Jeff Probst is one of the most known and adored hosts in reality TV history. He gained his big break when he landed the Survivor role before of the series premiere 22 years ago in 2000, and he’s remained the face of the reality competition mainstay for an incredible 43 seasons.
With no end in sight for the mammoth series, viewers are wondering about Probst’s net worth and income per season. In addition to Survivor, Probst is busy promoting the show, landing guest appearances on other series, and even authoring novels.
His work on the show earned him several prizes including six Emmys, and he’s credited with placing certain phrases — such as “the tribe has spoken” and “I’ll go tally the votes” — into our vernacular.
When describing why he chose Survivor in his Talks at Google conversation, Probst said he “really wanted to make something that had storytelling in it.” In 2012, Probst explained how he wound up securing his job as the Survivor host.
He was originally up for other game shows, lost out to other big-name presenters, and had less than $8,000 to his name. Probst then heard television producer Mark Burnett talking about Survivor on the radio.
“Right then I phoned my agent and said, “There’s this new show called Survivor and I’ve got to get in,’” Probst recalls.
Earlier Years
It all began for Jeff Probst on November 4, 1961, in Wichita, Kansas. His upbringing took place in Bellevue, Washington when his family relocated there. His high school career at Newport High School ended with his 1979 graduation.
After graduating from Seattle Pacific University, he began his career as a narrator and producer for promotional videos at Boeing Motion Picture Studio.
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Career
When Jeff Probst initially entered the world of television, he did so in a hosting capacity for FX. They had a show called Backchat where they answered fan mail and another show that was music-centric.
After that, from 1998 to 2001, Probst presented Rock & Roll Jeopardy and was a correspondent for Access Hollywood. Probst’s early career included positions such as these before he became the host of Survivor.
Jeff Probst took over as Survivor host in 2000. As a result of its immense popularity, the show has lasted for 40 seasons and counting, making it one of the longest-running reality series ever. The show’s success propelled Jeff Probst to fame, and his catchphrase “the tribe has spoken” made him a household name.
When a person is voted off of Survivor, their torch is extinguished with a wooden “snuffer,” which Jeff keeps as a souvenir from each season.
When CBS decided to give Probst his own talk show in 2012, he appropriately named it The Jeff Probst Show. The show was canceled after a single season. The show’s cancellation was a direct result of its low viewership.
Probst has hosted Survivor and made guest appearances on a broad variety of other television programs. He is a regular contestant on Jeopardy! Additionally, the show Celebrity Jeopardy!
Since MadTV’s ninth season, he has been a regular guest star. He made an appearance on the CBS series I Get That A Lot in 2009. In the same year (2011), he also had a small part in the hit CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother.
Furthermore, he made guest appearances on both Two and a Half Men and Life in Pieces.
Money and Jeff Probst
Jeff Probst did not start out in the hosting industry. In addition to directing and writing the 2002 film Finder’s Fee starring Ryan Reynolds, he wrote the children’s book Stranded.
The 59-year-old is also a journalist, TV personality, actor, and ordained minister. He is a man of many talents and is worth an estimated $50 million.
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Private Matters
Probst was married to psychotherapist Shelley Wright from 1996 to 2001. Dating Survivor: Vanuatu contestant Julie Berry began after filming wrapped in 2004. They broke up at the beginning of 2008.
On December 5, 2011, Probst wed Lisa Ann Russell, his second wife. A boy, Michael, was born to Russell and actor Mark-Paul Gosselaar in 2004, and a daughter, Ava, was born in 2006. Probst is the stepfather to both children (born in 2006).
Probst and his girlfriend have said they have a mutually respectful custody arrangement with Gosselaar and his second partner, and that all four adults are equally respected by their children.
Probst preserves the snuffer he used to extinguish the torches of eliminated contestants as a memento from each season of Survivor. He adapted the popular TV show Survivor into a novel titled “Stranded.” As an ordained minister, he has performed wedding ceremonies for many of his friends and acquaintances.
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