What happened to Jess on ‘Expedition X?’

For many, Jessica Chobot was the star attraction of the Discovery Channel paranormal reality series Expedition X, so when she was nowhere to be seen in the premiere for its latest season, disappointment and outrage ensued.

Chobot, who got her start as a viral internet sensation in the aughts for licking a PSP, had been on the show since its inception in 2020. Expedition X is a spin-off of the 2015 Discovery series Expedition Unknown, except instead of just Josh Gates hosting and investigating archeological mysteries, he was joined by fan-favorite Chobot and biologist Phil Torres as they investigated reports of supernatural encounters in remote locations.

In season eight, Chobot’s spot on the team as the fresh-faced paranormal investigator was taken up by Heather Amaro. Although Amaro is relatively unknown in the realm of reality television, she has been in the paranormal business for 20 years and comes from a family of investigators.

Why did Jessica Chobot leave Expedition X?

According to a statement shared by Chobot on her Instagram page, the former gaming channel host and writer for sites like IGN, Nerdist, and G4 is stepping away from Expedition X to work on “something new” with Discovery. She told a fan in the comment section that this new venture would not be tied to Josh Gates amid unconfirmed rumors that the two had fallen out, contributing to her decision to leave the series.

Other EXX viewers also pointed out that the 47-year-old has been living in the Netherlands with her husband, Blair Herter, and their child since 2022 which could make filming the show more challenging.

Still, Chobot-heads have plenty to look forward to. The TV host and content creator has a new podcast called Bizarre States Resurrected and is promising more details about her upcoming collaboration with Discovery will be revealed soon. Chobot described the series as a mix between “the weird sh*t that [she loves]” and “other weird sh*t that [she loves].”