‘Survivor’ host Jeff Probst addresses retirement plans

Jeff Probst isn’t ready to vote himself off “Survivor” just yet.

“I don’t see an end in sight right now. I think the format is one of the greatest formats in TV,” the host and executive producer of the long-running series said in a new interview with the Hollywood Reporter, ahead of the Season 51 premiere Wednesday night.

“I think we’re a good team producing it,” he continued. “I think we’re really good storytellers. I’m really proud of our storytelling. I think it’s one of the hallmarks of ‘Survivor’ is we’re not like any other show.”

Probst, 64, noted that “one of the hallmarks” of the CBS series is its “deep, rich storytelling where you take conflict and you create suspense and you have tension, and then you resolve it and then you do it again.” 

Because of that, Probst declared that the show — which he’s been hosting since it debuted on CBS in 2000 — “could go for a while.”

“And I stand by it,” he said. “I think [Season] 51, people are going to go, ‘It’s pretty damn good.’”

However, Probst expressed doubt he’ll still be leading the show for another 50 seasons.

“So maybe I’m not there for 100, although I don’t know,” he said, joking, “If I had a guy behind me, say I’m in a bit of a walker or wheelchair, but I got a great AC. I got an assistant chair guy and he’s just wheeling me through.”

Probst even revealed that shooting the new season of the show taught him important life lessons.

“You cannot play to not lose in life. You just can’t. You’re doomed. You have to play to win,” he shared. “It may fail. Your business idea, it may lose all your money, but you can’t create a business hoping to not lose money. It just doesn’t work. That’s how I’m trying to see my own life.”

In an interview with the Wrap in June, Probst admitted there’s “a small list” of people who can take over his Emmy Award-winning job.

“Names get thrown around. I really don’t have an answer. You know, every so often I meet a player,” Probst said, before revealing that he thinks one of the Season 51 cast members has potential to take on the hosting role.

“I think I said to them, ‘You could probably host this show,’ meaning your instincts as a storyteller and about people are so good that you could probably sit in this chair and you’d be just fine,” he said.

Probst added, “But the job, it’s hard, and the skillset is specific.”

“Survivor” Season 51 premieres tonight at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.