Preview

The 21st season of Survivor is set in Nicaragua and will feature a battle of the ages. The Espada tribe, comprised of castaways over 40, features one notable leader, former NFL coach and two-time Super Bowl champion Jimmy Johnson.

Among the contestants joining Johnson's team is 48-year-old Massachusetts native Jimmy T, who won a nationwide contest to be a "Survivor" participant. "He's a fisherman -- a huge personality -- band he's going to be on the older tribe with Jimmy Johnson," says Probst. "They're either going to connect like brothers -- or they're going to fight like brothers."

While the elder Espada tribe has the edge in life experience, the young guns of the Laflor tribe bring their own unique perspectives to the game. "Brenda is another one to watch out for," says Probst. "She is very young, fit attractive, but on top of everything else, she is sort of a black widow. "Kelly B //she has an artificial leg. … She's very physically fit, she's an athlete. I think most people are going to look at Kelly and say, 'Look at everything she's overcome and she's still out there doing well; if we let her get deep, she could win."
 The old versus young division is not the only twist this season. At the very opening, Probst will reveal to the contestants a brand new item: the Medallion of Power. The Medallion can be used by a tribe to give itself an advantage in an immunity challenge, but once used, it goes over to the other tribe to use when it sees fit. “The Medallion of Power is designed to give you power at challenges,” explains Probst. “And our job is to make sure that the advantage is enough to tempt you — not so much that it’s a landslide, but enough that you go, ‘I’m not sure we should take it. Maybe we should, maybe we shouldn’t.’”

Also, expect fewer hidden immunity idols to be played on Survivor: Nicaragua, or at least expect them to be a bit harder to find. “This season we have made changes to the hidden immunity idol,” says Probst “The only way you’re gonna find it is to decipher these cryptic visual clues. So it’s a bit like a visual riddle, and the audience will get to play along. And the first set of four clues is very difficult. The next set will be a little easier, and then by the third set, you should find it.”

Nicaragua presents different challenges for the castaways, Probst points out. "For the survivors. Nicaragua is going to be a little tougher. There's not a lot of food out there and it's also the start of the rainy season, so they're gonna get wet -- and no matter what, no matter how good a shelter they build, they leak. And when your clothes get wet and you get cold and you wake up the next morning and haven't slept … I think the result is you get a lot of tension."