Rare Footage Gives a Glimpse of Jeff Probst Before ‘Survivor’ 

Fans will know Jeff Probst as the longtime Emmy-winning host of “Survivor.” Since the show’s debut in 2000, Probst had been the face of the survival competition series that has given birth to iconic reality stars like Rob “Boston Rob” Mariano, Cirie Fields and Parvati Shallow. 

Now 63, the host was just 38 when he booked the CBS gig that has since become his full-time career. But what was Probst getting up to before securing the coveted role? A resurfaced video from the 1990s gives fans a closer look at the man behind the “Survivor” Executive Producer

Probst Gives Car Care Maintenance Tips in Vintage Video

Jeff Probst was born in Wichita, Kansas in 1961 before he and his family, including his two younger brothers, moved to Washington state. After enrolling at Seattle Pacific University, Probst left his studies early to pursue a career in television, quickly landing a role at Boeing Motion Picture/Television studio as the producer and narrator of workplace training videos. 

One of those videos recently resurfaced, showing a young Probst as he talks viewers through a car care maintenance routine. Posted to YouTube by All Winners Survivor, the four-minute tutorial, provided by a local Seattle automotive company called Northwest Car Care, saw Probst instruct drivers on how to care for their car batteries. Check out the full vintage clip below!

A Closer Look at Jeff Probst’s TV Career

After starring in the Northwest Car Care video, Probst landed his first major role as the host of VH1’s “Rock & Roll Jeopardy!” in 1998, ahead of “Survivor’s” 2000 debut. Following the legendary success of “Survivor,” Probst made other small TV appearance throughout the naughties, including a stint as a contestant on “Celebrity Jeopardy!” and cameos in programs like “Mad TV” and “How I Met Your Mother.”

CBS/Getty

In 2012, Probst launched his self-named daytime talk show featuring guest stars like “Survivor: Philippines” star and “Facts of Life” actress Lisa Whelchel, though it was cancelled the following year. Since then, Probst has kept his television appearances – bar “Survivor” – to a minimum, offering sporadic cameos in shows like “Two and a Half Men”,”Family Guy” and “Saturday Night Live.”

This year, Probst celebrated his 25th consecutive year as the host of “Survivor.” With 48 seasons already under his belt, Probst’s “Survivor” journey has brought him across the world, from the jungles of the Amazon Rainforest to the wilds of the Australian Outback, though the show has filmed exclusively on Fiji’s Mamanuca Islands since Season 33. 

CBS/Getty

Probst will return to host “Survivor 49” on CBS this fall, as well as “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” in February 2026. The longtime host has similarly confirmed that the show will return for Season 51 and 52. Still as energetic and enthusiastic now as he was on the first day of “Survivor: Borneo” in 2000, it doesn’t seem like Probst has plans to leave the series anytime soon.