“It's not a final two"—Survivor 47 host Jeff Probst talks about the duration of finale episodes and format

The finale of Survivor is always a highly anticipated event, with fans speculating on what changes or surprises might unfold each season. As the finale of Survivor 47 approaches, many fans have wondered if the show might return to its roots with a final two-cast format. However, in a recent announcement, host Jeff Probst confirmed that it will not be the case.

"It's not a final two, so I don't want to confuse or disappoint anybody. But I will say, it is a tremendous finish to a great season," Probst stated.

During episode 13 of the On Fire With Jeff Probst podcast on December 12, 2024, he discussed the unique structure and reasoning behind the upcoming finale.

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Survivor 47 finale: What to expect in part two?

A shift in Survivor’s finale format

The ongoing installment of Survivor is notable for being different due to the finale, which will be shortened to just two hours instead of a common three-hour event. Rather than the usual five finalists, only four players are set to compete at this year's finale, set for broadcast on December 18 on CBS.

Now, with the reduction to that number, some fans speculate that the show might go back to its roots of the old, final two-cast format. But Probst has now cleared up that confusion on the podcast: the final three format will stay.

Probst explained that the decision to split the finale into two episodes was influenced by CBS’s scheduling needs. In the latest episode of On Fire podcast, Probst shared that CBS approached the production team months before shooting Survivor 47 to ask if it would be feasible to extend the season to 14 episodes instead of the traditional 13.

Probst added that he and executive producer Matt Van Wagenen worked closely to break down the finale structure and determine how the season could conclude effectively within this new format.

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The decision to split the finale into two parts

Probst went on to discuss how the decision to divide the finale came about.

“It really started with CBS asking us months before we shot [the season] if it would be possible for season 47 to do 14 episodes instead of 13,” he said.

This change required some adjustments to the finale’s traditional format. Probst and his team considered various approaches to ensure that they could still highlight all the important moments of the season. As Probst explained:

“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.”

He emphasized that the traditional finales often ended up being too packed with content, leaving little room to explore the players' individual stories fully. Probst further highlighted:

"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."

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Why the format change works?

Despite the change in the number of contestants and the shortened finale length, Probst shared that the adjustments worked well for the season’s overall pacing.

"It actually really worked out because we could highlight things we didn't typically highlight,” Probst said.

Probst highlighted that the format change allowed the team to showcase more details from the final stages of the game.

“And it was a great reminder to us that sometimes you need to step back and examine what you're doing because just because you've always done it that way doesn't mean it always has to stay that way.”

He also underscored that this split approach would provide a deeper look at the remaining contestants as they head into the final challenges, leading up to the critical Tribal Council.

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Part two of the Survivor 47 finale will air on December 18, from 8-10 PM ET. Don't miss the dramatic conclusion as the players battle for the title of Sole Survivor.