Jeff Probst is the man. He produces, hosts, runs through every challenge and keeps the castaways on their toes at all times. He is involved in absolutely every aspect of Survivor, yet he still made time for ET Canada. Jeff is also an ageless wonder. He looks almost identical in season 31 as he did in season 1.

I met Probst last November at a CBS junket, and we had an instant connection. During one of our chats I joked about him having ET Canada to the Survivor set. Seven months later I was sitting across from him at base camp. This still baffles my mind, and I’m so grateful he gave us the opportunity to be the first Canadian TV show to have this kind of Survivor access.



I used to think that I would excel at the game of Survivor, but as the game has progressed, so has the scheming and backstabbing. I am self aware enough to know that I am just not made of that stuff. Jeff, on the other hand, thinks I might have some game in me. He’s obviously never seen me “hangry”;.









As you can see, our interview setup was pretty extensive. The changing lighting conditions, wind and randy beach dogs (caught on camera lol) kept our crew hopping. I, on the other hand, just basked in the Probst glow.





Loved picking Jeff’s brain about all things Survivor. I was seriously impressed by how much he knows about this game and his desire to keep it fresh every season. He also revealed that as much as he loves to look back at previous seasons, the secret to his success is living in the moment. I concur, Probst!



Sticking with anything for 15 years is a feat, and Probst has done that and kept this game fresh and exciting. For him it always has been, an always will be, about telling good stories.







This was such a huge moment for us. Jeff had agreed to jump in as co-anchor of our special at the very last minute. The light was fading, and we were – of course – having serious technical difficulties. The audio was cutting in and out and stress levels were high, but Daniel (pictured here) kept us all focused and positive.







Tribal Council is a trip. It ran almost 2 hours long and was completely unrehearsed. Probst controls it all on the fly without the aid of producers or prompting. Plus, the set designers have outdone themselves this year with a set that includes ponds full of huge Koi fish and roaring fires everywhere. It’s hot and intense – especially when someone snuffs out your torch.





After the 2 hr Tribal Council, we were given access to the set and Jeff. I couldn’t believe he could still form sentences after all those intense interactions. But, once again, Probst brought his A game and even gave me a few props for my challenge attempts. I guess entertainment hosts don’t typically eat scorpions. I still can’t believe I did that, and had my torch snuffed in the middle of the Cambodian jungle, by Mr. Survivor himself.