Jeff Probst Shares How Long He Plans to Stay on "Survivor" — and the Qualities He Wants in the Next Host (Exclusive) Lizzie HymanWed, February 25, 2026 at 9:25 PM UTC 0 Jeff Probst, Nov. 6Credit: Robert Voets/CBS via Getty While Jeff Probst plans to remain the host of Survivor for as long as possible, he knows that one day it will be time to step away The longtime host tells PEOPLE that when a new person eventually takes over, he hopes they'll be "somebody who's endlessly curious and fearless" Survivor season 50 premieres on Feb.
Jeff Probst Shares How Long He Plans to Stay on "Survivor" — and the Qualities He Wants in the Next Host (Exclusive)
Lizzie HymanWed, February 25, 2026 at 9:25 PM UTC
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Jeff Probst, Nov. 6Credit: Robert Voets/CBS via Getty -
While Jeff Probst plans to remain the host of Survivor for as long as possible, he knows that one day it will be time to step away
The longtime host tells PEOPLE that when a new person eventually takes over, he hopes they'll be "somebody who's endlessly curious and fearless"
Survivor season 50 premieres on Feb. 25
With 50 seasons of Survivor under his belt, Jeff Probst is thinking about the future.
The longtime host of the hit reality series, 64, says he loves the show "more today than [he] did on day one," and believes it could continue indefinitely. "I was so excited from the minute I got the job, but now I'm seeing it with more perspective — 25 years' worth," Probst tells PEOPLE.
"It's a very simple format. A group is abandoned and must rely on each other while conspiring against each other. That's the basic setup," he explains. "But inside that little tiny box, there's a universe of possibilities — trillions of galaxies inside that box. So I think the format is indestructible."
Survivor Season 50Credit: Robert Voets/CBS
Like the show itself, Probst hopes to remain the host for as long as possible.
"Hopefully, either I will know, or somebody I love will tell me, 'It's time for you to go. You've done what you can do, and we need some new ideas,' " he says of eventually stepping away. "I'm sure there are lots of fans going, 'Dude, that happened a decade ago. Why are you still here?' "
Still, he knows the day will inevitably come when he hands over the torch, and that a new host will bring a new lens to the long-running series. "Imagine a new host and a new showrunner, and now you've got a different perspective," he says.
"Bring somebody who's an immigrant, who's young and who's female and have them host Survivor. What do you get? You get a different show. Bring a Gen Xer who's a white, privileged kid. You get a different show. Every point of view is different."
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Jeff Probst on Survivor: Winners at WarCredit: Robert Voets/CBS
Whoever takes over, Probst says, two qualities are essential: curiosity and fearlessness.
"The biggest mistake networks make when they hire a host for any show — but especially Survivor — is that they look at their hair color and how many Instagram followers they have. That's not what it's about," he says. "You've got to find somebody who's endlessly curious and fearless."
For Probst, fearlessness means being unafraid to make mistakes. "I am not afraid to make a mistake. I make them all the time. Every season I make lots of mistakes, but I don't let the fear get to me because that's where the point of view comes from," he says.
Survivor Season 50Credit: Gail Schulman/CBS
That mindset also means trusting your instincts. "If you're curious and you have this gnawing instinct to say, 'I'm gonna ask them, why orange shoes?' you might discover nothing," Probst explains. "Or you might discover that orange connects them to the granddad who always wore orange shoes, and their reason for being out here is because of his passing."
"You've got to follow your gut," he adds. "It's so hard for people to do today because we criticize each other online all day, and then you second-guess your instincts. Screw that. You've got to have them."
Survivor season 50 premieres on Feb. 25 on CBS
on People
Source: "AOL Entertainment"
Source: Entertainment
Published: 2026-02-25T21:46:15Z on Source: PRIME TIME
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