The On Fire podcast is back for Survivor 49, with Survivor host Jeff Probst, producer Jeff Wolfe, and Survivor: Cambodia winner Jeremy Collins. In the latest episode, the trio talked about why the merged contestants went to the former Kele camp, why Probst told the players about the Survivor 50 spots, and more.
Firstly, Probst was asked how production decided which beach would be the merged one and why Kele’s was chosen. Probst clarified that it was a logistics decision based on which beach was closer to the base camp, not on which former tribe provided the most “drama.”
Then, Wolfe talked about how Probst told the Survivor 49 players there were still Survivor 50 spots available and asked whether this was meant to light a fire under them. Probst admitted this decision was two-fold: he never disclosed how many places were left, only that there was availability if they made an impression, and it was also a litmus test to see who would step up. Probst also added that this action had rippling effects throughout the rest of the season, which we will see in due course.
Afterwards, they commented on Savannah and MC’s interaction that we saw in the episode, when they battled over the keys for the idol. Jeremy disagreed with Savannah’s approach, noting he would’ve used this moment as a step toward building trust rather than alienating MC. However, Jeremy agrees it was Savannah’s chance to grab the advantage as well.
Moreover, Probst is asked by a fan how hard it is to keep crucial information, such as who wins Survivor 49 and Survivor 50, under wraps without giving any spoilers. Probst replied, “Man, I used to get this question all the time in interviews, and on occasion, I would have fun, and at some point in the interview, pretend to say something that I shouldn’t have.”
Also, Probst is questioned about production’s interference with outside information, such as unexpected events involving players’ families. Probst explained that there are only two instances in which production would intervene by informing players of events occurring outside the game.
The first would be when a family member is sick and there’s a previous agreement with the player that if something happened, they would be pulled from the game. The second would be with an unexpected occurrence, for instance, a family member suddenly getting ill, and the family contacting production to remove that player from the game. The second instance occurred during Survivor: Cambodia, when Terry Dietz’s son suddenly had a heart problem, and Terry was withdrawn from the game and immediately returned home for his son.
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