<p id=”par-1_27″><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/naked-and-afraid/?swcfpc=1″><em>Naked and Afraid</em></a><em>: Last One Standing </em>is back for a third season of intense survival challenges. But one controversial competitor will not be returning to the show. </p>
<p id=”par-2_76″>Jeff Zausch appeared on the first two seasons of the <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/another-season-naked-and-afraid-xl.html/”><em>Naked and Afraid </em>spinoff</a>, which brings together top participants from past seasons of the reality show to compete for a $100,000 cash prize. Despite two heartbreaking eliminations that kept him from his goal of winning the coveted “Last One Standing” title, Jeff won’t be getting a third chance at victory. He is not <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/naked-and-afraid-last-one-standing-season-3-premieres-may-2025.html/”>part of the season 3 cast</a>, which Discovery Channel announced on April 18. </p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-jeff-zausch-hinted-he-might-retire-from-naked-and-afraid”>Jeff Zausch hinted he might retire from ‘Naked and Afraid’ </h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-1″><img decoding=”async” loading=”lazy” width=”1200″ height=”935″ src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Jeff-Zausch-Naked-and-Afraid.jpg?strip=all&quality=89″ alt=”Jeff Zausch of ‘Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing’ on stage at a TCA press event in 2014″ class=”wp-image-3529403″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Jeff Zausch in 2014 | Amanda Edwards/Getty Images for Discovery Communications</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-3_34″>Jeff is a hardcore <em>Naked and Afraid </em>vet, having logged 286 days in the wild on multiple challenges since his first apeparance in 2014. (He also appeared on USA Network’s <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/snake-in-the-grass-cast-spill-survivor-twist-naked.html/”><em>Snake in the Grass</em></a><em>.</em>)</p>
<p id=”par-4_56″>The Idaho survivalist came into the inaugural season of <em>Last One Standing </em>determined to take home the show’s top prize. His aggressive style of play led to clashes with the other contestants in the franchise’s first-ever competition series. But it was a last-stage failure in a fire-starting challenge that ultimately knocked him out of the running. </p>
<p id=”par-5_33″><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/jeff-zausch-confirms-revenge-tour-naked-and-afraid-last-one-standing-season-2.html/”>Jeff returned for his “revenge tour”</a> in season 2. But once again, he was stymied by a friction fire challenge and failed to advance to the final three in the dramatic finale episode. </p>
<p id=”par-6_17″>After his second elimination, Jeff said his time on <em>Naked and Afraid </em>had come to an end. </p>
<p id=”par-7_60″>“Two hundred and eighty-six days in my <em>Naked and Afraid </em>career,” he said. “And you know, I wouldn’t change a damn thing. This journey is complete for me. And I’m coming home for one last time. Thank you for believing in me and supporting me for a decade. I’m gonna put some clothes on now and get a real job.”</p>
<p id=”par-8_12″>But after the finale aired, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/jeff-zausch-not-quitting-naked-and-afraid-says-journey-not-complete.html/”>Jeff walked back his vow to retire</a>. </p>
<p id=”par-9_47″>“My journey is not yet complete,” he wrote in a September 2024 <a href=”https://www.instagram.com/jeffzausch/p/C-Gp9V7MlL4/?hl=en&img_index=1″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Instagram</a> post. “This story has not been told in its entirety! There is still more meat on this mother f#%$g bone!! I didn’t come this far, to only come this far. See you all soon…”</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-jeff-will-host-a-naked-and-afraid-last-one-standing-podcast”>Jeff will host a ‘Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing’ podcast </h2>
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<iframe loading=”lazy” title=”NAKED AND AFRAID: LAST ONE STANDING Returns Sunday, May 18 at 8:00PM ET/PT on Discovery Channel” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/U5i64dSIMCI?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<p id=”par-10_34″>Despite his vow to return, Jeff isn’t part of the <em>Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing </em>Season 3 cast, which includes notables alums such as Matt Wright, Laura Zerra, Max Djenohan, and Ky Furneaux. </p>
<p id=”par-11_28″>Though he won’t be a part of this season’s contest – which is taking place in Australia – Jeff will be following the new episodes on his podcast. </p>
<p id=”par-12_65″>“Whether you love me or love to root against me… it seems many are bummed that I won’t be joining LOS3,” he commented on <a href=”https://www.instagram.com/p/DImAdyChcvx/?hl=en” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Instagram</a> after Discovery shared the cast list. “BUT… I’m announcing today that I will be holding a weekly podcast on Monday nights following each new episode! Tune in to see how I really feel and who I’m pulling for this season.”</p>
<p id=”par-13_19″><em>Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing </em>Season 3 premieres Sunday, May 18 at 8 p.m ET/PT on Discovery Channel. </p>
<p id=”par-14_11″><em>For more news and exclusive interviews, follow </em><a href=”https://www.instagram.com/showbizcheatsheet/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”><em>Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s Instagram</em></a><em>.</em></p>