Jeff Probst: Players Not Picked for 'Survivor 50' 'Can Come Back' in the Future (Exclusive)

With Survivor 50 bringing back 24 returning players for one of the most anticipated seasons in the show's history, the cast reveal also sparked plenty of debate among fans about which former castaways didn’t make the cut.

But according to host and executive producer Jeff Probst, being left off the milestone season doesn’t mean a return to Fiji is off the table forever. "There are people that were not on 50 that we would invite back to a different returning player season," Probst exclusively told Men’s Journal while production was underway. “Absolutely.”

He described the process of narrowing the cast down as one of the most challenging decisions he's had over the years. "We started unrealistically with 200 people,” Probst said. “Then we were down to like 100, then we got down to 80. And then you start making cuts at 80 and you're like, ‘Oh, this is tough.’”

Executive producer Matt Van Wagenen echoed that sentiment and said the team ultimately focused on finding players who still had a deep appreciation for the game. “We were looking for people who had some reverence for the game, who had some excitement, who had passion for the game, who had some joy in their heart about playing,” he told MJ.

Even so, he said, the final cast came down to finding the right balance of personalities and eras. "Jeff always talks about the tapestry,” Van Wagenen explained. “Once we had all the cards laid out, it was like, ‘Oh yeah, this is good.’"

For longtime challenge producer John Kirhoffer, who has been with the show since the very beginning, seeing the Season 50 players gather for the opening challenge brought a sense of nostalgia. "I've had this feeling only the second time," he told MJ. "Season 40…and today seeing Jenna [Lewis-Dougherty], Stephenie [LaGrossa Kendrick], Colby [Donaldson] and Ozzy [Lusth] out there."

Still, Probst said the limited number of spots meant some deserving players inevitably missed out. “We're aware that there are players that are frustrated they weren't included, and that's heartbreaking for us, because they're right,” he admitted. “They could have been included.”

But the longtime host emphasized that the franchise’s future could still offer opportunities for those who didn’t make the cut. “The good thing about Survivor is if we keep going, there's new opportunities,” Probst told MJ. “People who weren't picked for 50 can come back and show us how we made a mistake and that they should have been out here.”

Survivor 50 airs on CBS Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Related: 'Survivor 50' Eliminations: Who’s Been Voted Out So Far