Thanks to the fact that Jeff Probst had been the host of “Survivor” since its premiere way back in May 2000, it’s hard to imagine the show without him introducing every twist, leading each turn and overseeing the intense drama-filled action.
However, it turns out that Probst once quit the show and had to be convinced to return despite the fact that he makes a fortune for each season.
Jeff Hit a ‘Low Point’ During ‘Survivor: Gabon’
These days, Probst has no intention of retiring from his gig as the host of “Survivor” any time soon, telling The Hollywood Reporter in September, “I don’t see an end in sight right now.”
Granted, that wasn’t the case a few years ago.
During 2008’s “Survivor: Gabon,” Probst was experiencing a “low point” that threatened his future with the show, according to The New York Times. Feeling “burned out” and “a little self-conscious about being known as the ‘Survivor’ guy,” he explained, “My Achilles’ heel for a lot of my life was that nobody saw me as a storyteller, that they saw me as a white guy with dark hair who was just a game show host. And that in terms of my own self-image, was the thing that could gut me. It was like a kidney punch.”
That’s why, in 2009, Probst quit as the host of “Survivor.” …But things didn’t go as he intended.
Instead of accepting Probst permanently leaving the show, he was told by Leslie Moonves, who was the chief executive of CBS at the time, to take some time off.
Probst did just that and eventually “return[ed] to the show re-energized,” with The New York Times mentioning that changes were made behind the scenes with the host putting his “[focus] squarely on the show’s success formula: serving the loyal audience and not worrying about doing more than that.”
What Kind of Salary Would Jeff Have Been Walking Away From?
There are plenty of factors that Probst surely needs to consider whenever he thinks about his future as the host of “Survivor” and the possibility of leaving the job behind. Along with personal commitments and goals, he may also have to consider his financial situation and the salary he earns from the show.
As it stands, Probst is not only the host of “Survivor,” but he’s also acts as a showrunner and executive producer. Thanks to his duties in all three roles, he is currently paid an estimated $4 million per season, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Of course, fans will be able to tell you that there are two seasons of the show each year, which means that the host likely earns somewhere in the range of $8 million annually from his work with “Survivor.”
If you’re curious about how much that means Probst makes for every episode, Celebrity Net Worth has done the math and worked out that “[o]n a per-episode basis, assuming a typical season runs between 13 and 14 episodes, Probst earns approximately $285,000 to $308,000 per episode.”
No doubt that would be a little tough to walk away from.
Jeff Probst Once Quit ‘Survivor’ Despite His Staggering Salary