Survivor is arguably one of the best reality shows of all time. And after recent Emmy nominations, the competition series is showing no signs of stopping its tenure on CBS and streaming with a Paramount+ subscription. Jeff Probst was recently asked about the potential of producing a season full of older contestants, similar toThe Golden Bachelor (which is airing a new season now). Although I’m not sure I agree with the host/showrunner’s perspective.
While fans wonder how much Survivor contestants make, others are looking forward to what might be coming with future seasons. During a recent episode of On Fire with Jeff Probst, the torch snuffer said he’d heard the idea of a Golden season “from time to time”, but explained why he doesn’t think it’ll work. In his words:
Here’s the truth as I see it. 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.
This math does check out, but I don’t think that Survivor fans are hoping to exclusively see Golden seasons. So if CBS only did it once, it seemingly wouldn’t be impossible to gather a group of 18 players (plus Survivor alternates) who are over the age of 50. And I think it would be fascinating to see how a group of this nature would play the game without having to worry about being the minority of a traditional cast.
The best Survivor seasons had something unique to bring to the table, and doing an installment with a full cast of contestants over the age of 50 would likely have a huge influence on the game play. So I’d personally be down to see the CBS series explore this with a Golden season.
Longtime fans of Survivor will recall that older contestants are often targeted and eliminated early on– particularly women. A Golden season would end this possibility, and might also bring new folds to the social aspect of the game. But in the same podcast, Probst explained why he’s not too keen on the idea. In his words:
I would miss the layers of complexity that come with somebody like Rizo dealing with somebody like Nate. I think that’s part of the fun. In the same way that I would miss it if one gender wasn’t on the show and we just did all women or all men. I think it’s that clash and the collaboration, the unexpected partnerships and learning about each other, that’s a big part of our format.
I’ll give him this point. Survivor is typically a melting pot, where contestants of different ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds are paired together for the competition. So crafting a season where there’s a great unifier like the same age range would go against the show’s typical format. Still, I think it would be fun for just one season to see what happens when older castaways are no longer in the minority.
Unfortunately for those who would like to see a Golden Survivor season, it doesn’t seem like Jeff Probst is interested. And as showrunner and host, he’s got a ton of pull. As he shared on the accompanying podcast:
This is my way of saying don’t wait on Golden Survivor. Apply now to be on this Survivor.
Touché. Sounds like we shouldn’t hold our breath for this type of cast to make it onto Survivor. Instead, it sounds like diversity of players will continue to be a focus moving forward.
New episodes of Survivor 49 air Wednesdays on CBS as part of the 2025 TV schedule. While we’re not getting a Golden season, fans are hyped or Survivor 50 to bring back returning players. That includes two contestants who are playing on the current season.
