally, the idea of a mirror, of reflection, is not good, because now itrCOs a visual of looking tired rCo yourCOve lost weight, your face is dirty rCo versus the mirror you may have inside of being a warrior whorCOs been through a gallant battle. The first person who ever said it, I was like, rCLDone. I would not want that either. IrCOd never thought about it. IrCOve never been in this position. Thank you very much.rCY


    This again sounds almost like parody. Players don't want to look into
    the mirror because it's "really emotionally disturbing"? Seriously?
    Can you imagine any old-time player saying this? How about just don't
    look into the mirror if you don't want to see yourself.


    You mentioned before that you see the show continuing whenever it is you leave rCo hopefully many years into the future. Do you feel like it should be a former player?

    It probably, ultimately, wonrCOt be my decision, but it could be a player.
    I donrCOt think there are any qualifications. HererCOs the only thing I ever say anytime an executive has asked me about hosts and how to hire them:
    If you hire based on a look or social media following, yourCOre picking
    the wrong attributes. What you really want is a producer who is capable
    of presenting in front of the camera. You donrCOt want a host. The host
    has this idea of a long, skinny mic and a cool suit and a snappy batter. ThatrCOs not rCLSurvivor.rCY rCLSurvivorrCY is an in-the-moment show, and the
    reason IrCOm so grateful to be showrunner is not because that makes me the boss. ItrCOs because I donrCOt have to ask permission to do anything I want as the host.

    I donrCOt want to leave rCLSurvivor,rCY but if I forecast into the future, I get really excited thinking about someone else taking over to see what
    they would do with it. Then I become the fan, going, rCLOh, my gosh! They tried that. I never thought of that.rCY


    I think I've said before that maybe the only ex-players I can see
    hosting the show might be Rick Devens. Rob Cesternino would also be an interesting choice, but I think he might be too analytical and a bit too low-key to do that "that's they way you do it on Survivor" stuff during challenges. I used to think Phil Keoghan was the likely next host if
    Jeff were to step down, but I think that ship has long ago sailed and
    Phil is now too associated with TAR.

    How did it feel leaving Fiji with the votes this time?

    That was fun. It was crazy because thatrCOs all we ever did, and we
    stopped. Then to walk out and say, rCLIrCOll see you back in Los Angeles for the reading of the live votesrCY was exhilarating. IrCOm still exhilarated now. IrCOm excited to do it.

    Well there's your confirmation that votes will be read live, not back on
    the island as some were speculating. Technically, that means that if
    there really was insider spoilers about the results, they probably only spoiled who the final three were, since only Jeff and a few other
    producers and camera people would know the vote results.



    ItrCOs a lot of work to put on a live finale in
    between shooting two seasons and hosting the season thatrCOs currently on rCo it adds a ton of work. IrCOm super pumped. The whole team is back from our live show, and werCOve got a big stage and as many seats. That was the number one goal: letrCOs make the stage beautiful and ornate, and then letrCOs clear as much space as possible to get as many seats as possible.

    So, will you keep doing a live finale going forward?

    The thing that players donrCOt like to hear is that when theyrCOre in the jungle, right after the show ends, thatrCOs the most honest they are. They may not really know that or feel that, but theyrCOre honest, and theyrCOve not been persecuted by social media. Every single player gets
    annihilated for things they donrCOt deserve rCo mostly from people who mean well, but theyrCOll never play, so theyrCOll never understand how out of touch comments like that are and how much they hurt. So you get players
    when theyrCOre pure and theyrCOre unaffected by the impact of social media in Fiji. When you do a live finale, all you get is defense. The live
    finale becomes people defending, and for me, from a storytelling
    standpoint, I never find it as interesting. So I get the pomp and circumstances, itrCOs super fun, but I think werCOre going to change the format for the finale rCo make it more of a three-hour event, rather than
    a two-and-a-half-hour finale and a 30-minute reunion show.


    It is obvious the live finale was one of those decisions by the fans
    Jeff really didn't like. I knew that would be one and done. The other decision might be to get rid of F4 fire making, if that's what the fans decided on. We all know Jeff loves the fire challenge.

    We want to celebrate as we go. When you sit down and just rehash, itrCOs never satisfying. This year, the way werCOre doing it, IrCOm pretty excited about it. We reimagined how we were going to do it, and it feels very
    fresh, big and equally fun. When we sat down initially, the first thing
    I suggested was, what if we donrCOt do a reunion show and instead, we take that time and sprinkle it in throughout the final episode? I think itrCOs gonna be more fun and exciting to take pauses along the way. It feels
    like a reinvention that feels right for where we are now, and itrCOs more inclusive of everybody. Our finales are so packed that we donrCOt really have enough time. The idea this time is: LetrCOs take the entire three hours, do it as one event. And then when it ends, it feels complete.


    I'm pretty sure many fans will skip past all these live segments along
    the way as though they're commercials and just focus on the episode.

    The rCLSurvivorrCY finale airs on CBS on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET. This interview has been edited and condensed.

    Source: https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/jeff-probst-survivor-live-reunion-themed-seasons-returning-players-1236747767/


    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Brian Smith@dcg_brian@hotmail.com to alt.tv.survivor on Wed May 20 01:44:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.tv.survivor

    On 5/19/2026 11:38 PM, Rick wrote:
    On 5/19/2026 10:23 PM, Brian Smith wrote:
    There's a ton of info in this article including no returning players
    in S51 or S52.
    ________________________________________________________________________

    I'll say!-a There are some other interesting bits of tid as well...


    rCySurvivorrCO Boss Jeff Probst May Bring Back Celebs, Returning Players
    and Themed Seasons rCo But This Could Be the Last Live Finale

    Emily Longeretta

    Tue, May 19, 2026 at 1:44 PM MDT

    rCLSurvivorrCY 50 is a milestone season for CBS and for Jeff Probst rCo and >> may just be the start of something new. On May 20, the show will air
    its finale, which will be live in front of an audience for the first
    time since 2019rCOs rCLEdge of Extinction.rCY

    The live finale was one of the many game elements fans voted for
    during rCLIn the Hands of the Fans.rCY Another fan vote is currently
    underway, as viewers can choose their favorite player, to be announced
    during the live show; Sia will award the player with the most votes
    with a $100,000 prize.

    But the season also introduced many new elements rCo some that could
    stay around and others that wonrCOt. Below, Probst hints at what the
    future of rCLSurvivorrCY looks like.

    Has Season 50 birthed a new era?

    Yes. The idea was, can this launch us into our next thing? And I think
    it did. We said to the players before the game started, rCLEither you
    can launch us into the next phase of the game, or werCOll do it without
    you,rCY which was just me being the coach in the locker room, trying to
    encourage them. And I think they did, and how they did that was by
    showing up and embracing uncertainty.

    Will you bring in more celebrities in the future?

    It depends on the situation. I have somebody very well known whorCOs
    already reached out and said, rCLNow that IrCOve seen what yourCOve done, if
    you could ever use me, IrCOd like to come out and be a part of the show.rCY

    I presume this isn't Tyler Perry or Sia or any of the other celebs Jeff
    has had on over the years.-a I really don't have a clue who this could be.

    Me either. Whoever it is I hope they don't want to fly out to Fiji to
    perform for the players.

    The thing with Zac Brown is that he loves rCLSurvivor.rCY HerCOs never
    missed an episode. He said, rCLIrCOd like to be a part of your show.rCY IrCOm
    the producer who says, rCLIrCOm open to all ideas. LetrCOs try it.rCY Same >> with Jimmy Fallon. Same with MrBeast. These are all people who said,
    rCLIrCOd like to be a part of it.rCY I was over the moon excited to have
    them be a part of it. So, yeah, in the right situation.


    You'll notice that he pointedly didn't mention Billie Eilish in that sequence...

    I noticed!

    Are you keeping the boomerang idol in the game now?

    ItrCOs in our arsenal; it could come out. Anything werCOve ever done,
    pretty much, is in our bag. Some people may think, rCLTheyrCOll never
    bring this idea backrCY rCo I donrCOt know. DonrCOt be so sure about that, >> because the fact that somebody thinks we might not bring something
    back is all the more reason to bring it back immediately. I look at
    everything as IP. This is all part of the show. And you never know.


    By that logic, is he going to bring back the Medallion of Power or
    whatever it was?-a Or better yet, how about the conch shell you had to
    hold back in season one before you could speak at TC?-a IP indeed.-a In
    this case, the I stands for "Idiotic".

    There's a lot of dumb ideas that need to shelved forever. The Idol
    Nullifier needs to b near the top of the list.

    Does that mean you could bring back themes?

    Yes, I think, in the future. We decided, for the new era, werCOre going
    to number the seasons, and werCOre going to stick with numbering the
    seasons. But moving forward, I donrCOt feel that we need to be locked
    into not doing a theme in the same way that I donrCOt think we have to
    do themes from now on. If, during casting, we discover a rCLDavid vs.
    GoliathrCY theme, itrCOs very likely werCOll do it, then the next could just
    be the number. The inconsistency is also another thing that werCOre
    embracing. LetrCOs just do whatrCOs best for the show and not worry about >> the overall symmetry. So all things are on the table moving forward.


    Wow, what a line.-a "The inconsistency is also another thing that we're embracing."-a Seriously, Jeff?

    Ties in with his randomness obsession. His answer does show that my wish
    for seasons such as Blood vs. Water New Era edition is definitely possible.

    Does the same go for bringing back returning players?

    ThererCOs nothing on the horizon, but theyrCOre very fun to do rCo for us as
    well. And now we have enough players, we might be able to pull off
    something that includes returning players sooner than the period of
    time we had since the last one. But I donrCOt know. We know what werCOre
    doing
    for 51 and 52. ThatrCOs it.


    Does that suggest no returning players for 52?-a Hope so...

    100% that's what it suggests.

    I have a random question: What happened to the mirror that used to be
    on the island for the players to see themselves toward the end?

    HererCOs a criticism I listened to! A few players told me that it was
    really emotionally disturbing to see what they looked like while they
    were still in the game, and I took that to heart. They were saying,
    rCLItrCOs hard for me now, because now I have self-awareness.rCY Literally, >> the idea of a mirror, of reflection, is not good, because now itrCOs a
    visual of looking tired rCo yourCOve lost weight, your face is dirty rCo
    versus the mirror you may have inside of being a warrior whorCOs been
    through a gallant battle. The first person who ever said it, I was
    like, rCLDone. I would not want that either. IrCOd never thought about it. >> IrCOve never been in this position. Thank you very much.rCY


    This again sounds almost like parody.-a Players don't want to look into
    the mirror because it's "really emotionally disturbing"?-a Seriously? Can you imagine any old-time player saying this?-a How about just don't look into the mirror if you don't want to see yourself.

    But how could you not look into the mirror?

    You mentioned before that you see the show continuing whenever it is
    you leave rCo hopefully many years into the future. Do you feel like it
    should be a former player?

    It probably, ultimately, wonrCOt be my decision, but it could be a
    player. I donrCOt think there are any qualifications. HererCOs the only
    thing I ever say anytime an executive has asked me about hosts and how
    to hire them: If you hire based on a look or social media following,
    yourCOre picking the wrong attributes. What you really want is a
    producer who is capable of presenting in front of the camera. You
    donrCOt want a host. The host has this idea of a long, skinny mic and a
    cool suit and a snappy batter. ThatrCOs not rCLSurvivor.rCY rCLSurvivorrCY is an
    in-the-moment show, and the reason IrCOm so grateful to be showrunner is
    not because that makes me the boss. ItrCOs because I donrCOt have to ask
    permission to do anything I want as the host.

    I donrCOt want to leave rCLSurvivor,rCY but if I forecast into the future, I
    get really excited thinking about someone else taking over to see what
    they would do with it. Then I become the fan, going, rCLOh, my gosh!
    They tried that. I never thought of that.rCY


    I think I've said before that maybe the only ex-players I can see
    hosting the show might be Rick Devens.-a Rob Cesternino would also be an interesting choice, but I think he might be too analytical and a bit too low-key to do that "that's they way you do it on Survivor" stuff during challenges.-a I used to think Phil Keoghan was the likely next host if
    Jeff were to step down, but I think that ship has long ago sailed and
    Phil is now too associated with TAR.

    TAR is still going and it would feel super weird to have Phil come over
    and host Survivor. I'd prefer Cesternino over Devens any day. Devens is
    too over the top for my liking. If CBS chooses to go with a player it'll
    be Boston Rob.

    I don't think the show would survive without Jeff. It's highly unlikely
    a new host would also be the showrunner. Even though Jeff has made some questionable moves as showrunner, I'd say the show operates pretty
    smoothly with him in charge and as the host.

    How did it feel leaving Fiji with the votes this time?

    That was fun. It was crazy because thatrCOs all we ever did, and we
    stopped. Then to walk out and say, rCLIrCOll see you back in Los Angeles
    for the reading of the live votesrCY was exhilarating. IrCOm still
    exhilarated now. IrCOm excited to do it.

    Well there's your confirmation that votes will be read live, not back on
    the island as some were speculating.-a Technically, that means that if
    there really was insider spoilers about the results, they probably only spoiled who the final three were, since only Jeff and a few other
    producers and camera people would know the vote results.

    The votes being read live doesn't surprise me. The Aubry spoiler is what
    makes me think that Tiff and Rizo go out at F5 and F4, respectively. Otherwise, it makes no sense why so many people would think she won.
    Rizo played a great game in S49. I would say his game was a lot stronger
    than Aubry's S32 performance.

    ItrCOs a lot of work to put on a live finale in between shooting two
    seasons and hosting the season thatrCOs currently on rCo it adds a ton of >> work. IrCOm super pumped. The whole team is back from our live show, and
    werCOve got a big stage and as many seats. That was the number one goal:
    letrCOs make the stage beautiful and ornate, and then letrCOs clear as
    much space as possible to get as many seats as possible.

    So, will you keep doing a live finale going forward?

    The thing that players donrCOt like to hear is that when theyrCOre in the >> jungle, right after the show ends, thatrCOs the most honest they are.
    They may not really know that or feel that, but theyrCOre honest, and
    theyrCOve not been persecuted by social media. Every single player gets
    annihilated for things they donrCOt deserve rCo mostly from people who
    mean well, but theyrCOll never play, so theyrCOll never understand how out >> of touch comments like that are and how much they hurt. So you get
    players when theyrCOre pure and theyrCOre unaffected by the impact of
    social media in Fiji. When you do a live finale, all you get is
    defense. The live finale becomes people defending, and for me, from a
    storytelling standpoint, I never find it as interesting. So I get the
    pomp and circumstances, itrCOs super fun, but I think werCOre going to
    change the format for the finale rCo make it more of a three-hour event,
    rather than a two-and-a-half-hour finale and a 30-minute reunion show.


    It is obvious the live finale was one of those decisions by the fans
    Jeff really didn't like.-a I knew that would be one and done.-a The other decision might be to get rid of F4 fire making, if that's what the fans decided on.-a We all know Jeff loves the fire challenge.

    I don't like the live finale either. I kind of hope they kept fire for
    F4. It's usually pretty exciting and by now everyone should know that
    they need to practice at home before flying out to Fiji.

    We want to celebrate as we go. When you sit down and just rehash, itrCOs
    never satisfying. This year, the way werCOre doing it, IrCOm pretty
    excited about it. We reimagined how we were going to do it, and it
    feels very fresh, big and equally fun. When we sat down initially, the
    first thing I suggested was, what if we donrCOt do a reunion show and
    instead, we take that time and sprinkle it in throughout the final
    episode? I think itrCOs gonna be more fun and exciting to take pauses
    along the way. It feels like a reinvention that feels right for where
    we are now, and itrCOs more inclusive of everybody. Our finales are so
    packed that we donrCOt really have enough time. The idea this time is:
    LetrCOs take the entire three hours, do it as one event. And then when
    it ends, it feels complete.


    I'm pretty sure many fans will skip past all these live segments along
    the way as though they're commercials and just focus on the episode.

    I agree. I hope this structure doesn't take away from the actual episode.

    Do you think Sia and MrBeast will be there to handout money? I'll be
    truly shocked if Cirie doesn't get the $100K from Sia. And let's not
    forget Mike White ...
    --
    Brian
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Rick@Rick@nospam.net to alt.tv.survivor on Wed May 20 21:45:57 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.tv.survivor

    On 5/20/2026 3:44 AM, Brian Smith wrote:
    On 5/19/2026 11:38 PM, Rick wrote:
    On 5/19/2026 10:23 PM, Brian Smith wrote:
    There's a ton of info in this article including no returning players
    in S51 or S52.
    ________________________________________________________________________

    I'll say!-a There are some other interesting bits of tid as well...


    rCySurvivorrCO Boss Jeff Probst May Bring Back Celebs, Returning Players >>> and Themed Seasons rCo But This Could Be the Last Live Finale

    Emily Longeretta

    Tue, May 19, 2026 at 1:44 PM MDT

    rCLSurvivorrCY 50 is a milestone season for CBS and for Jeff Probst rCo and
    may just be the start of something new. On May 20, the show will air
    its finale, which will be live in front of an audience for the first
    time since 2019rCOs rCLEdge of Extinction.rCY

    The live finale was one of the many game elements fans voted for
    during rCLIn the Hands of the Fans.rCY Another fan vote is currently
    underway, as viewers can choose their favorite player, to be
    announced during the live show; Sia will award the player with the
    most votes with a $100,000 prize.

    But the season also introduced many new elements rCo some that could
    stay around and others that wonrCOt. Below, Probst hints at what the
    future of rCLSurvivorrCY looks like.

    Has Season 50 birthed a new era?

    Yes. The idea was, can this launch us into our next thing? And I
    think it did. We said to the players before the game started, rCLEither >>> you can launch us into the next phase of the game, or werCOll do it
    without you,rCY which was just me being the coach in the locker room,
    trying to encourage them. And I think they did, and how they did that
    was by showing up and embracing uncertainty.

    Will you bring in more celebrities in the future?

    It depends on the situation. I have somebody very well known whorCOs
    already reached out and said, rCLNow that IrCOve seen what yourCOve done, >>> if you could ever use me, IrCOd like to come out and be a part of the
    show.rCY

    I presume this isn't Tyler Perry or Sia or any of the other celebs
    Jeff has had on over the years.-a I really don't have a clue who this
    could be.

    Me either. Whoever it is I hope they don't want to fly out to Fiji to perform for the players.

    The thing with Zac Brown is that he loves rCLSurvivor.rCY HerCOs never
    missed an episode. He said, rCLIrCOd like to be a part of your show.rCY IrCOm
    the producer who says, rCLIrCOm open to all ideas. LetrCOs try it.rCY Same >>> with Jimmy Fallon. Same with MrBeast. These are all people who said,
    rCLIrCOd like to be a part of it.rCY I was over the moon excited to have >>> them be a part of it. So, yeah, in the right situation.


    You'll notice that he pointedly didn't mention Billie Eilish in that
    sequence...

    I noticed!

    Are you keeping the boomerang idol in the game now?

    ItrCOs in our arsenal; it could come out. Anything werCOve ever done,
    pretty much, is in our bag. Some people may think, rCLTheyrCOll never
    bring this idea backrCY rCo I donrCOt know. DonrCOt be so sure about that, >>> because the fact that somebody thinks we might not bring something
    back is all the more reason to bring it back immediately. I look at
    everything as IP. This is all part of the show. And you never know.


    By that logic, is he going to bring back the Medallion of Power or
    whatever it was?-a Or better yet, how about the conch shell you had to
    hold back in season one before you could speak at TC?-a IP indeed.-a In
    this case, the I stands for "Idiotic".

    There's a lot of dumb ideas that need to shelved forever. The Idol
    Nullifier needs to b near the top of the list.

    Does that mean you could bring back themes?

    Yes, I think, in the future. We decided, for the new era, werCOre going >>> to number the seasons, and werCOre going to stick with numbering the
    seasons. But moving forward, I donrCOt feel that we need to be locked
    into not doing a theme in the same way that I donrCOt think we have to
    do themes from now on. If, during casting, we discover a rCLDavid vs.
    GoliathrCY theme, itrCOs very likely werCOll do it, then the next could >>> just be the number. The inconsistency is also another thing that
    werCOre embracing. LetrCOs just do whatrCOs best for the show and not worry
    about the overall symmetry. So all things are on the table moving
    forward.


    Wow, what a line.-a "The inconsistency is also another thing that we're
    embracing."-a Seriously, Jeff?

    Ties in with his randomness obsession. His answer does show that my wish
    for seasons such as Blood vs. Water New Era edition is definitely possible.

    Does the same go for bringing back returning players?

    ThererCOs nothing on the horizon, but theyrCOre very fun to do rCo for us >>> as well. And now we have enough players, we might be able to pull off
    something that includes returning players sooner than the period of
    time we had since the last one. But I donrCOt know. We know what werCOre >>> doing
    for 51 and 52. ThatrCOs it.


    Does that suggest no returning players for 52?-a Hope so...

    100% that's what it suggests.

    I have a random question: What happened to the mirror that used to be
    on the island for the players to see themselves toward the end?

    HererCOs a criticism I listened to! A few players told me that it was
    really emotionally disturbing to see what they looked like while they
    were still in the game, and I took that to heart. They were saying,
    rCLItrCOs hard for me now, because now I have self-awareness.rCY Literally,
    the idea of a mirror, of reflection, is not good, because now itrCOs a
    visual of looking tired rCo yourCOve lost weight, your face is dirty rCo >>> versus the mirror you may have inside of being a warrior whorCOs been
    through a gallant battle. The first person who ever said it, I was
    like, rCLDone. I would not want that either. IrCOd never thought about
    it. IrCOve never been in this position. Thank you very much.rCY


    This again sounds almost like parody.-a Players don't want to look into
    the mirror because it's "really emotionally disturbing"?-a Seriously?
    Can you imagine any old-time player saying this?-a How about just don't
    look into the mirror if you don't want to see yourself.

    But how could you not look into the mirror?

    You mentioned before that you see the show continuing whenever it is
    you leave rCo hopefully many years into the future. Do you feel like it >>> should be a former player?

    It probably, ultimately, wonrCOt be my decision, but it could be a
    player. I donrCOt think there are any qualifications. HererCOs the only >>> thing I ever say anytime an executive has asked me about hosts and
    how to hire them: If you hire based on a look or social media
    following, yourCOre picking the wrong attributes. What you really want
    is a producer who is capable of presenting in front of the camera.
    You donrCOt want a host. The host has this idea of a long, skinny mic
    and a cool suit and a snappy batter. ThatrCOs not rCLSurvivor.rCY
    rCLSurvivorrCY is an in-the-moment show, and the reason IrCOm so grateful >>> to be showrunner is not because that makes me the boss. ItrCOs because
    I donrCOt have to ask permission to do anything I want as the host.

    I donrCOt want to leave rCLSurvivor,rCY but if I forecast into the future, >>> I get really excited thinking about someone else taking over to see
    what they would do with it. Then I become the fan, going, rCLOh, my
    gosh! They tried that. I never thought of that.rCY


    I think I've said before that maybe the only ex-players I can see
    hosting the show might be Rick Devens.-a Rob Cesternino would also be
    an interesting choice, but I think he might be too analytical and a
    bit too low-key to do that "that's they way you do it on Survivor"
    stuff during challenges.-a I used to think Phil Keoghan was the likely
    next host if Jeff were to step down, but I think that ship has long
    ago sailed and Phil is now too associated with TAR.

    TAR is still going and it would feel super weird to have Phil come over
    and host Survivor. I'd prefer Cesternino over Devens any day. Devens is
    too over the top for my liking. If CBS chooses to go with a player it'll
    be Boston Rob.


    I don't think they would choose Boston Rob because he really has limited experience in hosting a TV show, and I just don't think he is that
    articulate or can think on his feet the way a TV host needs to. Leading
    a network TV show is much harder than a lot of people think, and I just
    don't think he has the right training or experience. He is also
    somewhat divisive and a lot fans don't like him. Yes, I know Jeff does
    - but it won't be Jeff's decision at that point, and I think CBS would
    require someone with solid hosting experience. Remember, Jeff himself
    was an experienced TV host before doing Survivor.

    I know there are also some fans that don't like Devens, but he at least
    has professional hosting experience which is critical for a job like
    this, and I think he could do a credible job with the technical aspects
    of the role.. I agree he is a bit over-the-top at times (frankly, so is
    Jeff, though in a different way), but I think he could reign that in if needed, and I think he could provide a fresh perspective over what Jeff
    gives us.

    Regarding Phil Keoghan, way back when Jeff first threatened to leave the hosting job in the early 2000s, it was widely assumed that Phil would
    take the job as he was considered second in line among CBS reality
    hosts. Back then the prevailing theory was that Allen Wu, who hosted
    the much underrated and now largely forgotten Amazing Race Asia, would
    Take his place on TAR.

    Side note - Amazing Race Asia was an English-language version of the
    race with all-Asian contestants, but everyone was required to speak
    English which made it quite accessible to American audiences who managed
    to find the episodes. What I most remember about the show is that it
    featured the first all-female winning team on any version of the
    franchise, long before Nat and Kat accomplished that milestone on US TAR.

    I don't think the show would survive without Jeff. It's highly unlikely
    a new host would also be the showrunner. Even though Jeff has made some questionable moves as showrunner, I'd say the show operates pretty
    smoothly with him in charge and as the host.

    How did it feel leaving Fiji with the votes this time?

    That was fun. It was crazy because thatrCOs all we ever did, and we
    stopped. Then to walk out and say, rCLIrCOll see you back in Los Angeles >>> for the reading of the live votesrCY was exhilarating. IrCOm still
    exhilarated now. IrCOm excited to do it.

    Well there's your confirmation that votes will be read live, not back
    on the island as some were speculating.-a Technically, that means that
    if there really was insider spoilers about the results, they probably
    only spoiled who the final three were, since only Jeff and a few other
    producers and camera people would know the vote results.

    The votes being read live doesn't surprise me. The Aubry spoiler is what makes me think that Tiff and Rizo go out at F5 and F4, respectively. Otherwise, it makes no sense why so many people would think she won.
    Rizo played a great game in S49. I would say his game was a lot stronger than Aubry's S32 performance.

    ItrCOs a lot of work to put on a live finale in between shooting two
    seasons and hosting the season thatrCOs currently on rCo it adds a ton of >>> work. IrCOm super pumped. The whole team is back from our live show,
    and werCOve got a big stage and as many seats. That was the number one
    goal: letrCOs make the stage beautiful and ornate, and then letrCOs clear >>> as much space as possible to get as many seats as possible.

    So, will you keep doing a live finale going forward?

    The thing that players donrCOt like to hear is that when theyrCOre in the >>> jungle, right after the show ends, thatrCOs the most honest they are.
    They may not really know that or feel that, but theyrCOre honest, and
    theyrCOve not been persecuted by social media. Every single player gets >>> annihilated for things they donrCOt deserve rCo mostly from people who
    mean well, but theyrCOll never play, so theyrCOll never understand how
    out of touch comments like that are and how much they hurt. So you
    get players when theyrCOre pure and theyrCOre unaffected by the impact of >>> social media in Fiji. When you do a live finale, all you get is
    defense. The live finale becomes people defending, and for me, from a
    storytelling standpoint, I never find it as interesting. So I get the
    pomp and circumstances, itrCOs super fun, but I think werCOre going to
    change the format for the finale rCo make it more of a three-hour
    event, rather than a two-and-a-half-hour finale and a 30-minute
    reunion show.


    It is obvious the live finale was one of those decisions by the fans
    Jeff really didn't like.-a I knew that would be one and done.-a The
    other decision might be to get rid of F4 fire making, if that's what
    the fans decided on.-a We all know Jeff loves the fire challenge.

    I don't like the live finale either. I kind of hope they kept fire for
    F4. It's usually pretty exciting and by now everyone should know that
    they need to practice at home before flying out to Fiji.

    We want to celebrate as we go. When you sit down and just rehash,
    itrCOs never satisfying. This year, the way werCOre doing it, IrCOm pretty >>> excited about it. We reimagined how we were going to do it, and it
    feels very fresh, big and equally fun. When we sat down initially,
    the first thing I suggested was, what if we donrCOt do a reunion show
    and instead, we take that time and sprinkle it in throughout the
    final episode? I think itrCOs gonna be more fun and exciting to take
    pauses along the way. It feels like a reinvention that feels right
    for where we are now, and itrCOs more inclusive of everybody. Our
    finales are so packed that we donrCOt really have enough time. The idea >>> this time is: LetrCOs take the entire three hours, do it as one event.
    And then when it ends, it feels complete.


    I'm pretty sure many fans will skip past all these live segments along
    the way as though they're commercials and just focus on the episode.

    I agree. I hope this structure doesn't take away from the actual episode.

    Do you think Sia and MrBeast will be there to handout money? I'll be
    truly shocked if Cirie doesn't get the $100K from Sia. And let's not
    forget Mike White ...


    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2