“Survivor 50” finalists discuss how they planned to win the record prize

If you thought Aubry Bracco came out of nowhere to win the historic “Survivor 50” title on Wednesday night, you’re not alone. That was exactly the point, she said.

“When you have 23 incredible players, you have to know when to put your foot on the gas, when to slow down, and there are a lot of times when I go, ‘Oh, this is happening over here, let the attention go there.’ … You remain in the pocket and wait to strike when it is your moment,” Bracco told “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King on Thursday.

The New Hampshire native, who initially starred in season 32, took home the record $2 million prize on Wednesday night’s finale. Bracco made it to the final three in “Survivor: Kaôh Rōng,” but came up short in the final vote.

“I’m always having an out-of-body experience on ‘Survivor,'” Bracco told “CBS Mornings.” “[Host] Jeff [Probst] can attest, it has been 10 years and I came up just short, and you always taste it when you get that close.”

On Thursday’s episode of “CBS Mornings,” the five finalists and Probst, who has hosted all 50 seasons of the show, discussed in-depth their strategy of how to win the show, which featured contestants from previous seasons, on Thursday.

“It is ultimately a game of social politics, and the big twist of ‘Survivor’ is you are getting rid of people that then in the end you have to persuade to give you $2 million,” Probst said. “That’s a tough thing do.”

Tiffany Nicole Ervin, who orginially appeared on season 46, said she thought she was voted out because she had “too many friends” on the jury, which made those still in the game concerned she would earn their votes if she made the final three. 

“I think that’s why I was voted out, because I was friends with everybody on the jury,” Ervin said. “I think that’s a part of what makes you a threat.”

While Bracco tried to stay out of everyone’s minds, Jonathan Young wanted everyone to underestimate him.

“I thought about ‘Survivor’ every day for four years,” Young, who initially appeared on season 42, said. “Because I played a game, I knew if you watched me, you didn’t see any strategy. I was just the big guy. So, if I wear the same clothes, if I act similar, then nobody would believe I had any strategy — and most people didn’t.”

Ervin, a New Jersey native, said she looked at “Survivor” as an “athletic competition” and had total confidence in her strategy. 

“I absolutely thought it was going to be me [who won],” Ervin said. “You don’t play a game like ‘Survivor 50,’ coming in not thinking you will be the winner.”

On falling short again

Rizo Velovic had a very different experience than most of the other contestants. He appeared on season 49, and had only nine days in-between seasons, he said.

“Falling short twice obviously sucks, but to know that I’m a part of history is something that I wear as a badge of honor,” Velovic said.

Velovic, the New York native who crowned himself with the nickname RizGod, finished fourth in the last season and repeated the finish in “Survivor 50.”

Ervin, who finished eighth in season 46, was fifth in this year’s all-star show. But she had no regrets about how she played the game. 

“It is so hard to regulate your emotions when you are playing a game like ‘Survivor,'” Ervin said. “You are hungry, you are tired. You are giving your literal blood, sweat and tears into these challenges.”

“I love this game so much. It is so hard not to get emotionally invested, and above all else we are passionate,” she added. “It is so difficult not for that passion to ooze out of my pores when something is going on or whether something is going good.”

Probst explains live TV mistake

Before chatting with the contestants, King asked Probst about what happened when he accidentally revealed Velovic had lost a challenge during the live show before the taped segment had aired.

As Velovic stood next to him on stage, Probst commented that he hadn’t managed to light a campfire in the challenge that would determine the final three contestants. 

“I don’t know if there’s something in there to think about,” Probst said on the finale. “Anyway, Rizo, you’ve become the final member of our jury. Take a spot over here.”

The entire cast of the show immediately flagged Probst had messed up and the taped segment from the island hadn’t aired yet.

On Thursday’s “CBS Mornings” interview, the host explained why the mistake happened. 

“What is happening when you are doing a ‘Survivor’ finale is two things: You are running the show, the episode, and then doing the live hits where I come out and talk to one of the players,” he said. “I’m not watching the show. I’m backstage getting ready for my funny question with Rizo about if only he had practiced fire-making.” 

“So, I come out. We are all set up on the stage. We have an empty seat for Rizo. I don’t think anything is weird. It wasn’t until I started talking to Rizo about losing in fire that I’m telling —we had 1,200 people there — I could collectively feel the energy go to an emoji like this,” Probst said, mimicking the shocked-face emoji.

“What happened, I’m still not sure. We have a big team, mistakes happen. But we got ahead of ourselves,” he said.

Probst relayed that Rizo later told him he was confused what was happening as well. The host said Rizo told him, “I don’t know why he is sending me to the jury, I haven’t lost yet.” 

“Live TV,” Probst said.