Ever since Jeff Probst confirmed this past weekend that Survivor 50 would feature returning players, fans have been speculating whether the casting is open to all eras of the show or just the post-season 40 new era.
In an interview with Us Weekly just hours before the Survivor 50 announcement, the host and executive producer revealed that there will be no limitations on which castaways can be asked back for the milestone season.
“If we ever did a returning player season, I don’t think anyone’s out of the running,” Probst told the publication on Saturday, April 27, at the Survivor Q&A event at the Ovation Hollywood complex in Los Angeles. “We don’t really see the new era as the only place that we would choose players from.”
Since season 40’s Winners at War, which featured 20 returning Survivor champions, the show has stuck to brand new castaways. The one exception was Bruce Perreault, who was invited back for Survivor 45 after being medically evacuated just hours into Survivor 44.
“We’re focusing on new players because as evidenced by this season [Survivor 46], we still think there’s a lot of interesting game to be discovered by somebody who’s never played,” Probst added. “And then when the time is right, I’m sure there’ll be another returning player season.”
Not long after the interview, Probst took to the stage to answer fan questions and declared Survivor 50 would be the perfect time to bring back past players. According to Us Weekly, when the host asked the audience if they should stick with new players for the landmark season, the crowd roared, “No!” When he asked if they wanted to see returning players, the group cheered.
“In the spirit of, sometimes letting the game be in the hands of the fans, I feel like — and there are a couple of people from CBS right now going, ‘Oh my God, what is happening?’ — I feel like we should just commit and make this the moment where we decide that Survivor 50 will be returning players,” Probst told the audience. “I don’t know what is going to happen after this, but I’m pretty sure we’re committed.”
Later that day, Probst took to Instagram, where he shared a video from the event confirming that Survivor 50 will feature returnees.
“About 10 seconds ago, we just decided that thanks to all the fans that were in attendance at the FYC event here in Hollywood that Survivor 50 will be returning players,” he said before turning the camera to those in attendance.
It’s not yet known what theme Survivor 50 will take, but we at least know it is open to anyone who has played from Season 1 onwards.
Who would you like to see on Survivor 50? Let us know in the comments section below.
Written by
Gillian from Gabon and Lillian from Pearl Islands. And maybe Killian Murphy
Julie Berry
So many great pre 41 people have never returned and would be amazing to see back:
Chrissy (the robbed queen), Angelina, Christian, Nathalie Cole, Elaine, Kellee, Nathalie Bolton, T-Bird.
Would be hilarious to see Elaine and Christian with a secret alliance…
COLLEEN HASKELL please
HANTZ! Smart as a whip, but sneaky as a snake. Please, no Parvati!
Boston Rob ! Please ! He is one of my all time favorites!
Russell Hantz.
T Bird, Jay, Chrissy, Angelina, Kellee
Someone who lost by just one vote at the end
Kelly Wiggleswroth wants to do it again. She loved her second go.
No, Kelly Wigglesworth shouldn’t play again. Her second season was awful. She didn’t give us anything and was a total bore. It felt like she could care less. Similar to Colby in his last season. Don’t bring these old school players back and expect them to be as great as they were in their first season. People change.
I think they should do a season where all the players were voted out first
Please give us T-Bird. Nathalie Bolton and Shane Powers. These 3 deserve a spot the most.
Jay, Chrissy, Dom, Devens, Angelina, Christian, Elaine would be amazing to see back as well.
Old Era vs New Era would make the most sense. Then they would merge with the same number of players…. Just like we saw in HvV…. an epic battle!
Colleen from season 1 ❤️