The Exclusive With Sharon Tharp

Padma Lakshmi joins host Sharon Tharp on The Exclusive to discuss creating and executive producing America's Culinary Cup, the ambitious new food competition series she designed to challenge the conventions of reality television. The Emmy-nominated host opens up about taking creative risks, eliminating many of the genre's most common tropes, and why she refused to sequester contestants during p...

Chef Jonathan Dearden joins The Exclusive following his elimination from Top Chef Season 23 to reflect on his journey through the competition, the ambitious pumpkin and brioche dish that ultimately sent him home, and why he believes the judges were forced to nitpick as the field narrowed. Jonathan opens up about the pressure of cooking alongside his brother Brandon, shares his unfiltered though...

Chef Anthony Jones joins The Exclusive following his elimination from Top Chef Season 23 to reflect on his journey, the rabbit challenge that sent him home, and the judges' critiques that he still questions. The chef opens up about why he found the "disjointed" criticism of his Michelin-inspired plating "odd," weighs in on fellow contestant Sieger's decision to push back at Judges' Table, and s...

Big Brother 27 finalist Morgan Pope joins The Exclusive to recap the Survivor 50 finale after attending the live reunion in Los Angeles. Morgan reacts to Aubry Bracco’s emotional win, explains why she believes Aubry’s adaptability earned her the title, and weighs in on the online debate over whether the jury was truly “bitter” toward Jonathan and Joe. Morgan also shares her firsthand reaction ...

The latest chef eliminated from Top Chef Season 23, Brandon Deaden, joins The Exclusive to break down the Restaurant Wars service that sent him home. Brandon reflects on taking the line cook role to help his team succeed, why he believes focusing too much on service hurt his individual dish, and the inconsistent rice pudding mistake that ultimately sealed his fate. He also opens up about the be...

The latest chef eliminated from Top Chef Season 23, Oscar Diaz, joins The Exclusive to break down the small mistakes and kitchen chaos that led to his exit. Oscar reflects on the pressure of the combined Quickfire and Elimination challenge, the turmeric spill that left his face “on fire,” and why he thinks the judges misunderstood the intention behind his rice dish. He also opens up about the m...

Tiffany Nicole Ervin joins The Exclusive after her heartbreaking fifth-place finish on Survivor 50 to reflect on losing the game by just one puzzle piece and why she truly believes she would have won had she reached the Final Tribal Council. The Survivor 46 alum opens up about overcoming early skepticism from fans and fellow players, navigating the game after losing her closest allies early, an...

Rizo Velovic joins The Exclusive after his heartbreaking fourth-place finish on Survivor 50 to react to Jeff Probst accidentally spoiling his fire-making elimination live during the finale and why he’s choosing to embrace the moment as part of his Survivor legacy. The Season 49 alum reflects on going out in fire for the second season in a row, explains why Aubry ultimately didn’t want to sit ne...

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 f...

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 mo...

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 ...

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 ...

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 frontrunn...

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 wi...

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 t...

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 chef...

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 wh...

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 heartbr...

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 refle...

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...

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....

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 ...

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 co...

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 playin...

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, ...

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 ...

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’ fl...

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...

Benjamin “Coach” Wade joins The Exclusive after his Survivor 50 exit to break down the chaotic Tribal Council that sent him home, including the “huge mistake” that left his alliance “cooked” and the moment he admits his game “all just went to shit.” The Survivor legend reflects on building what he calls an “amazing, brilliant game” before it unraveled, why the refusal to split votes shocked him...

The latest chef eliminated from Top Chef Season 23, Brittany Cochran, joins The Exclusive to break down what really went wrong in the elimination challenge, including the equipment issues—a delayed meat grinder and oven mishap—that derailed her dish at a critical moment. She opens up about the intense mental pressure of the competition, why she felt confident going in before everything unravele...

The latest players eliminated from House of Villains Season 3, Tyson Apostol and Tom Sandoval, join The Exclusive to break down the chaotic chain of events that led to their exits — and why they believe the game was stacked against them from the start. The duo sounds off on the controversial challenge they say gave the underdogs “no chance,” the lack of real endgame strategy in the house, and t...

Season 49 runner-up Sophi Balerdi joins The Exclusive to break down Episode 7 of Survivor 50, including the pregaming rumors involving her friends Dee and Rizo—and how those connections actually played out before the game began. She also weighs in on Rizo’s game, why his ability to build trust (even with players he doesn’t plan to stick with) is setting him up well, and how alliances like “Ciri...

Former Survivor winner Dee Valladares joins The Exclusive after her exit from Season 50 to break down where things really went wrong—from the “mix of everything” that unraveled her game to the one move she calls her biggest regret: revealing Rizo’s idol. Dee opens up about her emotional fallout with Rizo (including a moment that didn’t make air), why her feud with Jonathan felt “personal” after...

Danny Booko and Luke Broderick join The Exclusive to break down The Valley Season 3, from the fallout of last season’s drama to navigating new challenges as dads. Danny reflects on having a “target” on his back and whether he expected apologies after the reunion, while Luke admits he had “false hope” that fractured relationships could be repaired. The two also open up about vulnerable conversat...

Tom Schwartz and Michelle Saniei join The Exclusive to break down The Valley Season 3, from fresh starts to lingering drama. Michelle opens up about her “painful” divorce from Jesse Lally, weighs in on his new relationship with Lacy and what it was like filming together, while Schwartz reflects on entering a new chapter he calls a “rebirth” after a difficult few years. He also shares where thin...

Jesse Lally and Lacey Nicole join The Exclusive to preview The Valley Season 3 and tease a “different” side of Jesse as their relationship takes center stage. The couple opens up about why Lacey initially hesitated to join the show, how their dynamic has evolved over time, and what it’s been like navigating filming with kids in the picture. Jesse also addresses where things stand with his divor...

Janet Caperna and Jason Caperna join The Exclusive to break down where things stand heading into The Valley Season 3, including the tension that still lingers within the group. Janet opens up about navigating awkward dynamics after last season’s fallout, why she wasn’t looking forward to seeing certain cast members, and her attempt to mend friendships — even when it didn’t go as planned. The co...

Zack Wickham and Jasmine Goode join The Exclusive to break down all the drama heading into The Valley Season 3 — and they definitely don’t hold back. The duo reacts to the shifting group dynamics, shares their honest thoughts on Jax’s absence, and explains why this season feels lighter (but still full of chaos). They also weigh in on Lacy joining the cast and how she’s changed Jesse, before sou...

Kristen Doute and Nia Sanchez join The Exclusive to open up about one of the most personal seasons of The Valley yet, as they navigate motherhood, friendship, and shifting group dynamics. The two reflect on filming during such a pivotal time in their lives, including the challenges of postpartum struggles, body image, and maintaining intimacy in their relationships while cameras are rolling. Th...

Survivor 42 alum Omar Zaheer joins The Exclusive to break down the latest episode of Survivor 50, including the controversial “Blood Moon” twist and historic triple elimination. Omar explains why the players voted out “had no chance” in the split tribal format, reacts to Genevieve’s “unlucky” exit despite doing “so many things right,” and weighs in on the role of pre-gaming in returning player ...

Host Sharon Tharp is joined by latest chef eliminated from Top Chef Season 23, Nana Araba Wilmot, to break down the intense challenge that led to her early exit. The private chef opens up about the “overthinking” and “stage fright” that threw her off in the kitchen, why her dish never made it to the judges as intended, and the emotional moment that left her feeling like she was “stuck in her he...

Bravo expert and Gabbing With Gib host Gibson Johns joins The Exclusive to break down the Summer House scandal that has everyone talking after the shocking reveal that West Wilson and Amanda Batula are apparently an item. The news has sent shockwaves through the cast—especially given Amanda’s recent separation from Kyle Cooke, who is also West’s friend, and West’s past relationship with Ciara M...

Genevieve Mushaluk, the latest player voted out of Survivor 50, joins The Exclusive to break down her exit and the twist that limited her options. She reacts to finding idols she couldn’t use, explains why she “absolutely” would have played one at Tribal, and shares her frustration with how the advantage favored players with stronger relationships. Genevieve also opens up about her "uncomfortab...

Kamilla Karthigesu, the latest player voted out of Survivor 50, joins The Exclusive to break down her blindside and the moments leading up to it. She reveals how she realized she was the decoy vote, why she ignored key red flags at camp, and how a pregame alliance ultimately left her with “no chance” in the game. Kamilla also shares what we didn’t see from her strategy—including a bold Shot in ...

Colby Donaldson, the latest player voted out of Survivor 50, joins The Exclusive to unpack his emotional exit—and the risky move that could’ve changed everything. The Survivor icon reveals the secret plan to throw a challenge, why it never happened, and how losing his vote left him powerless at Tribal Council. He also opens up about battling a serious infection and the rare moment of clarity he...

Survivor alum Abi-Maria Gomes joins The Exclusive to break down the latest episode of Survivor 50 and sound off on what she calls the “purpling” of female players. The Philippines and Cambodia alum shares her unfiltered thoughts on Angelina Keeley’s edit, Christian Hubicki’s dominant gameplay, and why she believes too much of the women’s perspective is being left out. Abi also reacts to Charlie...

The latest player voted out of Survivor 50, Charlie Davis, joins The Exclusive to break down the moment he realized he was “cooked” at Tribal Council and the shocking blindside that sent him home. The Season 46 alum reflects on his strategic position within the tribe, why his alliance turned on him, and the comment from Dee calling him the “dumbest” player that caught him off guard. Charlie als...

The latest player voted out of Survivor 50, Angelina Keeley, joins The Exclusive to break down what viewers didn’t see from her elimination and why she felt “so much” was missing from the episode. The David vs. Goliath alum opens up about the emotional fallout after Tribal Council, her failed attempt to flip the vote onto Christian, and why she believes she was targeted before the game even beg...

The latest player voted out on Survivor 50, Mike White, goes home in a shocking 3-2-1 blindside—and David vs. Goliath alum Davie Rickenbacker joins The Exclusive to break it all down. Davie reacts to Christian’s bold move against his longtime ally, explains why the decision may have been driven by deeper history between the trio, and weighs in on whether it was too early to take such a big swin...