Jeff Probst Says ‘Survivor’ is Still Open to Casting Villains

Jeff Probst has responded to criticism that Survivor needs to cast more villains, stemming from something the Emmy-winning host previously said about not wanting negativity on the show anymore.

On the latest episode of the On Fire podcast, Probst brought up the topic of villains when discussing his Survivor Mount Rushmore. The showrunner named ‘Boston’ Rob Mariano, Parvati Shallow, Sandra Diaz-Twine, and Tony Vlachos as his Mount Rushmore, noting that all four are “celebrated villains… villains that we love.”

He went on to say he mentioned villains because “people keep saying Probst doesn’t want villains,” perhaps referencing a recent article by Vulture‘s Brian Moylan titled ‘Survivor Needs to Bring Back Villains.’ Probst rejected the idea that he doesn’t want villains on the show.

“Oh, let me be clear, if you know a Rob, a Sandra, a Tony, or a Parvati waiting to play Survivor, please give them my personal number because we will put them on the show immediately,” he said, noting that these are the kind of villains he appreciates on Survivor.

Parvati Shallow; Robert Voets / CBS

He clarified, “But if what you’re talking about the kind of villains you want is sort of that throwback, and we’ve had some that are just sort of mean-spirited, they’re not fun. It’s ugly. Yeah, those people, no, we don’t want them. They can apply to other shows.”

“But the idea of villains is still very much alive,” Probst added.

His latest comments come after a 2024 interview with RHAP’s Rob Cesternino, in which Probst talked about how his focus these days is about highlighting positivity on Survivor.

“By merely changing the type of twists we put into the game, we can create negativity,” Probst said. “It’s a manipulation, and it’s what’s the conceit of the show? I’m not interested in [the negativity] anymore, and I think it’s a direct reflection not only of where the show was but of how it needed to evolve.”

“In the hands of somebody else, I can tell you, for sure, there would be more villains, more negativity, more yelling at each other,” he continued. “It’s just not going to happen when I’m part of the show. I’m just not interested in it.”

This led many to assume Probst was no longer interested in casting villains on Survivor, something that had been the lifeblood of the franchise since the very start, when villain Richard Hatch became the show’s first-ever winner. The show’s 20th season was even branded Heroes vs. Villains, with an entire tribe made up of Survivor bad guys.

Savannah Louie; Robert Voets/CBS

However, Probst has now made it clear that he is open to villains, so long as they’re the playful and devious sort, rather than outright horrible people. As an example, he name-checked current Survivor 49 castaway Savannah Louie as someone “making a case” to be a good villain “in the mold of Parvati.”

What do you think? Does Survivor need more villains? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.