Why Are Older Contestants Rare on 'Survivor'? Jeff Probst Reveals the Casting Secrets

There are only two castaways on "Survivor" season 45 that are over thirty-five. None are in their fifties or sixties. If you haven’t watched the beloved reality competition since its early seasons, you might think this must be a one-year aberration, but over the years, "Survivor" has seemingly prioritized a younger core of castaways. That doesn’t mean we don’t see older players, but it feels like they’re fewer and further between. If you ask host Jeff Probst, however, there’s a reason for that.<br /><br />The longtime "Survivor" figurehead was recently on his podcast On Fire when the subject of current season players Bruce and Julie and their strong challenge performances came up. Co-host Rick Devens asked him why we don’t see more cast members who are older, and Jeff Probst responded with a thoughtful answer about applications.