Survivor host Jeff Probst scrambled to quell a backlash amongst viewers after he by chance spoiled a challenge result through the season 50 finale.
“I really like doing live television,” Probst, 64, joked as he tried to elucidate himself through the live finale on Wednesday, May 20.
Moments earlier, viewers watched Aubry Bracco win the ultimate immunity challenge after which save Joe Hunter, thereby sending Rizo Velovic and Jonathan Young into the fire-making challenge by default. (The long-lasting fire-making challenge was used to find out who would join Bracco, 40, and Hunter, 46, within the climactic Tribal Council.)
In one in every of the finale’s live segments, Probst called over Velovic, 26, to speak about how intimidating the fire-making challenge will be.
Jeff Probst during “Survivor” season 50 finale. Courtesy YouTube/CBS
Probst was throwing to a business break when he off-handedly referred to Velovic as “the ultimate member of our jury.” The host seemed confused and the audience fell silent, as Probst had mistakenly spoiled the results of the fire-making challenge before it aired.
“What just happened?” Probst asked.
“They haven’t seen the fireplace,” one contestant shouted, with Velovic clarifying, “Fire hasn’t happened yet.”
The audience began to groan as Probst admitted, “I’m not even sure what happened but up next, we’re going to have one final surprise for the players.”
Survivor fans were aghast that Probst had by chance spoiled probably the most anticipated challenges within the show’s history.
Jeff Probst addressed rumors that Survivor edited the celebrity cameos in season 50 following backlash from fans. “Absolutely, unequivocally false,” the longtime Survivor host, 64, said in an interview with Variety published on Wednesday, May 13. “We’re a month and a half ahead in episodes. We don’t edit week-to-week. We’ve modified nothing.” Earlier this season, […]
“50 seasons into Survivor, Jeff Probst just spoiled the results of the largest climax of the finale… live to tell the tale the air, through the finale,” one viewer wrote via X on Wednesday. “I can’t imagine we just witnessed that. What do you mean it’s live with NO DELAY.”
One other fan was equally as dissatisfied, writing, “Jeff spoiling his own show… oh grandpa it’s time for bed.”
“Jeff intentionally spoiling the end result on the live reunion in order that he’ll never need to do one other one ever again,” a 3rd viewer joked.
Once Survivor got here back from a business break, Probst tried to elucidate to viewers exactly what went mistaken.
“In case you’re confused, that is what happened,” he began. “We were going to point out you fire-making after which have the loser of fire-making, Rizo, come out and speak about if he had practiced fire-making perhaps he would’ve won. As a substitute, we did a Survivor twist, it’s the last twist of the season. We call it, ‘A peek into the longer term.’ So now, we’re going to observe Rizo lose in a fireplace to Jonathan.”
The error reignited speculation amongst fans via social media over whether it is perhaps time for Probst to retire as Survivor host after 50 seasons.
Jeff Probst in “Survivor” season 50. Courtesy YouTube/CBS
Speaking exclusively to Us Weekly ahead of the launch of season 50, Probst said that he hoped to stay involved with Survivor for a very long time to return.
“We stay contained in the tiny little box that’s the format of Survivor, but when you step inside that tiny little box, you realize the space is gigantic,” Probst explained. “You’ll be able to try all types of things. So, for example, for those who hired a unique kind of person to host, and then you definately brought in a unique kind of person to supply, and also you took their different points of view, it seems likely that the show would go in a totally different direction.”
He added, “I actually do think it goes on, and I hope that even when I’m not hosting, perhaps there’s a way I can, you already know, still be involved because I really like this show.”
While the fire-making challenge was spoiled, Survivor viewers were in a position to watch the ultimate Tribal Council play out as intended. Bracco won the $2 million grand prize and a brand-new Toyota Land Cruiser after defeating Young and Hunter in an 8-3-0 jury vote.
Survivor airs on CBS.