In a rare role reversal on Survivor 49, host Jeff Probst found himself struggling with the same brutal conditions that typically leave contestants gasping for air. During a grueling day 11 reward challenge this week, Probst was caught on camera doubled over with his hands on his knees immediately after calling the competition. The physical toll of the oppressive Fiji heat became impossible to ignore, even for the veteran host who has spent decades filming in tropical locations. Contestant Rizo Velovic didn't miss the chance to turn the tables, asking:"Jeff, you out of breath, too?"Before delivering Probst's signature line back at him:"Welcome to Survivor."The moment highlighted just how extreme conditions have become this season. On his On Fire podcast, Probst opened up about why that particular Survivor 49 challenge location pushes everyone to their limits, calling it "the single hottest spot we ever shoot in Fiji." The CBS reality competition, which strands contestants in remote locations where they must outwit, outplay and outlast each other for a million-dollar prize, has always tested physical endurance. But this season's heat has proven challenging for players and production crew alike.What happened to Jeff Probst in this episode of Survivor 49?The day 11 reward challenge pushed both contestants and crew to their breaking points. After tribes were reshuffled into three new groups, players faced a punishing physical test. They had to push a massive cart along an uneven path, pile up sandbags, scale ladders, knock discs from poles, and finally topple four bamboo targets.The combination of intense physical activity and crushing heat left everyone drained. But what made headlines was seeing Probst visibly struggling after declaring a winner."It's no joke, man," Probst told Rizo when asked about his exhaustion.The exchange became one of the season's most memorable moments. Probst revealed the challenge took place at an unusually brutal filming spot."It might be the hottest spot in all of Fiji," he explained on his podcast.The mystery is that nobody can fully explain why."I've asked people on our team, and I never get a good answer," Probst admitted. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostNobody’s totally sure what’s to blame; some might say barometric pressure, others might just shrug, but everyone agrees on one thing: it feels like walking into a furnace wearing a sweater made of regret. The air’s so thick it could probably qualify as soup.The funny part was that it all began like a dream. You’re gliding across the water, wind in your hair, blue skies stretching forever and then bam. You step off the boat and straight into a wall of humidity so heavy it might as well have a personality. Soon, complaining about the heat becomes its own sport. Everyone swears they won’t say it’s hot today until five minutes later, they’re melting and muttering it anyway.Jeff Probst compares the heat across locationsJeremy Collins, who actually won Survivor: Cambodia, wasn’t having it. He laughed and told Jeff Probst that nothing could top Cambodia’s heat. According to him, that place could melt your flip-flops before you even unpack your bag. Probst had to admit defeat, agreeing that Cambodia still holds the crown for “Hottest Filming Location in Survivor History.”Even so, this new season seems to be giving it a serious run for its money. The heat has everyone, cast, crew, and even the unflappable host looking like they’ve just lost a fight with a volcano. Cameras can’t catch a breeze, sweat is practically a cast member, and yet somehow, it all makes the show even better. After all, if Jeff Probst is sweating through his khakis, you know it’s going to be a wild season.Survivor Season 49 airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and streams the next day on Paramount+.