Long-time “Survivor” showrunner and host Jeff Probst has revealed what his “biggest personal disappointment” was for “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans.” Speaking in an interview ahead of the upcoming landmark anniversary season, Probst explained the fact that the former player Amanda Kimmel was unable to take part was particularly hard to take.
Amanda Kimmel’s Withdrawal From Season 50 of ‘Survivor’ Was Major Blow for Host Jeff Probst
In an interview with USA Today, Probst explained that the fact that Kimmel had originally agreed to take part before having to pull out was his main regret about the season.
After speaking in depth about the season, the interviewer made an off-hand comment about Kimmel’s schedule hopefully clearing up by the time the next season featuring returning players takes place. This prompted Probst to make his admission about the disappointment he felt that Kimmel missed out.
“That was a big disappointment, probably my biggest personal disappointment,” he revealed. “When she initially said yes, I was ecstatic.”
Probst continued, “And then we gave her the shoot date, and she said, ‘I can’t make it happen.’ And she was disappointed.”
However, Probst also appreciated how quickly Kimmel let the production team know and how straight to the point she was about the situation. He explained, “But what I loved about Amanda is that she just called us and said, ‘Look, I’ll tell you right now, it’s not going to happen.’ And so that opened up the spot for somebody.”
A Scheduling Clash Kept Amanda Kimmel from Taking Part in ‘Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans’
The reason that Kimmel was unable to return for the 50th season is simply a matter of scheduling.
“Everybody wanted [her] back. We wanted her back,” Probst said. “We asked her to play. She wanted to play, but it was a scheduling issue and she couldn’t do it.”
There have also been reports that Kimmel didn’t want to take part in the season due to the fact that her ex-boyfriend Ozzy Lusth, who she shared a short “showmance” on “Survivor: Micronesia,” is competing. Kimmel is a highly competitive star of the reality television series who has made it to the Final Tribal Council vote multiple times. Her first appearance came in “Survivor: China” in 2007 and she subsequently appeared in both “Survivor: Micronesia” and “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains.”
