Jeffrey Lee "Jeff" Probst (born
November 4,
1962)
is an
Emmy Award-winning
American game show host,
executive producer and a
reporter. He is best known for his role as the host of the U.S. version of the
reality show Survivor.
Biography
Probst was born in
Wichita, Kansas, but grew up primarily in
Bellevue, Washington. After graduating
Newport High School in 1980, he attended
Seattle Pacific University, and worked at
Boeing Motion Picture/
Television studio as a
producer and
narrator of
marketing videos. Probst was
divorced from his wife of five years, Shelley Wright, in 2001. In his spare time, Jeff is active in the
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.
In addition to
Survivor, Probst previously hosted the
FX network's original half-hour show dedicated to answering viewer letters,
Backchat (1996). He went on to serve as host of the
VH1 series
Rock & Roll Jeopardy! from 1998 to 2001), and was a correspondent for the syndicated program
Access Hollywood, during which he traveled a reported 300,000 miles. He has also written the screenplay for and directed an independent film, released in
2001, called
Finder's Fee. Jeff also does voice work for the
animated television program
Fillmore, as Vice-Principal Raycliff.
People magazine named Probst one of the "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2001. He often contributes to
Jeopardy! by giving
Survivor related clues from some of the show's venues, and has twice appeared on
Celebrity Jeopardy!, first in 2001 and again in 2003.
In 2005, Probst began dating 26-year-old
Survivor: Vanuatu contestant Julie Berry, an
East Carolina University graduate who was an athletic scholarship softball player. In a March 2008 interview with the
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Jeff revealed that they are no longer together.
[Nepales, Ruben V. (March 9, 2008). "Jeff Probst has survived and seen ’em all". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved on September 25, 2008.]
Probst was ordained as a minister by the
Universal Life Church in 1999. He remarried his parents for their 35th
wedding anniversary.
[USA WEEKEND Magazine]
Probst keeps the snuffer that he uses to snuff the torches (when a contestant is voted out of the game and Probst says "The tribe has spoken. It's time for you to go.", or "Per your wishes" when a contestant chooses to quit) as a
souvenir after every season of
Survivor.
Jeff Probst is also a Le Cordon Bleu Chef Graduate and cooks in his free time.
In 2007 he appeared in episode #1302 of
MADtv as himself, in a parody of
Lost.
In May 2008, Probst confirmed that he has signed on to host 4 more seasons of Survivor, putting him through season 20.
On September 21, 2008 Probst won the first
Primetime Emmy Award for
Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program.
['Mad Men,' '30 Rock' take top Emmy awards]
On
October 20,
2008,
TV Guide reported that Probst is developing a new reality TV series for
CBS called
Live Like You're Dying that will feature people with terminal illnesses being taken on "the last adventure of their life" before they die.
[Jeff Probst Hopes to "Inspire" with New Reality Series" TV Guide. October 20, 2008. Retrieved on October 24 2008.]