Jeff Probst has been part of Survivor since the very beginning, 48 seasons ago on the island of Borneo. He has moved up the ranks from host to executive producer since 2010. There have been plenty of opinions and decisions he has made that cause controversy, from new twists to favorite players and seasons to views on former castaways.
Over the years, it is rare for Jeff to apologize, backtrack, or change his mind once he has shared these thoughts, even if the majority of the fanbase pushes back on it. He stands by his beliefs and opinions, no matter if they are controversial. That is why his most recent interview with Gold Derby caught fans' attention: he spoke on one of his recent Survivor regrets, and appears to have completely changed his belief that he previously had strongly held.
Jeff Probst regrets stance on former castaways appearing on other shows
Many reality shows build their reputation on the backs of their cast members. For some, like Survivor, The Snake, and Big Brother, this means doing their own casting almost exclusively. For others, like The Traitors, House of Villains, and The Challenge, they take cast members who were on other reality shows almost exclusively. A few even do a hybrid mix of the two, like The Amazing Race, Destination X, and Got to Get Out.
Earlier in the year, Jeff had taken a hard stance about players who appeared on these other shows, sharing that he felt it was an insult for the players to, in essence, betray their loyalties. He even admitted that "he often gets a little territorial." However, he says he has a new opinion now.
Here's what he told Gold Derby:
"Initially, when I saw Survivor players showing up on other shows, I was pretty vocal. Now I have a different feeling."
He went so far as to express shame and embarrassment over his stance.
"I'm embarrassed that I was upset about it, because I have nothing to do with it. Jesse Tannenbaum runs our casting team, and he's a great leader... I see why other shows would want these people. They're fascinating, they're compelling, they're great storytellers."
He also made it clear that former players should be encouraged to debut for other shows, because it helps increase their reach and visibility, something his previous stance may have alienated former contestants from doing so.
He has also made it clear that any player who chooses to appear on another show is not excluded from future Survivor casting and seasons.
"Just because somebody goes and plays Traitors doesn't mean they can't come back and play Survivor."
This statement is evidenced by Survivor 50 casting, with Cirie Fields and Stephanie LaGrossa returning despite playing The Traitors. Hopefully, this stance continues into the future, given how many iconic players have appeared on The Traitors and The Challenge.
Part of appearing on reality television is the opportunities it affords you publicly. Players build a name and reputation for themselves, with droves of fans supporting them. Whether heroes or villains, these players are able to build, as Collider puts it, a "brand", one they can use for plenty of positive opportunities and growth. Jeff acknowledging this and giving players a chance to do this is big, not just for the players but for the visibility of Survivor, as well. Hopefully, there will be plenty more of this to come.