‘Survivor’ Alum Recalls Why Jeff Probst Once Got Angry and Stopped a Challenge
In the world of reality television, no show looms larger than Survivor. The series has become a cultural touchstone and is still going strong in its 44th season. Over the years, a mythology has emerged around Survivor, with fans eager to discuss the show, its contestants, and the many challenges. Season 38 contestant Kelley Wentworth recently discussed one challenge and why longtime host Jeff Probst stepped in to stop it.
Kelley Wentworth appeared in ‘Survivor’ Season 38
Wentworth is a Survivor alum who has appeared in multiple seasons of the hit reality TV series, starting with Survivor: San Juan del Sur. Although she immediately showed strong survival and team-building skills, things began to go downhill for Wentworth when she was sent to the rival Coyopa tribe to be with her father. There, she lasted only a brief time before she was voted out.
In her exit interview, Wentworth said, “I’m impressed by the game move of the other players.” She added, “I’m pissed at myself because I had an idol in my pocket. I can’t believe I’m that person. So now I’m that dumb Survivor player,” according to Gold Derby.
Wentworth eventually returned to the Survivor family on Survivor: Cambodia. Since then, she has continued to hype the franchise, regularly taking interviews and competing in other shows such as The Price Is Right.
Although Wentworth has been open about her love for the series, she doesn’t shy away from dishing on the show’s more dramatic moments.
What did Kelley Wentworth say about Jeff Probst stopping a challenge?
In a recent interview on The Ringer Reality TV Podcast, Wentworth discussed a memorable moment when host Jeff Probst stepped in to halt a challenge.
“I’ve only been stopped when people are doing the puzzle wrong. Jeff takes that very seriously … if you are placing the pieces down when you aren’t supposed to,” Wentworth told fellow Survivor alum Tyson Apostol.
“We were taking wooden pieces and sliding them together to make an image,” she continued. “Whoever was doing the puzzle — I don’t want to name names — I think they were putting the pieces on the ground first, which is typically a no-no. You can’t just solve it on the ground and then put it in. I remember Jeff came over, and he was like, ‘Do you want me to effing stop this right now?!’ I don’t know that it stopped completely, but it was very close … We usually just have one take [for the challenges]. He’s just very passionate about that.”
Other memorable ‘Survivor’ challenges
The challenge Wentworth referred to is only one of the many memorable Survivor challenges that have taken place over the years.
Among them is “Quest for Fire.” It requires players to run an obstacle course while lighting multiple fires. And in “When It Rains, It Pours,” contestants stand under a structure that features a large bucket of water. Players must hold the bucket up using their arms or risk getting soaked if they give way under the bucket’s weight.
But arguably the most notorious is “Piranha Feast” (aka “Hungry for Love” and “Pig Out”). This now-defunct Survivor challenge saw contestants using their mouths to rip chunks of meat off a roasted animal and place them in a basket. The tribe with the most meat when the timer stopped won.
For fans, the challenges are one of the best parts of Survivor, a show that has endured for its creativity and the passion and dedication of everyone involved.
