‘What just happened?’ Jeff Probst spoils ‘Survivor 50’ finale during live broadcast
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This story includes spoilers for the finale of “Survivor 50.”
Jeff Probst gave fans one last “Survivor” twist during the season finale, albeit accidentally.
The longtime host prematurely revealed the loser of a fire-making challenge before the segment aired. While Probst was hosting the “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” finale live, the challenges had been filmed in Fiji months prior. During a teaser before the challenge, Probst accidentally announced that contestant Rizo Velovic had lost and didn’t make the final three.
“Camp life is also about fire-making,” Probst said live on air. “I don’t know if there’s something in there to think about. Anyway, Rizo, you’ve become the final member of our jury. Take a spot over here.”
Host Jeff Probst, contestant Benjamin ‘Coach’ Wade and others discuss why CBS’ competition show continues to endure after more than 25 years.
Probst soon abruptly stopped and looked around, then asked: “What just happened?” The contestants sitting beside Probst informed him that “the fire hasn’t happened yet.” Confused, Probst told the live audience, “I’m not even sure what’s happened,” before the show cut to a commercial break.
When the episode resumed, Probst played off the blunder as the final twist of the season, joking with the audience that he “love[s] doing live television.”
“In case you’re confused, this is what happened. We were going to show you fire-making, and then have the loser of fire-making, Rizo, come out and talk about if he had practiced fire-making, maybe he would’ve won,” Probst said while the audience laughed. “Instead, we did a ‘Survivor’ twist, it’s the last twist of the season. We call it, ‘A peek into the future.’ So now, we’re going to watch Rizo lose in a fire to Jonathan.”
Velovic was one of the final competitors alongside Joe Hunter, Jonathan Young and Aubry Bracco. After the fire challenge, Bracco was named the Sole Survivor and winner of the $2-million prize. The finale was the conclusion of the much-anticipated 50th season, which brought back former contestants. For the first time in the show’s 25-year history, fans were able to vote on production choices.
For the “Survivor” host and executive producer, a perfect day includes playing tennis, perusing the vinyls at Freakbeat Records and finding small ways to connect with his family.
“What a great twist,” contestant Benjamin “Coach” Wade told The Times in March. “‘In the Hands of Fans’ transforms the game. Instead of it being, ‘They are playing,’ it’s ‘We are playing.’”
The season was chock-full of cameos from celebrities like Billie Eilish and Sia, and included former “Survivor” runner-up and “White Lotus” creator Mike White as a contestant. White appeared in the finale via video call while filming “The White Lotus” Season 4 in France. White revealed that “Survivor 50” contestants Charlie Davis and Kamilla Karthigesu will appear in “White Lotus.”
This is the second time “Survivor” alums have checked into the White Lotus. During the show’s second season, White’s “Survivor: David vs. Goliath” co-stars Angelina Keeley and Kara Kay made cameos as hotel guests. White shared that he pulls from his “Survivor” experience while working on the “White Lotus.”
“There are times in ‘White Lotus’ where I’m so fried,” White said during the “Survivor 50” premiere. “It’s a 129-day shoot, but I look back on my ‘Survivor’ experience, and I’m like, ‘Dude, I did that and I can do this.’”
