“Survivor” host and showrunner Jeff Probst is often brutally honest when he discusses the inner workings of the hit reality television series, but his latest comments have lifted the lid on a funny element of the show that many people might have overlooked. Speaking on his podcast, Probst lifted the lid on the one thing he always does when he receives an immunity idol from a contestant — washing his hands.
Jeff Probst Explains Why He Always Washes His Hands on ‘Survivor’
During the latest episode of his “On Fire with Jeff Probst” podcast, the host explained why he always washes his hands on the CBS show after being handed an immunity idol by a player. The admission came while he and former winner Jeremy Collins were discussing the fact that the parchment that the idols come with are surprisingly durable.
“It’s pretty thick paper that comes in sheets, big sheets, and then it’s individually cut into the right size for whether it’s a note or a vote,” Probst explains. “I can sometimes tell when, say, a vote is used and it’s been an extra vote, and you can tell that it’s been in a player’s bag or shorts or shoved in their shoes for many days because it’s just got all these little wrinkles, but it doesn’t ever really tear.”
This conversation led to Collins revealing that he had stuffed the parchment into his pants a number of times in order to hide it from other “Survivor” contestants. “I can vouch for that, Jeff,” says Jeremy. “I’ve stuck parchment in my pants numerous times, and it’s where the sun don’t shine.”
In response, Probst noted how he knows that the idols and parchment paper often end up in places not usually considered sanitary and so had a habit of always washing his hands. Probst continued, “I will say every time somebody hands me an idol, I’m very aware that this has had its own journey for many days, and it’s lived in many different places.”
Probst Has Previously Spoken About the Chance of a ‘Golden Survivor’ Series
Probst regularly takes questions from fans on his podcast and also delves into the inner workings of the show. In an October episode of the podcast, he was asked about a possible veteran-only version of “Survivor” in the same vein as “The Golden Bachelor” but poured cold water on the idea.
“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.”
