‘Survivor’: Jeff Probst Confirms Next Returning-Player Season Is Coming Soon

There were no returning players on Survivor from Seasons 41 through 49, but Jeff Probst tells TV Insider that Survivor 50 has ushered in another new era. The 50s seasons, according to the host, will have more returning players, and he promises that viewers will see them “sooner rather than later.”

Survivor 50 was the first returning-players season since Season 40, Winners at War, the first and only all-winners season of the reality competition show. Probst explained why they had so many new-player seasons in the 40s era in our Survivor 50 finale preview interview.

“Let me be clear, I love returning-player seasons! They’re a lot of fun because there’s history, reputation, unfinished business, and the audience already has a relationship with the players before the game even begins. That’s very exciting!” Probst said. “What people sometimes forget is that in order to have great returning-player seasons, you first have to discover great new players, let them play, and then give enough time for fans to miss them and be excited to see them again. You have to build the next generation before you can bring them back.”

Probst knows that the fans love when players come back, and that there are lots of cast members who have only played once that people want to see get another shot at the $1 million. He confirms that the 50s seasons of Survivor will have more returning players.

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“Our last all-returning player season was [six] years ago with Winners at War. I know that can feel like a long time, but we have done a lot of returning-player seasons, and it was important to build a strong new bench of talent,” Probst said. “I think we’ve done that. So yes, I’d say the chances are very good that you’ll see more returning players sooner rather than later on Survivor!”

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There are two episodes left in Survivor 50. Episode 12 airs on Wednesday, May 13, with the finale set for May 20. The Survivor 50 finale is the first live finale since Season 39, Island of the Idols. Probst told us there will be one last round of fan voting to do ahead of the three-hour event.

“As a matter of fact, there is one very fun final fan vote that will be announced during the penultimate episode, the week before the finale,” he said, “and the results will be revealed at the live finale.”

Survivor 50, Wednesdays, 8/7c, CBS

For more inside scoop on Survivor 50 from the set, pick up a copy of TV Guide Magazine’s Survivor at 50 Special Collector’s Issue, available at Survivor.TVGM2026.com and on newsstands now.

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