Jeff Probst has served as host and executive producer of “Survivor” since the reality survival competition series made its CBS debut in 2000. In the 25 years since, the series has celebrated as many as 73 Primetime Emmy Awards nominations, with Probst himself pocketing four consecutive Emmy wins for Outstanding Reality Host from 2008 to 2011.
By 2012, however, “Survivor” seemingly hit a slump when it came to awards consideration, staying off the Television Academy’s radar until 2023, when the series was nominated once again for Outstanding Reality Competition Program. “Survivor’s” resurgence in the awards space continued into 2024, where Probst received his first Outstanding Host nomination in over a decade.
When the nominations for the 2025 Emmy Awards were announced in July, it seemed that “Survivor” was officially back on the Academy’s radar, with the competition series pocketing a total of four nominations in the Reality TV category, including noms for Outstanding Cinematography, Outstanding Host, Outstanding Casting and Outstanding Reality Competition Program.
While Probst previously responded to the announcement on Instagram, the longtime host opened up further about the show’s “resurgence” in awards considerations in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter.
Jeff Probst Reveals What Sets Him Apart From Other Competition Series Hosts
“The early years of ‘Survivor’ were such a whirlwind,” Probst, now 63, told THR on August 6. “‘Survivor’ was new, and the genre was new. I think there was a lot of excitement around what we were all trying to figure out. Over time, the genre evolved, and now there are all these really fun, wildly entertaining shows that are all spectacle and theatrical and performative…it’s just a much more expanded category.”
When the Emmys originally introduced their Outstanding Reality Competition Program category in 2003, “Survivor” was nominated alongside series like “The Amazing Race” and “American Idol.” With Probst at the helm, “Survivor” was able to dominate the category until 2011.
In the mid 2010s, series like “Project Runway,” “Top Chef,” “The Voice” and “The Amazing Race” pushed “Survivor” out of Emmys consideration until “RuPaul’s Drag Race” entered the scene in 2018. Helmed by “Queen of Drag” RuPaul, the high-drama, high-production competition series dominated the Emmys’ Reality category for eight years, resulting in RuPaul becoming the most-awarded person of color in Emmys history.
“Survivor’s” return to awards consideration was further delayed as Peacock’s murder-mystery competition series “The Traitors,” hosted by actor Alan Cumming, entered the scene in 2023. Once again known for its production value, “The Traitors” usurped RuPaul’s eight-year winning-streak in 2024.
Getty“Survivor” is now set to face off against both “Drag Race” and “The Traitors” (as well as “The Amazing Race” and “Top Chef”) for the Outstanding Reality Competition Program award at this September’s 77th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. Probst will similarly go head-to-head with RuPaul, Alan Cumming, and “Top Chef” host Kristen Kish in this year’s Outstanding Host category.
As Probst prepares for the momentous occasion, he told THR that what separates him from other hosts, namely Cumming and RuPaul, is that he’s “not putting on an alter ego.”
While Probst has been open about his friendly rivalry with the other competition series hosts in the past, he argues that Cumming and RuPaul “take on a more performative role” for their respective shows.
“It’s not their true selves,” said Probst, referring to Cumming’s “dandy Scottish laird” persona on “The Traitors” and RuPaul’s extravagant drag transformation on “Drag Race.” Alternatively, Probst said that the man viewers see on each and every episode of “Survivor” is his authentic self.
“That’s me,” he said. “The vulnerability is that I’m exposed and vulnerable in the same way that the players are because I don’t do do-overs. If I did something and I said it, that’s what’s in the show.”
Probst Celebrates ‘Survivor’s’ Authenticity and Vulnerability
Providing an example from the recently-wrapped “Survivor 48,” Probst recalled the moment when he was brought to tears for the first time in series history when castaway Eva Erickson opened up about being the first openly autistic person to play the game. After Eva got overwhelmed during a particularly difficult challenge, her ally, Joe Hunter, crossed tribal lines to comfort his friend.
CBS/Getty“When a moment like the one with Eva and Joe presents itself, you know you’re mature as a storyteller and a human when you know to stay out of the way,” Probst said. “I’m there to serve the story, and if that means I need to be involved, then I get involved. And if that means I need to disappear, then I’m the first out of the way.”
At the end of the day, whether “Survivor” succeeds at this year’s Emmy Awards or not, Probst doubled-down on his commitment to keeping the series as authentic as possible moving forward.
“If you think about what ‘Survivor’ really looks at, we ask one simple question: ‘Who are we when we’re stripped of everything?’” he said. “It’s that authenticity. It may not always be the most flashy show, but it’s a consistent study of human behavior, and [‘Survivor’s’ success] really is just that simple. It’s the format.”
Jeff Probst will return to host “Survivor 49” this September and “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” next year. He has similarly announced that casting for Seasons 51 and 52 is currently underway and that production on the forthcoming seasons will begin filming in Fiji next Spring.
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Jeff Probst Reflects on ‘Survivor’s’ Resurgence After 2025 Emmy Nominations