‘Survivor’ host Jeff Probst remembers Sonja Christopher as ‘always joy, always happy’: ‘She was just a cool woman’ [EXCLUSIVE]

Saturday night in Hollywood, “Survivor” staged a massive Emmys For Your Consideration event featuring perennial host Jeff Probst, past contestants, authentic challenges, and island-themed drinks and bites. With the recent death of Sonja Christopher still on the minds of fans, Gold Derby chatted exclusively with Probst about his thoughts on the first-ever contestant to be voted off of CBS’s reality TV show.

“Every time I saw Sonja,” Probst remembered, “whether it was on the first season when she was tripping in the first challenge and that kind of doomed her, or when I would see her at ‘Survivor’ events, she was always joy, always happy, always wanting to know how you were doing. And I thought it was pretty interesting that first season, that the first person voted out was Sonja, who had recovered from cancer and came with her ukulele just to have some fun — and then the person who wins is the villain [Richard Hatch]. And there’s ‘Survivor.'”

The four-time Emmy-winning host added, “Sonja never had any ill will about it, she never cared that she was the first off. She was just a cool woman.” Sonja is now the third person from “Survivor: Borneo” to pass away, following Rudy Boesch in 2019 and B.B. Andersen in 2013. “We’ve lost a few people and it’s hard,” Probst told me.

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Even though Sonja’s time on the island was short (just three days), her impact is still felt 24 years later. “Survivor” fans and former castaways spent much of the weekend telling stories about her life on social media. Journalist Mike Bloom shared the video of Sonja playing her ukulele for Richard from Episode 1 and noted, “Two members of the LGBTQ+ community connect through song.”

One of the first scenes in #Survivor history is also one of its simplest. Two members of the LGBTQ+ community connect through song. The soon-to-be first person voted out serenades the man who will become the first winner of the show

RIP Sonja Christopher pic.twitter.com/KRq4aF9YwZ

— Mike Bloom (@AMikeBloomType) April 26, 2024

Current Season 46 contestant Liz Wilcox was the first person to announce Sonja’s death on social media. “I hope you’re singing + playing your heart out somewhere beautiful, Sonja,” she wrote.

And one of Sonja’s Season 1 cast members, Gervase Peterson, posted, “You’re a legend and I’m thankful for the memories we made. I can hear you playing your ukulele with that big smile.”

Elsewhere at the Emmys FYC event, Probst made big news when he revealed that Season 50 of the competition show will welcome back returning players. The last time former castaways came back to the game was Season 40, the iconic “Winners at War” installment, so this news is a long time coming indeed. “Survivor 50” is expected to film in Spring 2025 and air in early 2026.

Jeff Probst just announced that Season 50 of #Survivor will be all returning players. Bring. It. On. pic.twitter.com/139Kr6qpQs

— Marcus James Dixon (@marcusdixon) April 28, 2024

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