Fans of Survivor know the show is filled with intense challenges and dramatic moments, but during Season 48, one major medical emergency was so dramatic that it almost made it to the episode—only to be omitted from the final cut.

Host Jeff Probst recently opened up about a medical incident involving castaway Kevin Leung that was originally planned to be shown, but was ultimately left out of the episode.

The incident took place during one of the show’s grueling physical challenges, where Leung suffered a severe shoulder injury. Probst explained that the show’s medical team, led by Dr. Will, responded quickly to Leung’s pain, using a green whistle to relieve his discomfort.

This particular tool is a temporary pain reliever that allows the doctor to proceed with necessary medical interventions without the patient feeling intense pain.

Probst recounted the situation, stating, “He explained that the show’s Dr. Will used a green whistle on Leung, which is ‘a temporary pain reliever so [the doctor] can do something that’s going to be very uncomfortable without him feeling it.’”

The green whistle had the desired effect, providing immediate relief for Kevin. “It worked! He gave it to Kevin, took a nice deep inhale, and then he quickly popped it in without even really giving Kevin much warning, and Kevin went, ‘Oh, instant relief!’” Probst added.

Leung’s injury was serious enough to cause concern, leading to the temporary halt of the challenge and a call for medical assistance. However, the situation quickly improved. “Although Probst said the injury ‘was severe enough that we had to call in medical’ and stop the challenge, Leung ‘did recover pretty quickly,’” he said.

The Survivor team was determined to incorporate the dramatic moment into the episode, initially planning to include it in the final cut. Probst revealed, “We fully intended to put it into the episode, which is why we put it in the promo in the first place.” The dramatic moment even made its way into the show’s promo, creating anticipation among viewers.

However, after further evaluation, it became clear that the injury, while painful, wasn’t serious enough to impact the game long-term. “And ultimately, Kevin’s injury didn’t directly impact the Tribal. If Kevin’s voted out, it’s not because of his shoulder. It wasn’t serious enough to impact him that way. So that’s why we removed that scene,” Probst explained.

Despite the medical emergency being left out, Leung went on to perform in the physically demanding immunity challenge later in the episode, proving that the injury wasn’t as catastrophic as initially feared.

Probst pointed out that Leung participated fully in the challenge, noting, “Today’s immunity challenge was really physical and Kevin was right there.”

While viewers may have been disappointed by the scene’s omission, it’s clear that the medical emergency was intense, and the decision to leave it out likely reflected a shift in the editing process to keep the episode focused on the key events.

Survivor Season 48 continues to air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Fans can tune in to see if any other dramatic moments will unfold in the coming episodes.