Survivor host Jeff Probst has suggested that aggressive gameplay will be rewarded on Season 50, and that includes embracing uncertainty.

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"I think Survivor 50 will forever change how players embrace uncertainty," Jeff told Entertainment Weekly.

"Because what you see during the season is that the players who lean into the unknown are the ones who take control."

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The Survivor 50 castaways will be shown facing a lot of uncertainty since they had no knowledge of the fan voting results on twists, the power of hidden Immunity Idols, and more.

Since Survivor 50 is "In the Hands of the Fans," Jeff teased that how the players reacted to these changes was crucial for survival.

Jeff, who has always favored "big moves" in Survivor, shared, "I have never changed my tune ever. The way you win the game is you play to win. The same way [Tony Vlachos] played recklessly."

Jeff went on to acknowledge, "Yes, you're going to lose most times, but if you want a shot at winning, that's what you have to do. And that's what you're going to see in 50. You have to embrace the unknown and covet it, want it, lure it to you. You want to be in control."

That may prove more difficult for the old-school players, who will already be tasked with adapting to a faster, 26-day game.

"One of the fun questions going into this is: How will the fans impact the new-era game?" Jeff noted.

"And then an equally big question is: How will players from earlier eras adapt? Because if you're a second-time player and you played in the new era, you could argue you have a bit of an advantage because the pace of 26 days, and you know what it's like to go maybe 15, 18, 20 days without any food."

Jeff said he thinks "the onus" is going to be on the earlier-era castaways.

"They have to meet the game where it is and not expect the game to meet them where they are. But if we got it right by the players we picked, then I think that will happen," Jeff teased.

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Jeff suggested, for instance, that Colby Donaldson and Ozzy Lusth have changed over the years and could probably adapt to the new Survivor format.

"I think Colby is one of the players who's changed the most in terms of his attitude," Jeff shared of the former Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains castaway.

"Because the last time he played, he wasn't happy. He left disgruntled and frustrated and was done with Survivor. And then over the years he's grown up, he's matured, he's reflected on it and he came back with as much gratitude as anyone in the game."

Jeff said he believed that Colby's gratitude was "real" and genuine.

"The first time we talked, I felt it. The first time I saw him at Ponderosa [before the game], I felt it. The first time I saw him on the beach, I felt it. So that felt very different," Jeff insisted.

"What hasn't changed much about Colby is his looks. He still looks incredible! He's still a stud. He's still fit. He works at a real ranch. He does those physical things. And it was fun to see him out there and realize, 'Yeah, he's aged a little bit, but relatively speaking, not very much.'"

And Ozzy, back for the fifth time, will be competing to win $1 million after his most recent stint on Season 34, Survivor: Game Changers.

Jeff said Ozzy has "changed quite a bit" and seemed more mature this time around.

"I think a lot of this came from being this one-name player associated with such a big show and in such positive ways -- you know, the original 'Jungle Boy' who could do anything," Jeff said.

"And I think that was probably pretty tough to manage. Like, how do you maintain who you really are and live alongside this image of what people think you are, who they think you are or who they want you to be?"

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Jeff said Ozzy must have questioned how to give the fans what they wanted while being true to the man he has become.

"And I appreciated that across the board in the same way that Jenna Lewis showed up. I mean, first player, first season, she hasn't played in forever and she was an instant yes," Jeff noted.

Jeff said seeing the growth in each player added a layer of "depth" to Survivor 50.

"You're going to see lots of different stories, lots of different approaches to gameplay, all with the same goal. How do I beat this game?" Jeff shared.

But according to the showrunner, some of the Survivor 50 castaways will be exactly who fans remember.

"I think the player who's probably the most consistent overall is [Benjamin "Coach" Wade]," Jeff said told EW with a smile.

"I love Coach for lots of reasons, but one of the reasons I love him is that he is not afraid to embrace who he is. He is a guy that has many a quote at hand, and he has intention behind those quotes."

Jeff said Coach would always have a quote when people needed inspiration or comfort.

"But he is not putting on just a performance, he's performing his truth. And there's a difference," Jeff clarified. "And it's one of the reasons I love Coach."

Survivor 50 is set to premiere Wednesday, February 25 at 8PM ET/PT on CBS with 24 returning players.

Although there have been a handful of all-star seasons in the past, Jeff admitted, "I've never had the kind of feeling I had in Survivor 50. And I've never felt the exchange with the players that I felt in Survivor 50."

Jeff shared how the "stakes were high" for winning Survivor's milestone season.

"Everybody wants their name on that parchment at the Final Tribal Council of Survivor 50. And that exceeded any feeling I've had on any other returning player season," Jeff said.

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"The gameplay was real," he added.

"And yes, a lot of these players know each other. They've played together before. Some of them have known each other for a very long time, but there's only one winner. And the great part of the format is you can have all kinds of friendships, but two friends don't win. Just one wins."


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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