There are very few people on television who have been more consistent than Survivor host Jeff Probst. He has spent the entirety of the 21st century hosting that show. Truly, it’s a labor of love, and you have to respect it.
As much as Jeff loves the game, it’s still a job, and he recently shared its biggest pitfall. It turns out, the hardest part about filming the show is just being away from his family. Underneath the khakis and the cargo shirt, Jeff is just a big softie.
Jeff Probst is a family man
Jeff reflected on his legendary hosting gig. He spoke to In Touch, and that’s when he revealed the “hardest challenge” of his role had nothing to do with the contestants or the challenges. Instead, he explained how the hardest part of his job was spending so much time away from his loved ones.
“Leaving. Leaving home. And that is not a woe is me that’s just the truth,” Jeff told the outlet.
Jeff is married to Lisa Ann Russell. They’ve been together since 2011, and he’s the stepdad to two children from her previous marriage. Of course, filming two seasons of Survivor every year since 2000 pulls him away from them. When that starts to weigh on his heart, he has to put it all into perspective.
He explained, “I love my family, I love my life at home, the comfort of a cup of coffee and my routine, and every time I have to leave I remind myself, that’s the reason you get to get up and have a cup of coffee is this amazing show you get to do.”
As the show approaches its landmark 50th season, the big question on everyone’s mind is whether or not Jeff will keep going. That’s still up in the air. For now, he’s focused on keeping the show fresh, and ensuring that Seasons 47, 48, and 49 go off without a hitch.
“Here’s how it works. I’m in post-production on 47, in pre-production on 49; I’m starting casting on 49, and then we have 50 coming up this year, so that’s a bigger thing,” Jeff recently explained in an interview.
New episodes of Survivor air on Wednesday nights at 8/7c on CBS.
TELL US – WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON JEFF BALANCING HIS FAMILY LIFE AND HIS CAREER? DO YOU THINK HE WILL KEEP HOSTING AFTER SURVIVOR 50?
