Probst had told EW back in May that the polarizing twist would return. But producers ended up having a change of heart and came up with a new addition to the game, much to the surprise of the players (which number 18 after two left the show for medical reasons, just 48 hours before shooting began). “We decided, we have this arena being built: What if instead of [Redemption Island], we use it for something else. Something that will make Blood vs. Water a little more… interesting,” Probst tells EW, directly from the set of the 29th season now filming in Nicaragua. Listen to the interview below.