Jeff Probst confirmed that Survivor’s milestone 50th season will consist of returning players.
The decision came from Probst on Saturday, April 27, during a Survivor Q&A event held at the Ovation Hollywood complex in Los Angeles.
“I just got an idea,” the host and showrunner said at the end of the event, per Entertainment Weekly. “Survivor 50 is coming down the corner. The truth is, we really do focus on 47 and 48, that’s what we’re heading out to shoot next, and then we have to shoot 49. But we know 50 is coming, so I am curious, is there a feeling, should 50 be another season with new players and don’t make it a big deal?”
In response to this, the audience shouted out, “No!” Probst then asked, “Or should it be returning players?” which received a positive response.
“In the spirit of, sometimes letting the game be in the hands of the fans, I feel like — and there are a couple of people from CBS right now going, ‘Oh my God, what is happening?’ — I feel like we should just commit and make this the moment where we decide that Survivor 50 will be returning players,” Probst said. “I don’t know what is going to happen after this, but I’m pretty sure we’re committed.”
Probst then took to Instagram to announce the decision himself. “About 10 seconds ago, we just decided that thanks to all the fans that were in attendance at the FYC event here in Hollywood that Survivor 50 will be returning players,” Probst said in a video shared via Instagram on Saturday.
Survivor 50 is set to begin filming around Memorial Day 2025, 25 years after the show first premiered on CBS, and is expected to air spring 2026. The theme for the season has not yet been announced.
Probst’s decision comes after the showrunner and executive producer stated last month that the reality show would not bring back any returning players at least through season 48. (Survivor is currently airing its 46th season). The CBS series has not brought back any players for a second time since season 40, Survivor: Winners at War.
“Why would we want returning players?” Probst told Entertainment Weekly on February 16. “Not yet. Time is on our side. Let’s just keep going here. And that’s how I feel about seasons 47 and 48. We’re already meeting the people who are going to be playing months from now and we are jazzed about it.”
