In a recent episode of his podcast On Fire, Jeff Probst, the long-standing host of the CBS competition series, shed light on the absence of past winners from the latest season. Joined by podcast cohost and former winner Jeremy Collins, Probst shared that the decision to exclude winners from the Winners at War season stemmed from the fact that viewers had just seen them compete in a significant and memorable season. “We made a decision not to bring any of the winners from Winners at War because we had just seen them and it was a big season,” Probst explained. He added, “And I know a lot of people are going to miss players like Jeremy, but that was the reason why. That simple.”

The decision highlights a critical aspect of the show’s casting process: popularity alone doesn’t ensure a contestant’s return. Additionally, some former contestants, including Rob, have opted to step away from the competitive scene for a while. Rob, who was recently seen on the show Traitors, shared his current stance with People magazine in April. “At this point, I’m kind of just hanging out,” he said. “I don’t have a desire to go back and compete in that realm right now. I’m going to take a little break, the kids are off for the summer.”

“At this point, I’m kind of just hanging out,” Boston Rob told People in April. “I don’t have a desire to go back and compete in that realm right now. I’m going to take a little break, the kids are off for the summer.”