Survivor host Jeff Probst trolled over 'worst TV blunder of all time' during live show finale

It was supposed to be a thrilling end to Survivor 50, but Jeff Probst managed to turn the live finale into a cringe-worthy moment that fans will not soon forget.

The 64-year-old host accidentally spoiled a major twist, revealing that contestant Rizo Velovic had lost the crucial fire-making challenge before viewers had even seen the pre-taped segment. 

'Camp life is also about fire-making,' Probst said as Velovic stood beside him onstage in Los Angeles.

Then came the slip. 'I don’t know if there’s something in there to think about, anyway, Rizo, you’ve become the final member of our jury. Take a spot over here,' he said, inadvertently confirming Velovic had been eliminated.

He started to speak again before suddenly halting mid-sentence, with fellow contestants quickly pointing out the gaffe, saying, 'The fire hasn’t happened yet.'  

'Huh?' Probst replied, looking genuinely baffled, adding, 'I’m not even sure what’s happened,' before CBS mercifully cut to commercial.  

Fans, naturally, went wild on social media. 

One posted, 'As someone who missed the Will Smith slap live, this was the wildest live TV moment I’ve ever seen. RIP to whoever just lost their job.'

Others were less forgiving.'‘Well now they’re definitely not going to have any more live finales,' one wrote.

Another seethed, 'Coming back on air and trying to laugh & make a joke out of the mistake instead of apologizing for ruining one of the biggest scenes of the season is just ugly and inexcusable.'

Some users opted for sarcastic farewell messages: 'Thank you for your years of service #JeffProbst!! Time to ride off into the sunset.'

Another quipped, 'Dude ran the show for 50 seasons and 26 years without a major screwup then goes live for the first time since 2019 and spoils his own twist.'

Not everyone was ready to throw Probst under the bus. 

One fan defended him, asking, 'How tf is this Jeff's fault and not the producers?'

After the commercial break, Probst attempted to clarify the mess. 

'Alright, so, I love doing live television,' he began, greeted by a cheering audience.

He then joked, 'In case you’re confused, this is what happened. We were going to show you fire-making, and then have the loser of fire-making, Rizo, come out and talk about if he had practiced fire-making maybe he would’ve won. 

'Instead, we did a Survivor twist, it’s the last twist of the season. We call it, "A peek into the future." So now, we’re going to watch Rizo lose in a fire to Jonathan.'

The finale wrapped with Aubry Bracco claiming victory over Jonathan Young and Joe Hunter at the Final Tribal Council, taking home the $2 million prize.

Probst’s live-TV slip may have stolen headlines in the U.S., but the Survivor franchise has been dealing with far more harrowing drama overseas. 

Just days before the finale, filming for Survivor Greece was abruptly paused after a shocking accident left contestant Stavros Floros, 21, with a partial leg amputation.

The beekeeper reportedly suffered the horrifying injury while spearfishing off the coast of the Dominican Republic during a break from filming. 

According to the Toronto Sun, Floros was ‘diving without a surface marker buoy in an area frequented by tourist vessels’ when a passing boat ‘accidentally struck him.’

The vessel’s outboard propellers caused ‘severe injuries to his legs, including a partial amputation of the left leg and significant trauma to the right ankle,’ the outlet reported.

AcunMedya, the production company behind the series, confirmed an investigation is underway. 

‘From the very first moment, there was an immediate response to provide assistance and safely transport the injured contestant,’ it said, adding that ‘competent port authorities are investigating the causes of the incident in order to fully determine the circumstances.’

Floros ‘remains hospitalized in serious but stable condition and is out of danger,’ the company assured. Meanwhile, SKAI TV announced the 13th season of Survivor Greece will be suspended ‘until the causes of the accident are fully investigated,’ promising to support the contestant’s treatment, hospitalization, and rehabilitation.

Although the show has never had a fatality, both in Greece and the U.S., it has seen its fair share of frightening incidents. 

Season 49 of the U.S. edition saw Jake Latimer bitten by a venomous water snake while wading in shallow Fijian waters, resulting in a medical evacuation and an early exit from the game.