Jeffrey Lee "Jeff" Probst (born November 4, 1961) is an American game show host, executive producer and a reporter. He is best known as the Emmy Award winning host of the U.S. version of the reality show Survivor. Beginning on September 10, 2012, he hosts The Jeff Probst Show, a syndicated daytime talk show produced by CBS Television Distribution.

Early life

Probst was born in Wichita, Kansas, but grew up primarily in Bellevue, Washington. After graduating from Newport High School in 1979, he attended Seattle Pacific University and worked at Boeing Motion Picture/Television studio as a producer and narrator of marketing videos.

Career

In addition to Survivor, Probst once hosted the FX network's original half-hour show dedicated to answering viewer letters, Backchat, along with Sound FX, a series of afternoon shows surrounding parenting, relationship and medicine (1996). Probst also hosted the VH1 series Rock & Roll Jeopardy! from 1998 to 2001, and was a correspondent for the syndicated program Access Hollywood. He also wrote and directed the Lionsgate released film, Finder's Fee. People magazine named Probst one of the "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2001. He often contributes to Jeopardy! by giving Survivor related clues from the show's venues, has twice appeared on Celebrity Jeopardy!, first in 2001 and again in 2003, and made several cameo appearances during the April 1, 2010 episode.

He was also a frequent guest star on the sketch show MADtv, guest starring once a season since the show's 9th season.

Probst also hosts "Celebrity Superfan Roundtable" for Howard Stern.

He has hosted Survivor since 2000. He later stated that he had worked hard to get a meeting with series creator Mark Burnett, because he believed the show was "something special." He delivers the series' signature catch-phrase to losing contestants, "The tribe has spoken. It's time for you to go."

In 2007, Probst founded The Serpentine Project , a non-profit that empowers youth transitioning out of foster care to reach for their dreams by opening the door to possibilities. The organization recently merged with The Alliance For Children's Rights.

On October 20, 2008, TV Guide reported that Probst is developing a new reality TV series for CBS called Live For The Moment that will feature people with terminal illnesses being taken on "the last adventure of their life" before they die.

On April 1, 2009, Probst appeared on the CBS reality television special I Get That a Lot, in which he worked a cash register. In February 2010, Probst confirmed that he has signed on to host two more seasons of Survivor, putting him through season 22. It was then announced on March 9, 2011 that Probst had extended his contract to host another two seasons of Survivor, contracting him through season 24.

In January 2012, Probst was announced as director of his second feature film, coming-of-age story Kiss Me, starring John Corbett and Sarah Bolger, with production scheduled to begin in Los Angeles, California, the following month. Beginning on September 10, 2012, he will host The Jeff Probst Show, a syndicated daytime talk show produced by CBS Television Distribution.

Personal life

From 1996 to 2001, Probst was married to the first of his two wives, psychotherapist Shelley Wright. In 2005, he began dating former Survivor contestant Julie Berry, but in a March 2008 interview, he announced they had split up. Probst married his second wife, Lisa Ann Russell (the ex-wife of actor Mark-Paul Gosselaar), on December 5, 2011.

In 1999, Probst was ordained as a minister by the Universal Life Church by filling out a membership card received in a cereal box. He remarried his parents for their 35th wedding anniversary. He also officiated at the marriage of Jenna Fischer, star of The Office.

Probst keeps the snuffer that he uses to snuff the torches when a contestant is voted out of the game as a souvenir after every season of Survivor.

Awards

On September 21, 2008, Probst won the first Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program. He won the same award in 2009, 2010, and 2011. The Los Angeles Times attributed Probst's undefeated track record in the category to his penchant for interacting with contestants on a compassionate personal level unseen in any of his competitors, transcending his role of host to that of counselor. In 2012 Jeff Probst was not nominated for an Emmy for the first time in years, Betty White got the Emmy nomination instead of him for hosting Betty White's Off Their Rockers.

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