‘Survivor’: Jeff Probst Reveals Plan to Crack Down on Quitters, Fans React to Changes

Kelli Boyle
1 Comment
Jeff Probst in Tribal Council during 'Survivor' Season 45 Episode 8
Spoiler Alert
CBS

Two people have quit Survivor 45 so far. It’s still one of the best seasons of the new era even with those stunning exits, which says a lot about the changes made between the noteworthy Season 44 to now. Jeff Probst announced another rule change on Live with Kelly and Mark that makes the message clear: he hates when people quit Survivor. Who can blame him?

“Aw, quitters, man!” Probst said with a disappointed tone on the morning talk show on November 15. “Yes, two people quit. The truth is, over 45 seasons less than one percent quit … The one thing you can’t test for in all the psych testing is the real elements: the rain, the bamboo, the snakes, and all that.” Then he laid down the new law.

“I want to declare right here on your show that from this point forward, if you’re a Survivor player and you quit, your torch will not be snuffed,” he said. “That’s over. To get your torch snuffed, you gotta play the game.”

Survivor has been running for so long (23 years and counting), most people who end up on the show have been lifelong fans. That means that even being eliminated from the competition is an exciting moment, because they get to experience the iconic moment when Probst, the show’s sole host for all 45 seasons, snuffs out their torch and says, “The tribe has spoken.” Hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos understood that despite it meaning you’ve lost the game, the torch snuff is still “their moment.” And “you don’t get the moment if you quit, I think,” Probst replied. “I need to be a little harder on that.”

'Survivor' 45 Recap: Auction Returns With Twists, Reba Pulls Off Last-Minute Blindside
Related

'Survivor' 45 Recap: Auction Returns With Twists, Reba Pulls Off Last-Minute Blindside

It’s a reasonable rule. You’re supposed to “outwit, outplay, outlast” on this series, not bow out when you’ve had enough like Hannah, who quit in the Season 45 premiere’s first Tribal Council because she realized she didn’t actually want to experience the grueling conditions for another day, let alone the full 26. Probst was visibly angry when Sean quit in Episode 4. That time, Sean assumed he was on the outs and seemingly wanted to control his fate by asking for votes. He said he missed his husband and wanted to go home. While that was undoubtedly true (who wouldn’t miss the comforts of home on this show?), it was clear to viewers that the move was largely made out of pride.

In the new Survivor era where the competition is shorter, there have been a lot of changes introduced to spice the shorter game up (for years, the competition lasted 39 days, now it’s 26). Survivor Season 45 Episode 8, which aired on Wednesday, November 15 on CBS, brought back the beloved Survivor auction, but it, too, came with changes.

The auction gives players a break from the physical reward challenges and lets them bid money on goodies instead. This time around, food was the only thing up for auction, plus a one-time chance to brush your teeth. Idols, messages from home, and other advantages were often up for grabs in past iterations. Another twist to the auction in 45 was the players having to race to collect their cash. It used to be that players were provided lump sums of money.

This season continues to prove that Probst is done playing nice. The new quitting policy is one of the several ways he’s forcing players to make tougher, quicker decisions now. In Episode 8, he offered a rice negotiation ahead of the individual immunity challenge. If four players volunteered to sit out and sacrifice their chance at immunity, the whole tribe would get a massive bag of rice. They took too long to decide, so Probst whipped out a knife and stabbed a hole in the bottom of the bag to let the rice pour out like sand in an hourglass. That certainly lit a fire under the players’ asses!

Survivor Season 46 is already in the pipeline. As announced by CBS this week, Season 46 premieres February 28, 2024 and it will continue with the 90-minute episodes that have helped make Season 45 so great. Funny and compelling editing, like last night’s quick cuts between Kendra and Bruce and the flash-forward from Episode 7 that blew Probst’s mind (hear his reaction in the “Get a Grip” episode of the On Fire podcast), have also contributed to 45 being one of the best of the new era. But as always, what makes Survivor great is the cast.

Probst’s message to those players, both current and future, is clear: stop messing around. Survivor will outplay you! See fan reactions to his recent on-screen antics below, plus reactions to last night’s memorable episode.

Survivor, Wednesdays, 8/7c, CBS

Survivor - CBS

Survivor where to stream

Survivor

Jeff Probst

Most Popular Stories on TV Insider
Wheel of Fortune puzzle
1
‘Wheel of Fortune’ Contestant Dubbed ‘Best Ever’ Wins $67,000 After Instant Solve
Billy Gardell as Bob and Folake Olowofoyeku as Abishola in 'Bob Hearts Abishola' finale
2
‘Bob Hearts Abishola’ Series Finale Photos Are Here (Gulp)!
Nicholas Alexander Chavez in 'General Hospital'
3
‘GH’s Nicholas Alexander Chavez Not Returning to Soap
Jensen Ackles
4
‘Tracker’ Casts Jensen Ackles as Colter’s Brother Russell
Maria Gonzalez, Hunter McKnight, and Kenzie Veurink in 'Survivor' Season 46 Episode 9 - 'Spicy Jeff'
5
‘Survivor’: Jeff Probst Calls This Idol Move Complete ‘Nonsense’