‘Survivor’ Jeff Probst Reveals How He Barely Made Cut For Show
For many fans, host Jeff Probst is one of the integral parts of the Survivor franchise. However, as with most, he had to try out for his job. In fact, during a recent interview, Probst revealed that it seemed like a bad first impression might have cost him his famous job.
Jeff Probst Talked About His First Meeting With Mark Burnett
Jeff Probst has been part of the Survivor franchise since the series came out in 2000. Over the years, he has had some other hosting and presenting duties on other shows. This includes his own syndicated talk show, The Jeff Probst Show.
For many fans, Probst is an iconic part of the franchise. In fact, some attribute him to the franchise’s success. However, Probst recently talked about how he almost didn’t make the cut for the show.
Probst recently spoke with CBS Sunday Morning where he talked with correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti about the show. During the conversation, he revealed a surprising story about what it was like joining the series. Uploaded onto Instagram, the caption noted Probst was “was the final hire for” Survivor.
“I was literally the last person hired. I heard Mark [Burnett] talk about ‘Survivor’ on a radio interview, when I was driving on the 405. And he described the show.”
Burnett is a British television producer who has a long career in television. In addition to Survivor, other shows he’s known for creating or producing include The Apprentice, Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?, and Shark Tank.
“And from that moment to today, sitting here with you, I have not stopped thinking about ‘Survivor.’ I knew when I heard it. I told all my friends, ‘This is my show. This is what I’ve been waiting for.’ It’s not just a game show. It’s not the dating show. It’s this thing. It’s about us.”
Many Survivor Fans Felt That The Series Ultimately Made The Right Choice
However, Probst admits his initial first meeting with Burnett didn’t go as planned. “When I met with Mark, I gave him that pitch and he looked at me and said, ‘Oh, well, very nice to meet you.'”
As Probst noted, he initially thought he made a terrible first impression. As he shared, “And I was like, ‘What? Nice to meet me? I guess he doesn’t get me. And then months later, I got a call saying, you know, you’re in the running.”
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Of course, fans of the Survivor franchise already know how the story ends. Probst has served as a host on the show since 2000. He’s kept his gig on the show for around 25 years.
Taking to the comments, many fans shared their surprise that Probst almost lost out on his big break. Some comments included:
- “What a great choice they made! I can’t imagine anybody else as the host of Survivor. Jeff has heart,, and he’s genuine. He really loves the game. It’s obvious.”
- “There is no Survivor without Probst.”
- “Best hire they could have made. Jeff is the best and the show would not be the same without him!”
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