When viewers tune in to “Survivor” every season, they might not realize the work that goes in to it. After all, not only is the reality competition series an unpredictable, unscripted show, but it’s been filmed in a remote area in Fiji for many years now.
As a result, not only are the contestants and the crew in an around-the-clock job, but they have no choice but to be consumed by it too. For host Jeff Probst, filming comes with its challenges, but he’s found some trick to make it work.
Jeff Probst and His Wife Make the Long-Distance Work
GettyIn a recent interview with Business Insider, Probst admitted that the hardest part of filming for him is being away from his family. “That has never changed,” he said.
To fix his home sickness, he and his wife, Lisa Ann Russell, try to coordinate long-distance date nights.
“My wife and I will attempt to have date nights where we agree to watch an episode of whatever show we’re watching from across the world,” he revealed. “I’ll put it on my iPad, she’ll put it on her iPad, and then we’ll say 3, 2, 1, and hit play. So that’s kind of a fun way for us to bond.”
As for what they’re watching, it seems crime drama is what really bonds them. “A little bit of love and lust and blood and guts and ‘Who did it?’ and ‘Oh, I can’t believe it was him!'”
“We just finished ‘The Beast Within,’ and now we’re going back to watch ‘The Night Manager,'” he added.
Probst and Russell have been married since 2011.
Jeff Probst Has a Routine During Shooting
GettyAlso in the article, Probst outlined some of the things that help his mental health during the 26-day filming period. Among them is waking up naturally with the sun, getting 20 minutes of exercise every day and watching police interrogation videos on YouTube.
“They’re fascinating if you like that kind of thing,” he said of the videos. “You are watching a human walk into a room, wondering, ‘How much do these detectives know?’ In most cases, the detective knows a lot more than you think, but they want to see what you’re willing to share.”
The latest season of “Survivor,” “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans,” premiered yesterday on February 25, 2026. New episodes of the series will air weekly on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS, and be available to stream on Paramount+ the following day.
