Ever since the first trailer for “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” dropped following the finale of Season 49 last month, fans of the hit reality competition series have been split on the level of celebrity involvement in the upcoming milestone season.
While many longtime viewers were disappointed to see the trailer’s inability to highlight a number of the season’s iconic returning players – including fan-favorites like Aubry Bracco and Genevieve Mushaluk – even more were concerned about the emphasis on guest appearances from celebrities like country singer Zac Brown and YouTube sensation MrBeast on the upcoming installment. Fans’ worries continued to compound as the trailer continued to name-drop further celebrity involvement, including references to Grammy-winner Billie Eilish and late night host Jimmy Fallon.
GettyDespite fans’ concerns that the star-studded season will make away from the legacy of “Survivor” – which has been, for the last 25 years, built up by its spectacular players more so than its corporate sponsors or celebrity endorsements – the series’ longtime host, Jeff Probst, has since spoken out in an attempt to assuage fears that the celebrity guest appearances will “overshadow” the game.
Probst Says Season 50 is in the Hands of ALL Fans – Even Celebs
In a January 5 interview with Variety, Probst opened up about the ever-encroaching premiere of “Survivor 50” and the production team’s undying commitment to its “In the Hands of the Fans” theme.
“Once we committed to turning the game design over to the fans, the next question became: ‘How far can we go with this idea!?’” said the host. “We knew some of ‘Survivor’s biggest fans happen to be celebrities, so we thought sprinkling a few of them in with their own unique twists felt like a fun way to make the game even more unpredictable! It definitely caught the players off guard in some really exciting ways, and added another layer to this celebratory season.”
While some viewers have had trouble adjusting to the possibilities of a “Billie Eilish Boomerang Idol,” as referenced by Season 50 castaway Rick Devens in the trailer. It’s far from the first time A-lister have gotten involved with the Emmy-winning series.
In the past, stars like Tyler Perry and Sia have played major roles in shaping some of “Survivor”s most iconic moments. Meanwhile, a slew of celebs have come out of the woodwork in recent years to reveal their love of the series, including revelations from stars like Glen Powell (“The Running Man”), Rachel McAdams (“Send Help!”), Nick Offerman (“Parks & Recreation”), Monet X Change (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”), Dylan Efron (“Dancing with the Stars”) and more.
Probst Confirms the Season 50 Cast Will Remain the Real Stars of the Show
Regardless, Probst confirmed that, as always, the season’s cast – the largest in the series’ 25-year history – will be the real stars.
“I think it’s a legitimate concern when you start adding layers like celebrities, that you can overshadow the game and take it off course. Our job was to make sure that we stayed true to what we’re going on ‘Survivor,’ which is exploring this continuous social experiment. And now we’re adding another layer,” the showrunner continued. “And when you bring in a celebrity like Zac Brown or MrBeast or Jimmy Fallon, you now add idolatry, and you add different perceptions and reputations. Suddenly, people can get off track a little bit, or they lean in, and they want something to do with Jimmy Fallon. A lot of the players said, ‘I’ve always dreamed of being in a MrBeast video.’ So the twist is designed to see if you can stay on course with the thought process you should – or how is it going to shift your thought process, and will it do you in?”
‘Survivor’s Celebrity Guests Asked to be Involved in the Milestone Season
Probst also clarified that the idea to have celebrities involved in making the milestone season as special as possible didn’t come from him, or even CBS, but from the celebrities themselves.
NBC“With Jimmy Fallon, it was on his show. Jimmy texts me ideas all the time about ‘Survivor,’ and we put some of them in the show, and we’ve always talked about this idea,” Probst teased, leaving the specifics of the late-night host’s involvement a mystery for now. “I think people will see, when they see these play out, I think they’ll understand these are legit ‘Survivor’ fans who wanted to be a part of 50.”
In the end, Probst affirmed that the season still feels very much like classic “Survivor,” even with stars like Fallon and Donaldson involved.
“When you take people who are being stripped of everything and then you bring in maybe the most well-known person for unpredictable moments, it took the uncertainty to another level,” he concluded.
Curious to see how your favorite castaways will cope with the sure to be copious twists on the upcoming season? Be sure to catch the epic three-hour premiere of “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” when it hits CBS screens on Wednesday, February 25 at 8:00pm ET.
