Jeff Probst Explains Why Survivor Finale Is 2 Parts

Host Jeff Probst is setting the record straight on why the Survivor finale is two parts.

“It really started with CBS asking us months before we shot if it would be possible for season 47 to do 14 episodes instead of 13,” Probst said on the Thursday, December 12, episode of the “On Fire” podcast. “They had some things they wanted to try in their schedule, and part of that working out would depend on whether or not we could do 14 episodes. So [executive producer] Matt [Van Wagenen] and I sat down and broke the finale down into parts and examined if and how we could pull it off.”

Probst explained that the two final episodes would break after Genevieve Mushaluk placed fifth.

“What we really quickly realized was, if we structured it so that part one got us down to four players, then in part two we could spend a lot more time with our final four as we lead into the final four challenge, and then the fire-making, and then the final three, and then the final Tribal Council,” Probst said. “Because typically our finales are so full of content that we end up not having enough time to show all the stories we’d like to show.”

The Survivor finale will last two hours instead of three with only four players — Rachel LaMont, Sam Phalen, Sue Smey, and Teeny Chirichillo — advancing to the December 18 finale, rather than the usual five. Viewers will now get an extra hour of Survivor when the season is all said and done.

“It actually really worked out because we could highlight things we didn’t typically highlight,” Probst said. “And it was a great reminder to us that sometimes you need to step back and examine what you’re doing — just because you’ve always done it that way doesn’t mean it always has to stay that way.”

Now that there are only four people in the finale — rather than the typical five — fans wondered whether there could be a return to the final two format.

When asked whether it’s possible to have a final three that becomes a final two, Probst replied, “That would be the way I would’ve set it up if we were doing a final two. It’s certainly possible, but I don’t want to have speculation that goes nowhere.”

Probst explained that it’s not a final two. “I don’t want to confuse or disappoint anybody,” he said. “But I will say, it is a tremendous finish to a great season.”

The Survivor season 47 finale airs on CBS Wednesday, December 18, at 8 p.m. ET.