"I am slightly panicked": Survivor 49 host Jeff Probst on Rizo's fake idol play at Tribal Council

Survivor season 49 returned with a new episode on November 26, 2025. The segment saw Rizo Velovic not only stun his castmates but also catch the host, Jeff Probst, off guard with his fake idol game at Tribal Council. 

Shortly after the episode aired, Jeff appeared on the latest episode of the On Fire With Jeff Probst podcast, where he reacted to Rizo’s unexpected move, saying:

“Our idols today are so basic that it is very easy to fake one. And that’s by design. That’s why we make them basic so that players can create fake ones … So, I am slightly panicked going, ‘I wanna see in his hand.’ I’m looking for a clue. ‘What’s in his hand? Is that the real idol or is this a fake one? Because I don’t know!”

The situation came to a head when Rizo decided to trick the tribesmates by cashing in a fake idol at the Tribal Council. His move surprised his co-stars, who knew the immunity idol would change the dynamics of the game. 

However, when he handed it to the Survivor host, he announced that it was a fake one. While Rizo smiled, feeling satisfied by the trick he pulled, especially since everyone in the tribe knew he had an idol, his co-stars were caught off guard. 

What did Survivor star Rizo say at Tribal Council that left Jeff confused?

In the latest episode of Survivor, called Huge Doze of Bamboozle, Rizo shocked the cast with an interesting play on immunity idols. 

Once the Tribal Council began, Rizo told Jeff that he loved “this game.”

“This is all just hoopla to me. It’s just everybody going out there and saying what they want to say,” he said.

Later, he left his seat and joined Jeff with an idol in hand. He then asked Jeff’s permission to say a few words and said:

“Let’s have a little bit of fun here. I feel like a lot has happened, and I feel like this vote is truly going to show who’s with me or who’s not. And I have to do what’s best to protect myself in this game. And for that very reason, I’m playing it for Savannah.”

That said, he handed his idol to the CBS host. After a close examination, Jeff declared that the object was “not a hidden immunity idol.”

The revelation left the cast in complete shock, while Rizo took pride in what he accomplished, knowing he managed to keep his idol in play once again.

Reflecting on everything that Rizo did at Tribal Council, Jeff admitted that “in that moment,” he had no clue about what the Survivor star was going to do. 

“I don’t know what he’s going to present to me or for whom he might play whatever he presents to me,” he said. 

Jeff’s confusion worsened because regular and fake idols in the new era looked similar, and he had difficulty differentiating between the two. 

He mentioned that there was no clue that he could refer to for identification. Consequently, he had to know what each idol looked like. Although it was a difficult job, Jeff noted that it was an “electrifying” exercise. 

Co-host and Survivor winner Jeremy Collins appreciated Rizo’s gameplay, noting that he was “definitely showing off.” Nonetheless, he saw it as a strategic move. 

The Survivor episode also saw Jawan take Rizo’s torch after his elimination. However, Jeff confirmed that they gave Rizo his torch back. 

Stay tuned for more updates.