Survivor 50 may be getting all of the attention right now, but we can’t forget that Survivor 49 is just a few months away. With a new season comes a new co-host for On Fire with Jeff Probst, meaning we must officially say goodbye to Rachel LaMont as the co-host for Survivor 48. Naturally, as Rachel makes her exit we can’t help but anticipate who the interim co-host for 49 will be.
Should CBS follow the same pattern as they have in previous iterations, we can expect the new co–host to be a Survivor 48 alum, likely someone who made the jury, and is able to explain complex strategy in an easily digestible way. While history would indicate that being on Survivor 50 does not make a player ineligible for the role, we will be forgoing Kyle Fraser, Kamilla Karthigesu, and Joe Hunter for the time being (although they’d all be excellent choices).
With that, here are the 4 Survivor 48 players we want to host On Fire with Jeff Probst for Survivor 49:
Cedrek McFadden
This may be a long shot, but I actually think Cedrek McFadden would be a fantastic choice for the next co-host. His social media throughout Survivor 48 displayed a rational, well-thought-out demeanor that would make for a great perspective to listen to during 49. He took the role as Mayor of Ponderosa very seriously, making it a point to make the ousted players comfortable and at home during their lowest moments.
You could also argue that Cedrek and his tribemate, Sai Hughley, endured the most during the premerge (arguably the most entertaining part of the season), having to attend all but one of the tribal councils prior to mergatory. Cedrek also had the unique distinction of never having his name written down at any point during the premerge, and was often the deciding factor in how the votes would go. That insight could prove to be invaluable as we are watching the new season, and personally, I would like to see it.
Star Toomey
Star didn’t get the edit she deserved on Survivor 48, but what we did get to see of her was fantastic. Her infectious personality lit up every scene she was in, something that made her stand apart from her fellow competitors. Even when it was clear that Star was at the bottom of the Lagi tribe, she fought every step of the way to try to better her situation, even if it was just to get to the next day.
That fighting spirit proved to be one of the highlights for viewers once the merge hit. When the boot order was beginning to feel stale, it was the moments we got from Star that kept us watching. Her genuine kindness to players, regardless of her social standing with them, was a much-needed palate cleanser as the majority alliance was dominating everything else.
I’d also argue that Star could provide a different perspective from previous co-hosts. Previous co-hosts have played strategically dominant games throughout their seasons, while Star was never given that chance on Lagi. It could be a refreshing change of pace to hear from a player who had to fight every step of the way, and still have a smile on her face no matter what. Her enemies may be plottin’, but so are her fans. We’re plottin’ to get her hired as the co-host for the next season of On Fire!
Mary Zheng
Love her or hate her (I choose love), Mary would be an excellent podcast co-host. I’m not sure how likely her chances are, but her popularity during the premerge and in her boot episode speaks volumes to the type of player she is. Mary is a scrappy player, one who often had to navigate near-impossible scenarios and still lived to see another day on the island. At times, she was polarizing, but she was always willing to make a move.
Mary is the type of player we all wish we could be when faced with the most difficult circumstances. Even if she didn’t always handle the social elements of the game with the most tact, she was always willing to stir up the drama, especially when her game was on the line. That kind of innovation is exactly the type of skillset future Survivor players need to hone in on, and who better to hear this advice from than Mary herself? Survivor fans could only be so lucky to be rewarded with such a host.
While I do think Mary should be in consideration for the position, she is not who I think is the most likely candidate to be hired. That spot is reserved for my final choice in this list…
Shauhin Davari
Truth be told, I think Shauhin is the most likely candidate of the 48 contestants to be the next co-host, including the players that are on Survivor 50. Of course, his career as a debate professor has likely made him the most qualified for this role, but I also think Shauhin checks a lot of the boxes that the show will be looking for. He made it far into the game, finishing just short of the finale by placing 6th. He was on the bottom of the pecking order on more than one occasion, but he also spent a good amount of time in a majority alliance of some kind during his tenure in Fiji.
Shauhin proved to be a powerful juror in his own right, as all of the finalists were worried about his reactions going into the Final Tribal Council. It would end up being the truth behind his elimination that inevitably cemented the win for Kyle Fraser. We cannot ignore the fact that the rotating co-host has alternated genders for each season. Should this pattern continue, we can expect to see a man to be the one taking over for Rachel LaMont, and Shauhin is the best one for the job.
With the Survivor 50 cast being recently announced, we likely will not hear about the identity of the new co-host until we get closer to the 49 premiere. Until then, we get to enjoy a summer of off-season Survivor content in preparation.