Following the success of formats such as “The Golden Bachelor,” legendary host Jeff Probst has spoken about the possibility of a golden version of “Survivor” that would feature a cast of senior contestants. The long-time ‘Survivor’ host revealed his thoughts on the idea during an episode of his “On Fire with Jeff Probst” podcast, which might leave some fans disappointed.

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Jeff Probst Doubts Golden ‘Survivor’ Season Could Work

Reality television producers and networks are constantly looking for ways to spice up their formats or reinvigorate older shows with new audiences. One recent success story has been “The Golden Bachelor” that first aired back in 2023 on ABC, a spin-off to the long-running series “The Bachelor.” In fact, it was so popular that the network followed it up with “The Golden Bachelorette” alongside a second season of the original spin-off.

It shouldn’t be a surprise, then, that fans of other similar shows are expressing interest in similar shows having their own senior adaptation. “Survivor” host and showrunner addressed the topic when asked about the possibility by a fan on his podcast.

65-year-old viewer Jim suggested the concept and Probst replied, “You know, I hear this idea from time to time. I’ve certainly heard it more since The Bachelor did it.”

However, he was quick to explain that he didn’t think it would be possible to make work due to the intense physical toll that “Survivor” takes on its competitors. You also need to overcast each season in case people drop out, which makes the process more difficult when limiting it to those of a certain age.

“Here’s the truth as I see it,” says Probst. “Based on the number of people over, let’s say 50, who apply and who we believe are interesting and compelling enough to be on the show and we believe can truly handle the intense physicality — I think if you just limited it to 50-and-over casting, it would be difficult to do two times per year. You’re looking at 40 people. I just don’t think it would work, personally.”

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‘Survivor’ Needs Diversity To Work Effectively

Another issue for Probst is that this type of format would get rid of an aspect that makes “Survivor” so successful. Probst reveals that one of the things that works for the show is the way that such diverse figures in the cast are forced to interact and work with each other. “I would miss the layers of complexity that come with somebody like Rizo dealing with somebody like Nate,” explains Probst.

“I think that’s part of the fun. In the same way that I would miss it if one gender wasn’t on the show and we just did all women or all men. I think it’s that clash and the collaboration, the unexpected partnerships and learning about each other, that’s a big part of our format.”

Of course, Probst also made it clear that he doesn’t want to exclude seniors who might want to try out for the show and instead says they are more than welcome to take part right now. He finished his response saying, “Jim, this is my way of saying don’t wait on ‘Golden Survivor’. Apply now to be on this ‘Survivor.’”