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.

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.