The Exclusive With Sharon Tharp

Joe Hunter joins The Exclusive after finishing in third place on Survivor 50 to reflect on one of the emotional Final Tribal Council and why he felt many jury members were “locked in” before the questioning even began. The two-time finalist opens up about the difficulty of returning for an all-star season, the criticism he’s received from fans, and why he refused to “play a character” just to fit what viewers wanted from him. Joe also discusses his personal bond with Rizo, including the emotional fire-making moment where he stepped in to help him, and explains why that decision mattered more to hi...

Survivor 50 runner-up Jonathan Young joins The Exclusive to reflect on his emotional Final Tribal Council loss to Aubry and why he believes modern Survivor juries may value “middle” gameplay differently than aggressive strategic control. The Survivor 42 alum opens up about evolving beyond the “challenge beast” label this season, talking with Boston Rob before the game, and why he thought his more flexible and socially active approach would resonate with the jury. Jonathan also reacts to Aubry’s underdog story dominating the finale conversation, shares his thoughts on jury dynamics and Ponderosa influence, and breaks down the brutal immunity challenge where he threw u...

Aubry Bracco joins The Exclusive fresh off her long-awaited victory on Survivor 50 to reflect on finally rewriting her Survivor story nearly a decade after Kaoh Rong. The fan-favorite opens up about intentionally playing a more patient and perception-focused game this time around, why she learned to “keep her doors open” socially, and how years of studying her past losses ultimately helped her secure the win. Aubry also breaks down the emotional challenge of voting out allies like Ozzy and Cirie, explains why Tiffany became her “Survivor angel,” and reveals the strategic thinking behind wanting to sit next to Jonathan and Joe...

Survivor: China winner Todd Herzog joins The Exclusive to break down the Survivor 50 Final 5 and predict who will ultimately take home the $2 million prize. Todd shares his candid thoughts on Joe and Jonathan’s “old school” style of gameplay, why he believes Tiffany could win if she survives Final 5, and whether Rizo’s flashy betrayal of Cirie and Ozzy was actually a smart move. He also weighs in on Aubry’s edit, Amanda Kimmel almost returning for the season, the impact of pre-gaming in all-star Survivor, and why Final Tribal Council could be far messier than fans expect.

Big Brother 25 and The Amazing Race 38 star Izzy Gleicher joins The Exclusive to break down the emotional Survivor 50 episode that saw Cirie Fields and Rick Devens sent packing just before the finale. The reality TV superfan reacts to Cirie’s brutal exit edit, debates whether Rizo made a game-ending mistake by turning on his closest ally, and explains why she believes Aubry is now the frontrunner to win the season. Izzy also weighs in on Tiffany’s underrated game, Jonathan and Joe’s jury chances, the chaos of the Final 5, and why the Survivor 50 reunion could get very messy.

The latest player voted out of Survivor 50, Rick Devens, joins The Exclusive to break down his “messy” gameplay, the fake idol move that turned him into a massive target, and why he has no regrets about playing Survivor on “hard mode.” The fan-favorite strategist opens up about the emotional reaction to his return season, reveals that members of the jury told him they were rooting for him to win, and explains the key difference between his chaotic gameplay style and Joe's “honor and integrity” approach. Rick also reflects on getting close to Final Tribal Council, being an alternate, and why he’d say yes...

The latest player voted out of Survivor 50, Cirie Fields, joins The Exclusive to reflect on her emotional elimination and what many fans are calling her most impressive game yet. The Survivor legend opens up about why she knew nobody would let her reach Final Tribal, responds to Stephenie's comments about loyalty, and shares her honest feelings on Rizo writing her name down. Cirie also reacts to Ozzy’s game-ending mistake, explains why certain players were never viewed as real jury threats, and reveals what her relationship with Aubry was actually like on the island. Plus, Cirie discusses whether she’d ev...

America’s Culinary Cup showrunner Josh Silberman joins The Exclusive following the season finale to break down how the hit CBS cooking competition came together — from the Survivor-inspired twists and strategy elements to Padma Lakshmi’s hands-on role behind the scenes. Silberman opens up about designing the million-dollar finale, Jeff Probst’s reaction to the format, and why he wanted the chefs to win or lose based strictly on their food rather than gimmicks. The producer also shares emotional memories of bonding with his late mother over Top Chef, reveals the hidden Taylor Swift Easter eggs planted throughou...

Survivor 43's Jesse Lopez joins The Exclusive to recap a wild episode of Survivor 50, including Ozzy's emotional blindside and Emily's nearly game-changing move against Cirie. Jesse breaks down why Ozzy’s attempt at jury management completely backfired, explains why Emily’s risky strategy would have earned her “immediate legend status” if it had worked, and reacts to Cirie once again proving why she’s one of the greatest to ever play. Jesse also weighs in on Joe's “honor and integrity” approach to the game, Rick Devens’ chaotic energy this season, Rizo’s position moving forward, and whether anyone can actually beat Cirie at the

The latest player voted out of Survivor 50, Ozzy Lusth, joins The Exclusive for an emotional conversation about the “worst decision” of his Survivor career and the regret he feels after choosing not to play his idol. The Survivor legend breaks down the jury management strategy that backfired, explains why he believes Rizo made a game-ending mistake by turning on him, and reflects on the heartbreaking blindside that left him feeling “numb.” Ozzy also opens up about his complicated family story and the emotional scene involving his father, reveals how closely he worked with Cirie throughout the game, and shares why he was t...

The latest player voted out of Survivor 50, Emily Flippen, joins The Exclusive to unpack her “hot mess express” game, the emotional fallout from Ozzy’s shocking blindside, and why she believes getting voted out on Day 21 may have been a “blessing in disguise.” Emily breaks down her failed “Hail Mary” plan with Rick Devens, reveals how worried she was about becoming a no-vote finalist, and reflects on the chaotic relationships that defined her season — including her rocky dynamic with Ozzy, her close alliance with Christian, and her struggles with Jonathan. She also reacts to the infamous rice situation, shares behind-the-scenes insight into Sur...

Rick Devens may have just delivered the biggest moment of Survivor 50 so far — and Domenick Abbate is here to break it all down. The Ghost Island runner-up joins The Exclusive to unpack Devens’ “MVP” fake idol play, the chaotic Tribal Council that flipped the game, and why this might be one of the best episodes in recent memory. Dom explains how creativity separates great players from good ones, and whether Devens’ bold move actually helps or hurts his chances to win. Plus, Dom weighs in on Cirie’s dominant social game, Stephenie’s critical misstep, the controversial coin flip twist, and how the sh...

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick, the latest player voted out of Survivor 50, joins The Exclusive to break down the wild Tribal Council that ended her game. The four-time player opens up about trusting Cirie Fields despite years of history, why she now calls that her biggest mistake, and how she believes her entire alliance was quietly taken out “one by one” without her realizing what was happening. She also reacts to Joe and Jonathan writing her name down, the coin toss twist she ultimately passed on, and why she says communication breakdowns led to her downfall. Plus, Stephenie reflects on the social game...

The latest chefs eliminated from Top Chef Season 23, Jennifer Lee Jackson and Justin Tootla, join The Exclusive for a candid exit interview breaking down the shocking turn that led to both of their departures. Jennifer opens up about the scary medical emergency that forced her to step away mid-competition—and what it was like realizing something was seriously wrong in real time. Justin reveals what went into his emotional decision to turn down the chance to return and replace her, explaining why leaving to support Jennifer was the only option.The duo also reflect on competing together as...

Top Chef showrunner Doneen Arquines joins The Exclusive to break down the high-stakes Restaurant Wars episode and reveal what really happens behind the scenes. The longtime producer explains why the fan-favorite challenge is “like Survivor’s merge,” what goes into building the restaurants from scratch, and how close calls at Judges’ Table are actually decided. Doneen also shares insight into common strategy mistakes chefs make—from vague “global” concepts to risky role choices—and weighs in on whether contestants should speak up when they disagree with a dish.Plus, she opens up about the evolution of Top Chef over 20+ se...

Survivor winner Jeremy Collins joins The Exclusive to break down the Jimmy Fallon twist that shook up the game and Cirie Fields’ “magical” social strategy this season. He reacts to the latest Tribal Council, explains the key decision that shifted the vote, and shares why some players are thriving while others are unraveling. Jeremy also weighs in on Devens’ chaotic gameplay, the risks of playing too hard too fast, and what it really takes to build a winning resume in today’s Survivor.

The latest player voted out of Survivor 50, Christian Hubicki, joins The Exclusive to break down the chaotic Tribal Council that led to his blindside and the series of moves he says “really messed things up.” The fan-favorite strategist reacts to the controversial Jimmy Fallon twist that forced him to vote for himself, explains how throwing out Ozzy's name to Cirie shifted the target onto him, and shares why he ignored key warning signs that his name would be written down at Tribal. Christian also dives into Rick Devens’ flashy fake idol play, gives credit to Cirie’s subtle social game, and reve...

Big Brother runner-up and House of Villains finalist Paul Abrahamian joins The Exclusive to break down the Season 3 finale, including where things went wrong in the final challenge and the strategy that could have secured him the win. Paul reflects on being underestimated as the “dumb stoner rocker,” why he believes he could’ve won sitting next to the right players, and how a “bitter jury” may have impacted his chances. He also reacts to the final three, shares his unfiltered thoughts on key moves that weren’t owned, and explains why intimidation—not strategy—ultimately defined the winner. Plus, Paul opens up ab...

Big Brother 16 winner and Traitors alum Derrick Levasseur joins The Exclusive to break down Episode 8 of Survivor 50, including the double elimination twist and the Tribal Council that sent both Chrissy and Coach home. Derrick shares why, as a player, he would “hate” a twist like this but as a fan finds it “interesting,” weighs in on whether the right targets went home, and reacts to Devens’ flashy idol play and its impact on the vote. He also dives into the evolving power structure of the game, explains why players like Cirie and Rizo are in the strongest positions, and discusses how the “m...

The latest player voted out of Survivor 50, Chrissy Hofbeck joins The Exclusive to break down the “brilliant” twist that led to her elimination and why she and Coach ultimately “both are responsible for our own demise.” Chrissy reflects on going into Tribal Council “feeling safe,” the shocking vote flip that blindsided her, and how Devens’ fake idol chaos played into the outcome. She also opens up about her complicated dynamic with Rizo, addresses the “Zoom Alliance” rumors, and explains why, despite the result, she leaves the game with “a grateful heart” and no regrets about her Survivor journey.