Survivor 49 is scheduled to premiere on CBS on Sept. 24, and fans still can't stop talking about the major drama that went down before cameras had even started rolling on the latest season. If you've been keeping up with everything concerning the forty-ninth installment, you'd already know about the behind-the-scenes issue that forced host and executive producer Jeff Probst to make a game-changing decision before the first challenge even had a chance to begin.
But if you're completely out of the loop, we're about to give you a little rundown. When it comes to Survivor, there are specific rules that every player is expected to follow. There are even rules that each player is supposed to abide by before the cameras start rolling. One of those rules is to avoid any contact or communication with other cast members during the pre-game sequester, as breaking it can have serious consequences. A network standards and practices representative is even brought on location to monitor and prevent this from happening.
After the contestants for Survivor 49 arrived in Fiji, two players reportedly broke this crucial rule, continuing to interact with each other despite warnings from the casting team. Although the identities of both players have not been revealed, they were said to be a man and a woman. This led to Probst being called in by the casting team to make a swift decision, ultimately resulting in both players being removed from the game just hours before filming began. Two alternates then replaced them, Jason Treul and Michelle “MC” Chukwujekwu, who were promoted to full contestants.
Now, Probst is speaking out about the unprecedented situation, telling TV Insider that he had no regrets about removing the players. "I didn’t lose any sleep over it," he said, calling their behavior "blatant disrespect for the casting team" and explaining that the move was meant to send a clear message to future contestants that the rules must be followed. He emphasized how much effort goes into casting and preparing players, and that following basic rules like not talking before the game starts is critical. The removal was meant to leave a mark and discourage anyone else from breaking the rules in the future.
"We spend so much time and money and energy and love on finding these players. I challenge you to go through a casting process on any other show that is like ours. We have created a new world of how we treat people. We are always honest with them. We tell them what’s happening. We tell them if they’re in the running, we tell them if they’re not. And then when we finally put you on the show, we promise you that we will give you everything we have to create an adventure that will change your life.
And all we ask is a couple of things. And one of them is, please don’t talk to each other before the game starts for obvious reasons. And they were warned. This was not out of the blue. They knew what they were doing and they were wanting it. And that’s just a bad idea. I’m glad that word is spreading because I don’t think it will ever happen again. I think both players probably regret it, but it left a mark and that was the intention.”
While it's uncertain that this won't ever happen again, I'm sure this will make future contestants think twice before just doing whatever they want. I honestly don't understand how a player can go through the rigorous casting process and just blow away their chance like that. Then, to be given a warning and still ignore it. Why even try out in the first place? It’s completely baffling, and I understand why Probst and the rest of the Survivor team had to take decisive action.
Survivor 49 starts airing this fall on CBS.