  We give a brief review over the observational evidence for close substellar
companions to hot subdwarf stars. The formation of these core helium-burning
objects requires huge mass loss of their red giant progenitors. It has been
suggested that besides stellar companions substellar objects in close orbits
may be able to trigger this mass loss. Such objects can be easily detected
around hot subdwarf stars by medium or high resolution spectroscopy with an RV
accuracy at the km/s-level. Eclipsing systems of HW Vir type stick out of
transit surveys because of their characteristic light curves. The best evidence
that substellar objects in close orbits around sdBs exist and that they are
able to trigger the required mass loss is provided by the eclipsing system SDSS
J0820+0008, which was found in the course of the MUCHFUSS project. Furthermore,
several candidate systems have been discovered.
