For the second straight week, Survivor 45 featured a brutal endurance showdown on Wednesday evening between the 2 oldest gamers of the season — Julie Alley (49) and Bruce Perreault (47). And for the second straight week, Bruce emerged victorious and received the coveted immunity necklace.
It was one other spectacular efficiency by two gamers who’re greater than a decade older than the subsequent oldest contestant — making it an opportune time for host Jeff Probst to debate the subject of age and why we don’t see extra older contestants on the present. And he did precisely that on the most recent episode of his On Fire podcast.
“I get the query so much: How come there aren’t extra older individuals on Survivor?” the host says on the podcast. “Properly, it is mirrored within the smaller proportion of older individuals who apply. We get lots of youthful individuals making use of, which is nice as a result of they’re discovering the present and so they’re coming of age to use and so they’ve obtained that power of ‘I may do that, I may win that sport.’”
CBS
Probst says the casting course of — which we went behind the scenes on in our latest EW cowl story — has uncovered many diamonds within the tough because the break for Covid, however producers wish to prolong that course of to older followers. “We even have lots of various forms of tales who’re making use of, which has been extremely inspiring. So the excellent news is, for those who’re over 40 — which is previous on Survivor —and also you need to apply, we’re in search of you.”
There may be already motion on his community proving that to be the case. The identical casting group that works on Survivor put collectively a noticeably older forged on CBS’ not too long ago accomplished season 25 of Massive Brother. That forged featured 4 totally different contestants 45 and older: Felicia Cannon (63), former Survivor legend Cirie Fields (53), Bowie Jane (45), and Hisam Goueli (45). Not solely that, however the forged additionally featured 5 individuals of their 30s. Massive Brother host Julie Chen Moonves was a fan of the larger age variety, telling EW, “We used to have one older particular person, who was middle-aged plus, perhaps each different season together with a bunch of younger hotties.”
Whereas the community, casting group, and Survivor host all appear open to assembling older casts, Probst warns that age alone is not going to get somebody on the present. “Here is the caveat,” he notes. “We’re not going to place you on simply since you’re older. That might be a wasted spot. And in the identical means that typically an 18-year previous is missing a bit of life expertise to make them prepared for the present, I meet lots of people of their fifties who’re so locked into who they’re that it is also equally not fascinating on the opposite facet of the spectrum. There is not any layers to them.”
CBS
Fortunately for the present, Survivor’s two present problem beasts have loads of layers. “That is clearly not the case with Julie and Bruce,” says Probst. “Each are very fascinating, very compelling. We’d put each of them again on the present at this time.” Possibly Bruce — who additionally appeared (albeit briefly) on Survivor 44 — simply retains coming again time and again for each season. I’m positive Katurah can be completely thrilled!
For far more inside intel from Probst on the most recent episode — together with all of the fallout from final week’s blindside — take a look at On Fire: The Official Survivor Podcast.
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