Jeff Probst Hilariously Describes What ‘Survivor’ Contestants Really Smell Like

When 18 people are stranded on an island for 26 days without a bar of soap or deodorant, there’s no way around it: It’s going to stink. And as the host of “Survivor,” it’s Jeff Probst‘s job to get up close and personal with it all. So what does it actually smell like when Probst hugs a marooned-without-a-shower contestant or reaches in to hang an immunity necklace around their neck? He just gave the most hilarious answer.

“We describe it as a combination of campfire, which is kind of nice, and then an old gym locker that hasn’t been opened in months, and that’s not quite as nice,” Probst revealed on his On Fire With Jeff Probst podcast, as reported by Entertainment Weekly. “It becomes a kind of pungent, but very recognizable, eau of ‘Survivor.’”

Still, Probst, who has hosted all 48 seasons of “Survivor,” is a seasoned pro, and he doesn’t let a little (or a lot) of body odor get in the way of doing his job. “They smell. It’s part of the world. . . but it actually never enters my mind,” he told his co-host, “Survivor” season 47 winner, Rachel LaMont. “I’m in an improv the entire 26 days I’m on ‘Survivor.’ I just go wherever it is. So I stay focused.”

Jeff Probst Reflects on 25 Years of Survivor

Ahead of the currently airing 48th season of “Survivor,” Probst sat down with “CBS Mornings” to talk about the show has evolved over its 25-year (and counting) run. “[The audience will] give you permission to try new things,” he said of the various game-changing elements the show has introduced and killed over time. “They tell you when they don’t like it. But they don’t abandon you.”

“[Survivor] is a complicated adventure,” Probst added.

One element with undeniable staying power is Probst’s uniform on the show, which consists of a blue safari shirt and “Survivor”-branded hat. Ahead of the show’s premiere season, “Survivor” creator and producer Mark Burnett told Probst to “go out and get something that looks like an adventure outfit,” the host recalled. The first season’s shirts were purchased in Malaysia, and although Probst initially grappled with the idea of having a “uniform,” he eventually grew to love the now-iconic look.

Jeff Probst Reveals Survivor Season 50’s Major Plot Twist

Though the show is currently airing its 48th season, fans are already eagerly awaiting the 50th season, which will feature a huge plot twist.

“Season 50 is in your hands,” Probst revealed via a February Instagram post. “That’s right, you heard me. We are turning the game over to you. Throughout the airing of season 48, we’re going to be opening votes for you to determine key elements that will shape season 50 for our returning players, before they even get out to Fiji. So if you wanna know when these votes will drop, you gotta be watching season 48. The good news is, it’s a very good season!”