Andy DehnartSurvivor has been on CBS for 40 seasons and almost 20 years, and in that time, we’ve learned a lot of Survivor secrets about what happens behind the scenes on CBS’s reality TV competition, like how it comes together.
With Survivor well into its 40s now, it’s a great opportunity to look back at some of the secrets—well, former secrets!—that have been revealed about how Survivor is produced.
While its had weak seasons and a few horrifying screw-ups, Survivor is an impressive production that required a lot of behind-the-scenes talent, from casting producers to the composer of the theme song, challenge designers to those who test the challenges.
I’ve gathered together these 13 stories—some of my favorites—which offer various kinds of deep dives into how Survivor comes together week after week, season after season. Enjoy!
Producers tell the cast what to wear—and even buy their clothes! John Cochran's sweater vest? He never owned one; it was purchased for him by the production.
What kind of toilet facilities do Survivor cast members have? Do they get toilet paper? Is their water in the well drinkable, or do they have to boil it?
Russ Landau wrote the Survivor theme, "Ancient Voices," and changed it every season—and he told me why he stopped working on the show.
Jeff Probst quit as Survivor's host in 2009, but he obviously changed his mind—in part because he came back with new job responsibilities.
Lynne Spillman is responsible for finding some of TV's most iconic characters, starting with Rich, Rudy, Kelly, and Sue. But Jeff Probst recently fired her.
In the Survivor rules, contestants learn about everything from how much they'll be paid to what behavior is prohibited. See the exact document that contestants are given before the game begins.
Look at the actual Survivor contract: the waivers, agreements that cast members sign—and also the documents their family members have to sign, too.
Probst's iconic shirts used to be dyed, off-the-rack clothes, but not any more.
They're called the Survivor Dream Team, and they're the people you see when there are helicopter shots of the challenges. Also: It takes 18 people to build Trial Council!
Among the many behind-the-scenes details Jeff Probst discussed in this podcast interview is why the show moved to Fiji instead of shifting to a new location every season.
When host Jeff Probst provides color commentary for challenges, he sometimes ends up saying things that sound like jokes—and they are.
The contestants vote however they want, but the producers arrange those votes in the most dramatic order possible.
The host of Survivor had previously been in “over 250 corporate videos” and was the “principle actor in over 150 commercials." Jimmy Fallon shared Probst's demo reel on his show, and the clips are amazing.