'Survival' Host Jeff Probst Shed a Tear For the First Time on the Show

Survival has been airing on CBS since May 31, 2000. Something happened during the March 26, 2025 episode that has never happened before on the reality competition show. Host Jeff Probst is typically focused on narrating all the action and needling contestants who perform badly. The stoic host shed a tear in Season 48, Episode 5 at the Tribal Council. So, what caused him to become emotional?

About Contestant Eva Erickson

Eva Erickson, a 24-year-old contestant from Rhode Island, shared on the first episode that as a child, she was diagnosed with autism. She said that doctors initially told her parents she would never function “normally” and probably wouldn’t ever live independently. Even so, Eva is competing for $1 million on a deserted island in Fiji along with other contestants.

Eva is living independently and thriving. She is a PhD student at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.

She initially shared her diagnosis with only one cast member: Joe Hunter, a 45-year-old fire captain who immediately acted as a father figure when he heard Eva’s story. Eva explained to Joe that she’s prone to “episodes” in which she can’t regulate her emotions, and she gave him instructions on how to help her regain control if one of those episodes happened during the series.

During the Immunity Challenge

Eva was close to losing the immunity challenge at the end of the immunity challenge. Eva became frustrated and in tears as the pressure mounted. She eventually succeeded, but once the game ended, the overstimulation was too much, and Eva broke down. That was an episode she had warned Joe about.

Joe was concerned, but he is on a different tribe and was helpless. Technically, he was not allowed to approach Eva as she struggled to calm herself down, but he shouted encouragement from nearby until Probst noticed what was happening and asked Joe if he would like to give Eva a hug.

Having been told exactly what Eva would need in a situation like this, Joe embraced her, encouraged her to breathe, held her hands, and encouraged her until she could come back into her body and explain what had been happening to the host and the rest of the cast.

Probst praised Eva as he started to choke up:

“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 — 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. Wow. This has never happened. But I see it too, and it’s why I love Survivor.”

In a post-show interview, Eva told PEOPLE how much it meant to see her story touch Probst.

“It was crazy seeing Jeff cry — I’d never seen that. Seeing Jeff get so emotional about the situation and thinking about his own family and his kids, that was the moment when it hit me, that this is a moment that is going to be remembered. He’s seen so many people and been through so much through all of years of Survivor, and now seeing that this moment broke him, I was like, okay, this is bigger than I can imagine.”

Probst posted on Instagram that the exchange was one of the most powerful moments in Survivor history. He watched someone from an opposite team put the game aside to help someone who needed his help.

The host of Survivor concluded:

“It’s the beauty of the Survivor format. It’s why I remain still, to this day, 48 seasons later, so proud to be a part of this team.”