Before the premiere of Survivor 48, host and executive producer Jeff Probst told Parade there would be never-before-seen-moments, saying, “When things go really well, and the environment and the situation lines up, you can have these moments that do transcend the show, and they show us who we are, and they remind us who we are.” And we just experienced a big example of that in the most recent episode of the CBS reality series.
In the midst of the Episode 5 Immunity Challenge, the tension could be cut with a machete. It was neck-and-neck between two tribes. At one end was Eva Erickson, who was clearly struggling with her turn on the table maze. As time went on, and the other tribe caught up, the frustration and overwhelming emotions were beginning to take over, as she was clearly getting increasingly upset. And looking over on the next mat intently was Joe Hunter.
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That’s because, a week of on-island time ago, Eva revealed to Joe that she was diagnosed with autism from a very young age. The PhD student is the very openly autistic player in the show’s history, and she is well aware of what competing with that comes with. One example are what she referred to as “episodes,” times where the heat of the competition may get to her, overwhelming her system and leaving her inconsolable.
Such was the case here. Despite her struggles, Eva was able to pull through on the maze, sinking her ball and the other tribe’s chance at safety. Her tribe embraced her in a celebratory hug. But Eva continued to sob, yell, and breathe deeply, even well past the end of the challenge. Mere feet away, Joe leaned over, hands on his knees, like a baseball player ready to steal second. And, eyeing his intentions, Probst gave him the all-clear to go help Eva.
As Probst would say later in the episode, ordinarily, rules state that the tribes don’t interact with each other once the challenge is over. They’re expected to stay in their separate groupings through when rewards and immunity idols are doled out, and they’re sent back to their respective camps. But, as he explains on the official “On Fire” Survivor podcast, he felt this was a moment that transcended the rules.
“It really is just an in-the-moment gut call,” he explains. “You have to trust your instincts. But some moments bypass logic entirely. They don’t go through the usual filters. They just hit on something that’s deeper and more primal, and that’s what happened there in that moment. It wasn’t about rules or game or any precedent. It was about recognizing a human need and responding to it without hesitation. Because when emotion is that raw, you don’t weigh options. You take action, because you already know what’s right before your brain can even catch up.”
Related: Everything to Know About Survivor 48
Emotions were running high in the “mat chat” following the challenge. Joe explained how, despite his gesture showcasing how close he and Eva were, this was a moment where he wanted to showcase the person he is to his children. And Eva responded, in turn, by making a major reveal, telling the rest of the castaways about her autism.
“Everyone with autism should not be afraid to ask for help, or receive it,” she says, to words of affirmation and applause from her castmates.
And the surprise of Eva’s admission was followed up by another. “Eva, it takes so much courage to play Survivor for anybody. But for you to come out here knowing something like this might happen, and then be brave enough to share your story.”
He continues, and his voice begins to crack, tears brimming in his eyes, “There is a young girl or boy just like you watching right now going, Hey mom, hey dad. Now you got me. I’m a parent too, and I do see it.”
He stops himself, “Wow, this has never happened.” Yes, Jeff Probst did give his own commentary to bursting into tears on Survivor.
“But I see it too,” he concludes, “and it’s why I love Survivor.”
Related: Jeff Probst Reveals Survivor 48 Will Feature Never-Before-Seen Moments That ‘Transcend the Show’ (Exclusive)
Probst, of course, was asked about how he felt watching his incredibly emotional response back. “It still gets me every time I watch this scene, and I have watched it a lot. And if it happened again today, I would be emotional again. Because once you have the chance to be a parent, nothing is ever the same. And I consider it an honor to have witnessed this moment between Eva and Joe. I’m honored to be a part of a show that is designed to make space for moments like this to happen. And this is one of those Survivor moments that is bigger than the game. And I know there are families who watch Survivor and who are impacted by autism. And I hope that this moment gives them a sense of recognition and a feeling that your experiences are seen. That the challenges and the victories, whether they’re big or small, they all matter, that you’re navigating every day is noticed and respected.”
“And I believe that a moment like this can truly transcend,” he continues. “We had 125 crew members out there that day, and I talked with every single one of them after it was over. Every single person was impacted. This was a giant moment for us. We talked about it after it was over. Everybody was emotional because the moment was so beautiful. And it’s so powerful in its expression of care and connection. And it reminds us what it means to truly show up for each other.”
Probst mentioned how much being a parent led him to have such a reaction to what happened between Eva and Joe. But that begs the question, how would Jeff’s kids themselves respond to the scene?
“I rarely show a scene from Survivor to our kids,” he admits. “They’re old, they’re out in college, they’re doing their own thing. But I happened to be in New York, where they both live. And we were all together in the hotel, and I was watching this cut, so I showed him this scene because I was very proud of the way our team handled the storytelling. And they were watching it. I could tell they were into it for a moment. I thought, ‘Man, they might be kind of proud of me right now. I’m a part of this.’
“And then they saw me cry, and they erupted in laughter. And they started writing captions for the meme that it will become. And I started laughing with them, because it does sound like I’ve been drinking nonstop for about a week.”
Even if Probst’s family were eager to make memes once they saw him get the most emotional he’s ever been in 25 years working on the show, the impact that scene had on the Survivor crew family – as well as the families watching at home – is no laughing matter.
Related: Jeff Probst Gives ‘Survivor’ Fans Advice for Upcoming Season 50 Vote: ‘Take Us to the Next Evolution’ (Exclusive)
