The live Survivor reunion show was one of the first parts of the show to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but there is a chance it could return in some form in the future.
Speaking with TVInsider ahead of the Survivor 46 premiere, host and executive producer Jeff Probst said he’s open to bringing back the live reunion but that it would depend on CBS.
“I totally understand the desire from a player and fan point of view to have a reunion that discusses the show after it’s already aired. I really do,” Probst stated. “There’s a lot of fun to be had, because now you know the truth about what everyone said and did, plus it’s fun to see the players in their fancy clothes with sharp hair and makeup!”
The last time the show hosted a reunion special was for Survivor: Island of the Idols in December 2019 (though it was pre-taped). The Winners At War reunion had to be canceled as it aired during the start of the pandemic; instead, Probst hosted from a makeshift studio in his garage and conducted video interviews with the final three contestants.
Since Survivor 41, the “reunion” has been filmed on the island immediately following the final tribal council. However, this only includes the finalists and the jurors, unlike the live reunions, which also featured the contestants eliminated pre-jury.
“It’s really more of a CBS question in that they would have to decide if it made sense on the schedule and if there was enough interest from fans to do our After Show in Fiji and then a Reunion show back in Los Angeles,” Probst continued. “Who knows, maybe we’ll do both at some point!”
The Emmy-winning host also touched on another classic part of the reunions that no longer exist — his grand entrances, like the time he rode a jet ski “all the way” from the Amazon to New York City to deliver the final votes.
“Those were so fun to do!” Probst said though he revealed that he ended up with hypothermia while filming the jet ski stunt.
“The Hudson River is absolutely freezing, but I couldn’t wear a wet suit because I had on my Survivor wardrobe. The boat captains warned me I would be cold, but I really didn’t think it would be that big of a deal, so we started shooting,” he explained.
“I was zipping around on the jet ski for eight hours! I started getting extremely cold and felt my feet starting to go numb, but then something weird happened. I noticed I was feeling less cold but more tired,” Probst added. “I didn’t know it at the time, but that was hypothermia taking over.”
Even though the lower half of his body was completely numb by the time the shoot was over, Probst said it was “totally worth it.”
“So yes, I do miss doing them, and maybe one day we’ll come up with an idea so good we have to bring it back,” he added.
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Yea, OK, I’ll believe that when it happens. A few seasons ago I recall him saying (in a previous article posted here, by the way, but I don’t have time to look for it) that he was in favor of the new right-after after-show & that the live reunions were a thing of the past. I find it very hard to believe the all-mighty show runner would change his mind that quickly
More importantly get back to your roots of survival on the islands, and stop with the stupid puzzles.
That is the one part I miss…for the family and friends to be in the audience and share the experience
Yes, PLEASE bring back the live Reunion shows. That was the part was AWESOME ‼️
Please bring back the live reunion show!!!!