Jeff Probst signs new 'Survivor' contract

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Jeff Probst said he's decided that life without ``Survivor'' wouldn't be as much fun and he's sticking with the CBS reality series. <br/><br/>``I was thinking about

Friday, December 9th 2005, 10:34 am

By: News On 6

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Jeff Probst said he's decided that life without ``Survivor'' wouldn't be as much fun and he's sticking with the CBS reality series.

``I was thinking about retiring and spending my time traveling to exotic locations around the world, meeting new and interesting people. Then I realized, uh, wait a second, I'm already doing that with 'Survivor' and getting paid for it, as well,'' Probst, 44, said in a statement Thursday.

He has signed a new multiyear deal, CBS spokesman Chris Ender said.

Probst said in October that he was weighing whether to continue with the show. He has hosted ``Survivor'' since it debuted in summer 2000 and his current contract ends with the edition now in production.

Mark Burnett, the show's executive producer, lauded Probst's contributions to the ``ever-evolving game'' in which players face physical and mental challenges in a bid to win $1 million.

``I consider him a friend and look forward to continuing to keep 'Survivor' fresh with Jeff for many more seasons,'' Burnett said in a statement.

Last month, CBS announced that it will air the 13th and 14th versions of ``Survivor'' in the 2006-07 season.

The 12th edition, being filmed at an undisclosed location, is slated for the spring. The finale for the current show, ``Survivor: Guatemala,'' is Sunday, 8 p.m. EST.