It's in the news today, but it was actually on TV Reload the podcast part to Deep Airline. Welcome TV Reload listeners. My name is Benjamin Norris and this is your podcast to get all the insight goss on the popular TV shows you may be watching from around the world. Undeniably, our TV sets are a major part of our home entertainment and very little is known about how our favorite
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On today's episode, I have this week's booted castaways from Australian Survivor and what a week it has been saying goodbye to Stevie, David and Flick, all big names and proof that this competition is really heating up. The bumbling villain with a heart of gold and a few scores to settle. David was the lamb backstrap with a mail strong meat tray alliance, and Flick easily known as Flip, was the returnee with the second chance to improve her game. First up, I'll chat with Stevie and find out what
he thinks of George's portrayal. Now, I'll also find out if George is as arrogant as he seems on camera, plus how he feels with some time to heal from that epic blind side. Then David will join me to talk about Speedo's Yeah, his Speedos, You're welcome, alliances he may or we may not have seen, and how he ranks himself against the other AFL players who have previously been seen on Australian Survivor. Finally, we will have Flick, who will spill the tea on a secret relationship with
George and Hayley. We will find out if Flick thinks Sean should have played his idol for her and for Flick why returning to the series was so important. Plus, we will get plenty of exclusives from behind the scenes of the fifth week of austray Survivor, which you can catch up on now on ten play anyway, let's bring Stevie into the podcast and I hope you enjoy this part of the episode. Congratulations on beating your personal best.
Thank you. I'm so rap In fact, that's what it's all about. I wasn't trying to beat any other characters or by ten thousand idols. It was just I lasted twenty eight days this day, yay, right, and I went past tribe swapped as well. But the next hurdle was meant to be merged. Dang, it just missed up by one day.
I know.
But was there anyone in particular that you were really looking forward to working with once the merch happened that's now been stolen from you.
Yes, you can say it's been stolen a little bit of a password, but you know, like in Survivor, you've got to understand that all better off you can get stuffed right away, so you expect the unexpected. That's what it is.
I wanted to ask you, though, how confident were you that you would come back to Australian Survivor one day.
That's a good question because I don't think I'll come back, but never said ever. But the reason why I don't feel like coming back is because there are so many great new characters you haven't even seen before, out there personality and all that give them a judge to get on it. And you know, boring old pag like me.
I can't say that because fans really wanted to see you back. I mean, I don't know if you read any of the fan forums, and I really wanted to see you back on the show as well. But I just was curious as to whether or not, you know, you had your feelers out with the Survivor World. Was it a shock to you to get the call? Because I always wonder sometimes do people get told sit tight because we've got something for you?
Yes, yes, yes, I was half expecting it because when I acted out of season three, I had a quiet word with the you know, the little gods out there in the production. You know, look, I'm going to keep this wardrobe in this box and I've put a label top for my return, and she loved at me, and I said, when I'm ready, I already got my wardrobe, come on, get on with it. You know that I wore the same World robe as I did in season three twenty eighteen, mostly except undies.
Are actually always change. The undies always changed. What IM said, Yes, you know this year certainly seems very unpredictable at the best of times. But what made you feel so safe in that final tribal council for you that you didn't see the blind side country?
Because I have to speak with example, as in like actually with example kind of thing. In other words, I've been telling everyone we've got to remain strong right as an alliance in to merge. There should never be any betrayal. There should be never any blind siding, you know, no, no treachery. And I make that emphasis all the way along to everyone and including the new recruit Matt. If you join us, relaxed, We're not going to go after you. We're going to go strong. And many times I said
this word to them. You know, they're all saying, you know, divided before basically, and so when I went into the tribal council, I had to go old boots and all. I just got to believe in it, believe in what they're saying.
Well, with George, it sort of did feel like he built your trust only to destroy it. Would it be fair to say that George's intention to gain your trust only a few weeks back at that hectic tribal council, quickly seemed dashed last night when he offered your head in exchange for this flick compromise.
Yes, I don't think it was a deliberate intent. I do sense that George was under pressure. He was just a tactical error of the moment when you're under so much duress being forced to make a decision. So it's not like George to be like that. He's always looking at the strategym beyond the horizon. But it's just a moment of witness there and I was just a bunny unfortunately, and it worked that way. It was more worried about
wasting the title that this has. I can see that, and he also want to stamp his authority to the girls.
But what I mean, this is my only concern with that. What makes Jerry a better candidate to keep in you know the minds of the current heroes tribe like why did he Why is Jerry all of a sudden getting that power?
Well, no, if you look at what happened framed by Premier, Essentially, I was busy trying to respond to jailp asking all these silly questions about loyalty, you know, like and so while I was talking, so George had to go to talk to somebody, and there's Jerry to find out what he think the clue was. When when all is said and done, George didn't come back to me to confirm what he talked to Jerry about. So that's that's when
I started feeling at bit uneasy. But it was delete now, uh, with some disappointment at why George went after me, whereby Matt is the most obvious target. What do you reckon?
I mean, I I think people were saying that you might be flip flopping around and you know, maybe you wouldn't always follow the plan, but I think they undersold that with you. I don't think that was accurate. I think that you were able to make executive decisions and be loyal to the right people.
Yeah, correct.
And I also think, you know, this fracture that is with Liz and shining towards George has me really concerned for the so called Spice girl's future. Last night really showed us who has the control on the Spice Girls, And for me, I think it's Shonnie and Liz.
Yeah, well, most or Liz when she bring out the big gun up the idol on Blick. That would be a stupid move in my humble opinion, because you're was thinking one idol for the community use of the allied line. Sorry, and so I don't know what you want to go through it or not, but that will be really crazy and it's the wrong it's the wrong forum to talk about, you know, a decision this should have been before tribal
council too, won't bring it up. These are all the things that that the gameplay is based on emotions, not strategy, and that's where we are weake at at this point in our alliance, and I can see him moving forward. Probably it can be the start of the breakup of the Space Girls. I mean Space already gone.
Well we all know what happened to their actual Spice Girls. So maybe it's a in prophecy, and maybe that means that the name is more suitable than we ever thought, you know, I wanted to ask you though. So George is most certainly the most obviously calculated and manipulative castaway that we've seen this on this season. Maybe ever, I don't know, and I love him, by the way, So
I'm not saying anything negative towards him at all. But if you are quick to point out that he is quite arrogant when he talks to the camera and talks to us, is his arrogancy? Is that more obvious on the beat?
I mean, I've got to defend King George on this front. Now, how do you call him rogant? It's just just him. Yeah, everyone's got their own personal even me. You know, I'm a bit goofy. Sometimes you figure that out. But remember at the time when in one of my professions someone asked me about and what do you think about George? And I say, like, well, he's the kind of guy who walked in the pub and everybody wants to punch
him the face. That's that's that's exactly true. That's what it's just sometimes you said the wrong thing thinking about what he says. But he really quite meaningful and harmless really in so many different ways. Yes, if you look at arrogance, it would be it would it will be an half a male, one of the half males. We're not naming names.
Do you think Haley knowing about Nina at this stage might be a little bit too unsettling and unnecessary at this point. Do you think it was good of George to tell Haley about that kind of dissension that he knows about.
Yes, yes, I mean George a gender was obviously to try to connect with her and create a telopathic bond of some sort, right, Yeah, but it will works. Called it male induition if you want. Of Haley. I find Hailey to be a very high anxiety person. With all do respect, I'm not talking anything disparaging him, Halle, but this is my impression she She's anxious about this and that and everything else, you know, everything to be in the right place. Yeah, so George was a good moderator
for Haley. That's how I see it. I don't know if you see the thing, but that's how it fan out to this very date.
You know, Shawnie and Liz as well, you know, now I don't know them sitting there like giggling school girls at the back of the class. I mean, that's kind of how I say it. You know, I saw a real Harley Quinn devil may care side to Shawnee last night, which that's me sort of questioning, you know, is laughing and showing no real sign of empathy about who you're sending home. Is that good or bad for her if
she makes it to the final tribal council? Because I can imagine if you if I was you Wan, I was watching it back last night, I saw how easy they were flipping and laughing about who was going to go home. That might piss me off and I might not want her to win at the end when it comes down to you, guys.
Well it gives that that kind of impression, it will fish you off, no doubt because it might will. Because people like that shows, as you said before, a level of arrogance, right, and like empathy, which is essential when you had to flee before the jury, because they're going to be the jury, the one that you're having a go at, right. And it's kind of standing in some way because it shows that the gamemanship adopted by these girls is mainly based on emotive level, ravent on strategic level.
But don't underestimate them simply because an army of two is always dangerous, you know what I mean. I mean, look at either seasons of survival, whereas American or African Australia and army too allowed to bond is utterly dangerous now if they're a transplant into a gradio alligance, what the danger is in your lines itself, which is what happened last night. So usually when you see an army of two growing, you should try to spit them up
by building one out as just as possible. It's a complex issues, isn't it now?
It's very complex. I mean, how are your friends and family going watching you on this show? I meant, do they get really stressed out? I can imagine that this season being the best season of Australian Survivor that we've ever seen, particularly because it's so intense.
Oh, with doubt, I know I'm biased, but with no doubt.
Honestly, I had this conversation with someone yesterday and I said, I think that this season of Australian Survivor is the best reality TV series we've seen in Australia. And they said, oh, what about us? The first season of Australian Idol? What about the first season of Big Brother? But maybe because we're in the thick of it and it seems more intense, I genuinely believe that this is the best reality TV.
You know, yeah, man, you can't count the first season of any reality show because there's an element of nobility there, right.
I think they also picking people that are willing these days to lean into their characters, you know, lean into their villainy, lean into their hero character, but also have fun better show. People often talk about the conflict on the show and say, oh, it's a bit full on. You know, it's a bit stressful, but I can still see through that. I can still see everyone that's been selected to be on the show is having a good time. Is that is that how you feeled now?
I'm in a good with you. Definitely, That's how we all feel it was. It was great casting. Some people was critical of the casting to beginning, but you know, you don't want any typical, peotypical kind of characters in there a bit of diversity here and there, and we got it this time. We got crazy people with people, and smart people and and microagoristic people. Rama just and all by itself without any help needed. Thank you.
People said that you looked really sad last night, and I felt the same. So I was looking forward to talking to you today because your last piece of camera make looked really sad. But how are you feeling about it all?
Now?
Look at the heat at the moment. At that time, I noticed that, you know, it was filmed uh many months ago. You've got to be sad to be suddenly blindsided like that. I mean, otherwise I'm just kidding myself. And I was disappointed. I was really disappointed. How dare you? I'm mean, your team and I did everything I can to keep you guys alive, and you and you reward me with this. Yeah, I had to look at it again to see how sad I look. But even now, Look,
I'm philosophical about it. That's survivor. That's how you play the game. And if you want to play it like that, then't tell me it. You can even toss out any morality if you want to.
You have to know what you you have to know what you're signing up for. I mean, I think that's the thing, Like, if you're the sort of person who is you know, going to push the giant cookie over and throw a tantrum, you know, then maybe you're not the right person for this sort of show. And I'm sure that they put that into the equation when coming exactly exactly.
I think the custing director looking for people literally willing to take rich beyond end the bow. If you're not willing to take ris, what's the point, then you're just going to be laying little under the radar all the time, not doing anything exactly bring real show.
Would also just for people listening that pushing of the cookie over was a bridesmaid's reference. I'm sure that people. Oh, yes, yes, I have to ask you, which I'm asking everyone, and that is when you left, not what you know now, but who did you think is going to be the winner? Like who did you pick to be the winner of this season?
The scene is set now for a lot more drama than ever before than this because you know, now people are questioning George, questioning the girls, and then people are questioning the the mid Trail lions, you know, all that kind of stuff. So the scene is set for an
incredible dynamics. You know. That's the and the way how I see it is maybe the best way to I answer that is this, right, you got the boys, uh, and I think they're going to cannibalize eachadow because when you have more than one alpha male, the competition is to do great that it's gonna and also what happened last night is the start of probably the end of our spice toiled allons because you know, trust is gone.
And as far as Returneys first service, newbies with the Returneys are so intense going into the game, playing all the different gamanship and sometimes to walk something. It doesn't they're going to put it off eventually. So what's left would be the newbies. I'm hoping for the newbies to show how it's done. And so any of the newbies that last that role, yeah they deserve it.
But can give me a name. You've got to give me a name, like I'll.
Give me a name. I'll give you an name. Oh my goodness. You want to put it in all the bed? Do you?
Yeah? Let's all the bed? I'm I mean, I'm good for it.
Davie, Yeah, all right, I might just go for I know, the old culture. Jerry, because he's he's always at the bottom, he's always in survival mode. And as time goes by he became more emboldened. He said, stuff, you Jack. You know you've quoted me out last time, you tried to get me off. So I'm going to be dirty now. I'm going to play your game. I hope, I hope you do that. You know, it's a nice or bugger.
But I hope you've become really skinnish during nasty. All the things I taught him on the sideline, I hope you'll do all that and yeah, you know, go here we go. That's ten bucks on you. What do you want?
Who?
Who you are you looking for?
Oh?
I have so many at this point. But I mean that's kind of like I try it because I'm interviewing everyone not to be too you know, like not to buy into too many people or have too many favorites. I mean, as I said to you, I really enjoyed you. I love George, I even like Simon, and then you know Sean and Haley. Look, honestly, I really need to need to have a better think about it before I answer it at this time, because I think what you're alluding to before is the ship's about to hit the fan.
So anything can.
Happen exactly right, exactly can go any which way. But the dark sided Aborce is going to descend from this board, and I'm.
Here for it, mate, I'm here for it. Who would you ever return? That's the question I'm asking everyone.
Would you ever Well, highly unlikely, although I never said never, but highly unlikely. Finally, because I feel guilty. There's there's characters out there in the real world, people out there that can add amazing value to a strange survivor more than industry journeys.
But we have immediate a love for people like you coming back, like the season kicks off. Really God that we don't have to take as much time to get used to everybody because we're already in love with Stevie or we're already in love with George. So there is a real value in bringing returnees back. And you know, like Survivor seems like crack cocaine or something because everyone
goes back, like I can't imagine. Has there been any Do you know of anyone that was asked to come back that didn't come back?
No?
Really, no, Okay, everybody wants to come back, But in all honesty, really I'm unlikely to come back because you know, like if it's my second goal next time, when I asked, yes, I'll do it, two is good, but three is probably odd for me.
Well, there's some result issues. I think you've come back for Shawne's fourth season, you know which is you know, I don't know, unresolved issues between you and Shawnee. So maybe the season will be called revenge.
Well that's just if in four years time, not a four year's time, and it's called you know, viple, Vendetta or revenge or something like that. And Seanee and George in the mine. Yes, I mean it.
Okay, you deserve the break, Pake, just go. Yeah, you need some time away from the beach. Thank you so much for being so generous with your time and and unpacking experience.
Thanks for having me.
Some great insights from Stevie. I think he has a point. And getting some more newbies and new stories sounds cool, but I also can't help but love these returnees. Anyway, Let's bring David into the podcast now. Yes, we will talk about those pinks beetles and plenty of insights into his game. Let's welcome David to the podcast. Hi David, what is it? Lamb? Backstrap?
Yeah, backstrap. It's stuck actually quite a bit. So I've got Ben to thank for that.
Well, he was on the podcast the other week and he was saying that it has stuck and that your friends and maybe your girlfriend everyone's now calling you backstrap.
Yeah.
I must have told him just before he came on here. Yeah it is.
It's definitely sticking and copying a bit of flak for it, but that's great, Ben's He's created a weapon.
Ben, And yeah, I love that you have a sense of humor with this. And I also will just say, ps, it is my favorite meat so.
Too.
So I mean, YEA happy to provide good times and people.
Do you think that the boys being named after a meet Trey? How flattering was that for you guys? I mean, did you guys like it or how did it land?
I think Ben's a genius.
He created that narrative around us, probably for potential later
in the game to use that against us. I reckon and I think out there it was a genius move for him to kind of create all all the four boys together because then obviously, I don't know if you've known, like Jerry is now just stuck with it, and all of a sudden he causes the hierarchy and the four Boys and all that kind of thing when I'm off here working with Sam and Nina and Liz when at one stage and I'm not even working with Sean and Matt and all that kind of stuff at a certain points.
So it was a genius move by him, because then.
Certain people just stuck with it, and then, as I said, if Ben was there later in the game, he really could have used it against us.
So I think it was genius for him.
Some of those things work for us as an audience as well, like it helps us identify and talk about the show. So you know, I think he's like, he's a smart man, he's a TV writer. Kind of good to have him on board and on the beach to help with the writing of the show one hundred percent.
And he knew the narratives he were creating. I mean, he created a great one to get Shanne out that night, and he knew that he could well, I mean, Survive was about manipulating people.
He knew he could manipulate people.
That night for that vote to get what he wanted that night as a success.
So credit to him.
And that's what creates such great players out there that they use what they know in everyday life, which is Ben.
He's a wordsmith, he's.
A creative writer, and he can create storylines for himself. So there's certain people out there that can do that very well.
How did you end up on a series like this? You know what attracted you to come on to Australian Survivor.
I was a big fans as a kid.
I mean I remember watching the very first season of Survivor. I think I was twelve back then, and just fell in love with it, just the challenge. Well, as a kid when he watched the challenges, you're like, oh, I could do that one day, and he look how fun they look and stuff like that. So that was always something that interested me. And then playing playing footage for so long and finishing up in twenty twenty one, it's
kind of you're like, all right, what's next. What's a big challenge that I could do that's competitive, that can get the juices flowing and really test you as a person, because that's what footy does for so long, And once Survivor kind of came up as an opportunity, I jumped at it straight away, being such a fan when I was a kid and loving the concept and the game and the gameplay and that, and I knew straight away that I wanted that kind of thirst for competition and
challenge and getting to do that out there and being able to play the game. It certainly lived up to expectations and even way beyond that of how good it actually is to get the opportunity to go out there and play.
And then now, how do you rank yourself in terms of strategy compared to the other AFL players in the game's history.
Well, and other people can kind of comment on that.
I mean, I knew going in that, So my strategy going in was I'd be physically strong as you're setting in the challenges, and I'd be very good socially.
I'm a very social person.
I love creating relationships and listening to people's stories, and I mean, I had a podcast in my own years ago, and I love that kind of connecting with people and finding out their story and information about them.
So that for me was going to be very strong.
And then I knew to get to myself to a point in the game where I felt comfortable and I've had some good relationships that I would then start being really strategic and trying to make some moves. And that was the whole thing with Sam and Nina and getting Liz on board to try and blindside Haley at that mutiny vote that that.
Was kind of our probably welcome and opening party.
So they're really into the game of strap play and that was our big move to go, hang on, we've arrived here. US four are really trying to make some moves in the game. And obviously it didn't work with the mutiny, but that was kind of always what I
wanted to do. I knew George going in Flick Hailey very strong Shawanee, very strong Strap players, and that I didn't want to come in try and compete with them straight away and played too hard in that regard because I could just fall on the wayside and I wanted to get to a point in the game where I felt comfortable to then. So that was definitely my plan going in, and it got me to the point where I made merge and tried to make a great, big play and it just didn't work out.
So that was, Yeah, that was how I saw it.
Well, we'll get a little bit more into the demise in a little bit, but I just also wanted to ask about, you know, the conditions to me for you seemed wild. I don't know whether this is right or wrong, and maybe it's my maybe I was looking at you more than anyone else, assume me, But I just thought, what was the hardest thing about living on the beach for you, because you looked like you sort of took it pretty hard by the time it was all over.
I mean I might have looked like that in terms of like I was skinny and thin and stuff, but I loved.
Every single element of it.
I mean there were nights out there it's probably two am in the morning and it's freezing.
Cold, and we're huddled back to back and we're trying to stay at the rain. I loved it. I embraced every single challenge out there. I thought it was awesome.
It's such an unique experience that you never get anywhere else in the world that I enjoyed and had to smile on my face every day waking up.
I'm someone that.
Loses weight very very quickly and easily and need food for to sustain it. So it might have looked like that, but mentally I was waking up every day absolutely loving it, loving the challenge. Nothing ever, was ever too kind of hard for me out in terms of like the physical, the emotional, the emotional, the mental challenge of the elements and survivor and Samoa and the rain and the cold and all that.
I absolutely loved it.
I love the fact that you're like you know, just losing weight comes easy to me.
I mean, yeah, yeah, I'm just a skinny person at hearts. I kind of yeah.
Obviously, playing footing and working out for so long you kind of developed that body. But for me, it's like if I stopped doing any of that stuff, I just go skinny straight away.
I mean, there's ever really a body type that suits survivor. I mean, you know, you just see different ages, different people you know, doing well in this show. So I don't think that you can ever aim to be a certain type of you know, physique or anything before going into the show, because that's only one part of it.
It's one hundred percent right, And that's what kind of frustrates you a little bit when people go, oh, your big guys with physical threats will do well, and then you're gone, and it's like because your threats, it's like, well, hang on a sec.
Later in the game, it comes down to balance endurance.
You might have a puzzle, whatever it is, and you find kind of smaller people with balancing and holding things and standing on themes and all that, they're the ones that thrive later in the game. So early on, yeah, when you've got obstacle courses and challenges with tribes. At the first part of tribal it's like, yeah, they're the ones that maybe big, stronger players dominate, But later in the game, other players dominate way more than just big
strong people and they become more threats. So the best thing about Survivors it does challenge you in terms of your mental with your memory, with challenging, with figure out puzzles, but also physically with strength, with endurance, with balance, with agility. So that's why I love the game of Survivor because it challenges you in so many different ways. But kind of the narrative is that, oh, well, if you're strong, you're a threat.
Well hang on a sec.
But later in the game, when you make merge or if you make merge, you get the advantage if you're a small player, and in kind of that regard, because that's when you can really thrive in those challenges.
I don't really want to be as smutty as this sounds, by the way, but I just need to ask this question because a brave man wears speedos all the time on a reality show. I'm just going to say this, I mean, how did this is the other question happen how did you pick that pair? Was there a point where you will look at different options and you know, is there a point where maybe contestants get told maybe you need to wear board shorts? Like, how does that all happen? How does it all go down?
Well, obviously we don't wear any big branded clothing, so I couldn't wear well, I don't know if we're going to say the company I couldn't wear.
You can say that here, that's fine, you can say you couldn't Budge.
Yeah, so Budgie Smigglers, which playing footy.
For fifteen years, we always wear Budge Smigglers for recovery going on the beach.
Well, that's on very comfortable in budgies and wearing that.
It's just how I always worn in the pool or in the ocean whatever. So going on reality TV, I'm just being myself. I'm wearing Budgies and that.
But yeah, they had.
To be just played and obviously I just chose pink as a nice bright color to wear out there rather than just plain black. And yeah, so they weren't. Yeah, I love Simon had a really cool purple pair. Obviously he was on the Villains and he kind of developed
and design a really cool pair. So if I ever had another opportunity to go in again and I knew the kind of the theme going in, I would definitely maybe kind of manufacture a pair that kind of looked like like what Simon's was, like, something to do with what he was he was going in at, So that would be definitely something different I would. But I'm definitely not changing to boardies over budgies. I absolutely love budgies.
I'm just picturing you with your partner beforehand, you know, with the whole string of bikini men's bikini where having to work out what to wear and well, this one looks good, you know.
Anyway, we certainly did do that.
We're looking online and I was looking through and the red, there was blue, there was pink and black, and she said, no, let's go the pig.
Well the ratings went up. Anyway, We've got to move away from this before people come for me. They'll be like, Ben, you're disgusting, horrible man asking it speedos. But I'm sure there's people out there that would wanted to know that. You know how that all came together. Last night's challenge had Australia gasping for air. You know, what was that like in real life? And was there ever a part of your mind thinking I could drown here?
Yeah, it's just mentally. Physically you're just there holding bars and it's fine. It's I mean, it wasn't actually cold or I think it was just nice in the water there, but the mental side of holding bars waiting for the tide to come in. I think I got out maybe the fifty minute mark, iming to be honest, it felt like ten minutes. I did not realize that fifty minutes had went past. It was so quick as you're so focused on a wave coming in, going all right, a
wave will come in, I won't get air. I wait for the trough of the wave and then I'll be able to breathe. And you're kind of going through that three minds, so it goes really quickly. But once you realize that the tides come in to a certain point that you're going to be really struggling to breathe, you kind of don't know whether your next breath in will be water or air, and that's where people panic a lot.
And I didn't realize that when I came up that it was only two other people remaining, and I kind of felt like I could have pushed myself a little bit further to get to the real panic point. And that's obviously the uniqueness about that challenges. In other challenges, you kind of know if certain other people are in, if you're holding something and you look at your left or right and see the people are into, you might try and get another couple of minutes out of yourself.
And that's hard about that challenge.
It's mentally you've got to push yourself to the nth degree if you want to win. And I actually that's one thing I regret. I don't feel like I went to the point where I was so either exhausted or full of water in my mouth or on my arms where I was coughing up everything that I feel like I could have gone a bit further.
It is what it is. You felt that way, because you felt that way. You know, we all think that Sunday Morning quarterbacking. Is what I always say on these chats with reality TV contestants. You can never really look back and say I could have done something differently, because it is just what it is.
Yeah, one hundred pcent Right out there, I was like oh, water's coming in my mouth.
I would have been gone, George. I don't know if you saw online last night, but George put up and said that, you know, he did something like ten minutes and when he came out, he thought he'd been there for five hours, and he thought he had the immunity bracelet like community nelace like. You know, everyone's going to go through that differently.
I guess, well that's the thing. For me fifty minutes about like ten minutes.
Honestly, I couldn't believe when Jarp said fifteen minutes when I got there, and just it was so quick for me.
Well, you made this male strong alliance, you know, which looked rock solid, and we kind of touched on this a little bit before. But are you seeing a different side to that now watching it back?
Yeah?
I mean obviously when you're on there, I mean it's twenty four hours a day. For I was there for twenty nine days, and there's so much that can only get put into a ninety minute episode for.
Each couple of days.
So you understand that things will get put in there, things get missed out, and that kind of the four boys kind of narrative started, And I mean Jerry stuck with it the whole time that the four boys and four boys and four boys, and it's like it wasn't really that lay. I had a great relationship with Nina. Nina was my number one out there with in terms of strategy. Sam was my number one in terms of just matship and we're like best mates now outside and
I absolutely love him. And Nina was one that like, every every minute of every day, we were basically talking strategy with each other, and she was my number one out there, and it kind of it gets frustrated when everyone's just like, oh, the alpha boys. And I put on my Instagram last week saying like, no Alpha here, because I didn't feel like out there I was an alpha. It was just it was created that way as a narrative out there, and then it's just frustrating that that
kind of just sticks. And I was working with Nina for most of the game on stratchat what can we do, what can we do next row?
Do we target? All that kind of stuff. So, but that comes with the territory.
Like you said, you're on a reality show, it's you're playing a game that's two things.
You're playing. The survivors a game.
You're playing the Survivors a TV show, so things are going to get shown and things aren't.
Well.
I think that we're in drastic need of redefining the term alpha because I mean we do think alpha male, and we have connotations of that. But I think in some of these social experiments that we see on reality television, you know, the alpha can be female, you know, I think, and some of the connotations have been for male I think these days, and rightfully so being slightly diluted.
Yeah, how they kind of looked like it was just oh, the four boys, the four boys, the four boys, and it was like it was frustrating, is my game wasn't based around the four boys, and that's that's kind of what the thing. Just looking back, I was like, well, I actually had really strong relationships with some other people.
So well, Matt seemed like he flipped out of his alliance because of destiny. It seemed like it was because of destiny where Sere looks like that he always had one foot out the door, you know, ready to step out of that male alliance. How do you see that?
Yeah, well, I mean I was kind of in that mode too.
I mean, the reason why I joined up with Nina and Sam and Liz was because I was ready to go work with Shawnee and George if that Hailey blindside had happened, I was willing to go straight across with Nina and Sam across there. So Sean was probably doing the same thing. He was trying to set up his game. He wanted there as a shield, which we've seen to then try and work his way into into the mold
that way, whether in his game. But I think Sean and I were kind of always ones that we connected early, and it was kind of we were talking to each other about what we could do at certain points in the game. And whether he was setting it up to
branch himself off, that's fine because that's just survivor. Matt was one that I thought, you, like you said, was a surprise that he flipped, But I was definitely ready to branch off from that, and that's the whole reason why I joined up with Liz and Nina to do that. We were ready to make a move and kind of blow up that whole stick around us four boys.
Well, the tides can turn very quickly on Australian Survivor, you know, and had Liz not really suspected the plan. You know, had she not have given that idol to Shane, I think the Knight would have played out, you know, quite differently for you.
Matt and Haley both flipped on us, So information must have been fed back at some point that the votes were on Shining because those two flipped on us.
So I wonder if if that was the case. I mean, we'll never know.
Yes we will, because we'll hunt them down and we'll make them tell us.
Yeah, yeah, exactly exactly.
I'm sure they can make and stay at one point, whether they told them that our inside information that we were going on Shannie. So I still kind of wanted to potentially have that if I survived last night'spot the flushing Lizer's idol, but telling her to play it on Shannie, I.
Kind of still wanted to work with her a little bit.
But I didn't know whether she was fully over with George, and you kind of questioned and second guess that when you're out there, you don't kind of fully know until obviously you watch it back.
It's very easy.
But in that moment, I didn't know because Liz and I four days earlier, I had a great plan and we were working together.
So I just wanted to know how much you guys had suspected Hayley's ongoing alliance with George. I mean, they were coordinating conversations throughout the whole series since the start, with all of those challenges. You know, they were passing information back and forward. Were they getting away with that? I mean, was that really being gotten away with? Like had you seen any of that kind of communication going on?
Yeah, you see it in stibits, But also while they're communicating, you're trying to find someone to communicate with too, So like in that one stage, I was hugging Flicking to a point.
Thirty seconds at that time when I'm I was telling Flick about the idol and passing the idol, And so in that moment, I can't look at any other conversations because I'm so thrilled in mine, and it's difficult. Like I'd give Hailey credit. Haley played it very well. Looking back now, it's easy to go she was over selling it. But for us at camp, Hailey was telling us a lot. I don't want to work with George. I can't play with George.
I want to get him out.
All this kind of stuff, and she was very much selling the fact that she just wouldn't want to work with him, and watching back now and thinking about it, you're like, hang on, she was just way overselling that, and I should have really questioned that relationship and that dynamic, because yeah, you're like, hang on, she told us like ten days in a row. It's like, well, you're really
trying to sell it to her. So I think if I went in again and ever played it again, I would really try and trust my gut and really second guess what people are.
Saying to me.
And because at moments in the game, I really thought things were happening that in the end were happening, but I didn't trust my gut and go after it. And that was kind of one of them where I was like, hang on, Hailey's doing this. I think there might be something there, But really I just kind of accepted what she was saying for face vality.
It's so easy to do though. Actually, the other thing I was going to say, Simon, you know, such a big player and so many people talking about him as the series goes on. You know, he's kind of like the likable doofers. If you ask me, what do you think is going to happen for him. I mean, how is he going to stand up and move beyond you know, his position that he's in now?
Yeah, I mean I love Simon. He's a great person.
You're kind of write in that regard to me, That's how I would describe as one of those mates you have that you absolutely love, but that every now and then they just make mistakes and you're just like, you just shake your head and you're like, mate, what are you doing?
Like why are doing that?
He's that type person you've always finds himself in situations that are detrimental to him. I love it, but he's got great intentions. It's like it's oh, you just you kind of get frustrated. But he's always going to be a great mate, that kind of that kind of person. So he just always finds himself in a difficult situation. And as I said, I love him. He plays with his heart on his sleeve. He's a very emotional person.
He makes moves and.
They might backfar against him, and somehow he's lasted this long in the game by being kind of on that bottom for a fair while. So you have to give him credit for that is who he is. You know who is, and I really enjoy him. Some people don't like him.
Love him. I love him.
I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed like I just when he makes the stupid mistakes, I hit my head, I smacked the television. And you know, I'm rooting for him. And when I say, Deputy, do for this, I'm not saying that in a negative way. I just kind of you know, it's that Barney fire fish kind of role that he plays that almost makes him more likable. Anyway, we're running out of time. I need to ask you these last two quick questions. Who
do you think is going to win? Not what you know now, but when you left the tribal council, who did you think is going to take this competition out.
George is obviously playing the best game at the moment, but usually they strong players, no one wants to take him to the final three, So I don't think georgiall win. Liza's building, like you said, a strong resume. Nita is very strategic that I think she's She's a strong strap player, and I think she's slowly building as it's going on too.
So out of those two could could win, depends what kind of Sean does from here, whether he kind of turns villainous and keeps himself in the game, he's got the idol up his sleeve, that could be a great play for him. So he's one of them. So maybe one of those three could probably win. I don't think George because he's no one want to take him to the final tribal.
I've been asking everyone this and it's been really quite interesting. Would you ever return to the show, and have you thought about the possibility of what kind of a theme would work for you?
Without a doubt one hundred percent, I would go back on like you could ask me, and I would say yes before you even finished asking the question. I absolutely loved it out there. I can't even talk about how much I would love to go back on there. It's it's such a good experience out there.
I would I.
Would be a little bit more ruthless, but not to the point where I'm detrimental to my game. I know my strengths and I know where where I don't want to kind of put my shoot myself in the foot. So I would love to go back out there and play it and do that. And I forgot your said question, what you're.
Saying, well, I mean what is the theme, and I mean they're running out of time, so I feel like I can give you an option the theme. It would be AFL versus and AFL versus n RL. Yeah you can tell that I'm from Victoria anyway, AFL versus NRL.
I mean, yeah, whatever the theme would be, I'd love to be out there.
I wouldn't care what it is. I'd just love to play again.
It's seriously one of the best experiences you can have in the world, and obviously not many people get to experience it, and I will do it again to heartbeat.
Thank you so much for being so generous with your time and unpacking this. It's just been so amazing to chat with you. And if you want to raise some money for charity, I'm pretty sure you can put those pink speeders online.
Well, I'm doing I'm doing Laps for Life for our march, so the speedos will be on in the pool.
So you've seen a bit more of that.
How do people how could people support you with that? Like, how do we.
Apps for Life? I'm on there.
It's for youth suicide and mental health. So starting tomorrow in March one so I'm going to be putting on my Instagram tomorrow as of tomorrow linked to help donate.
Well, it's a good cause, you're a good man, and I really appreciate, really appreciate the chat.
No, thank you so much. Ben.
As you can tell, I absolutely love David. I think he is such a lovely guy. Finally, I have Flick here to talk about her return to the franchise, and you will also find out how close Flick really is to George and Hayley in real life. So let's get into this. Let's bring her in now. I hope you enjoy this chat with Flick. Hi, Flick, how are you?
I'm good? Thank you?
How are you?
I'm doing very well. Survivor again, we need to stop meeting like this.
Yeah, yep, Survivor around two. Here we are back for some more suffering slash fun times.
One of these two experiences compare, I mean from watching I mean I've watched both, and they seem like they've gone down quite differently. Yeah.
Look, obviously, my first time playing I did pretty amazing considering the circumstances, making it all the way through to the end, and then this time, Look didn't make it as far, but we still made merged.
We're on the jury so cut, there's nothing to be scoffed about.
Like, I'm still pretty proud of my proud of how I played, and yeah, super grateful to get the opportunity to come back and play a second time.
I remember hearing that the production team was so good with you with what happened last time, and then with Survive you get different production teams. Do the experiences feel different because there was different crews?
Yeah, but we also had a few crew from that same season working with Hero vivilin season and you know, so there is familiar faces there, but yeah, they're there to do their job and obviously considering the circumstances when you lose your mum on a filming a reality TV show. Yeah, they were just incredible, Like, you know, they did the
most just to make sure that I was okay. But to be honest, I was really looking forward to coming back and it being just the survivor experience this time round and where I didn't have to worry about that and it wasn't on the back of my mind because you know that first time playing, I literally was just putting one foot in front of the other. End, just you know, waking up each day like.
Okay, another day, like let's see how we can get through this one.
Whereas this time round, like I was just there to play the game, like and I was so excited to play on a beach in Samoa, you know, being a surfer, that's just like the best place in the world for me. So yeah, no, I I was actually very excited for it just to be the survivor experience.
Interestingly enough, you know you mentioned there about those conditions and that you want to go to Samoa. How different were they? I mean, was one climate more manageable than the other?
Yeah, the outpack was a lot easier in terms of climate, like it was. You know, it's still really hard and they both have their challenges. But Samoa, man, that rain wow, Like it's I think it's probably one of the greenest places on Earth. I remember once once we learn on that beach and you just see how green everything is. And I've done a lot of traveling to tropical islands over my time, like that's where some of the best
and the world is. And I've seen green islands, but let me tell you, I haven't seen an island as green as smoller and that means one thing.
That means a lot of rain, and those.
Cars like, oh and literally, you know, day one rains, day two rains, fast water, day thirty something. Rain every single day, like every day, and it's just to the point where it's a bit demoralizing, like everything's wet, everything stinks, everything's damp, nothing properly dries. The sun comes out for a bit and you're all like lizards, like going to the rocks in the ocean and just trying to soak.
Up whatever you can.
But you know, as soon as it rains at night, like you try and waterproof that shelter, and even with a tarp, like the tarp doesn't fit over the whole shelter, so there's not like enough room for everyone to be under that tarp, and you know it's not waterproof, and it's just it's almost like a form of like slow torture just having all these drips like on your head.
And you know, so out back was hard.
We had forty five degree days and then like six to green nights, like I was freezing in the outback but at night time. But yeah, it was just almost think get rained for thirty seconds in the outback and we were all like, oh my god, this is the worst thing ever. And then fast forward to Samhara and it rained every day and.
Your skin is rotting and you feel like, yeah, you are the mold.
Yes, exactly exactly.
You know, I was going to ask you as well, off the back of something we were just talking about before. You know, had you been thinking that you would return to Survivor in between these seasons? Because I thought that when I spoke to you last time, I saw you returning to the show more than I saw Haley and George returning. Had you been thinking, Okay, this is going to happen, and what has that journey been like in your head in between seasons?
Yeah, so I did think that there would be a chance, obviously, with the circumstances and the story and that everything that happened, and you know, I guess the resilience that I showed and also what you said, you know, my experience was tainted in a way that I didn't properly get the Survivor experience I wanted. You know, I was thinking that they would be that chance. I just never thought it
would come aroun round so soon. It was literally like thirteen months I think in between playing, so like a year and a month, you know, and I wow, I just I didn't think it would come around so soon. And when it did, you know, I was like, okay, wow, Like I was instantly it was a yes, because like I just felt like, yeah, I didn't get that proper survivor experience the first time I played.
I didn't have to think about it too long.
Interestingly enough for you, you're one of the people that and I'm talking about gameplay here, you're one of the people who I wonder if returning works because you know, people seemed very dubious of your social game. It's like Flick, Oh she's got the social game, you know, where the first time around, you know, you people like, oh, I love Flick and I'll trust her, do you know what I mean, they didn't really see. Yes, a different side.
To that, Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's true. And like, but the thing is is, like, look, I don't want to sound like I'm suiting my own horn here, but I just do get along with a lot of people, like I think, and that comes back to what I do
as a job. You know, I've been traveling the world since I've been sixteen years old, and I guess like student of the world, Like, you know, you've got to grow up pretty quickly the road you get and you learn to communicate with anyone and have conversations with anyone of all different backgrounds and ages. And you know, networking is a lot of what I do as well, and I really enjoy it. And I think that And George kept saying it in tribal counsels and like some of
it did make it to air and some didn't. But like he's like, you are literally the best social player I've seen, like and it's not coming like for me. When you say social player, it sounds as if it's manipulative and strategic, but it's not. It's literally me just being me. But I just get along with everyone. I'm genuinely interested in everybody.
You know.
I ask good questions and I guess that's you know, that's why I probably stayed in contact with so many of these people, because like we are really good friends postseason, you.
Know, yeah, And I think that that's very truman. I was going to ask you that about what is it that makes someone a good a good communicator? And you know, I guess you're kind of explaining that there. But I just you can't see everything that happens on the beach. No I see those conversations.
No, I think, so I'll just jump in quickly.
But when you place that's such a social game, that's really hard to translate on TV, because how on earth are they going to sit through like hours and hours of all the time that I put to all these different people and all the different conversations that I had, Like it's impossible.
So like that's why I feel.
Like sometimes, but it is a strategy to some degree, it's just not as like cut throat as maybe George or the strategy that he employs, because that's really easy storytelling to tell on screen, you know, whereas hours and hours put into conversations is hard to translate into the edit.
Well, you can't. You've got a very similar face in some ways to a friend of mine. You don't look the same, but you have very similar mannerisms. And she's a very social person. And so when I look at you always, I always just think of her by association. I just am like, oh my god, I love Flick. She's so lovely. And then when you hear people talk about you differently and of course, you know, audiences are
going to have different relationships with different people. I'm very defensive of you because I can see that warmth, I can see that kindness, I can see your ability to empathize and engage with people.
Yeah.
Look, of course people look George and Shawnee and Liz. Obviously they have this little trio, you know, and like Shannie is like she's this is her.
Third time playing, She's been on the screens for a long time.
So the moment anyone goes against her, the audience is going to be like, how dare you?
But the thing is, the way I see it is like, hang on a second.
You know, Shoanny and Liz have big threats in this game, and so is George, and if we can somehow break that up, let's do it. So that was my thinking to that. And I guess, like I got stuck in a really precarious position tribes. What was terrible for me. I played ten days groveling my ass off, doing whatever I could to stay in that game, making, you know,
making just saying whatever I could to get through. And I guess, like, yes, exactly, thin air basically, and I got through the skin of my teeth.
I made it to Merge.
I was look, I got stuck between her rock and a hard place, Like I was literally damned if I didn't damned if I didn't, if I went with Shonnie, Georgia Liz, I would have pissed off my original alliance with the boys and Nina and Hailey, like who I had spent eighteen days with on the original heroes, we didn't. Keep in mind, we didn't go to tribal council that much, which means that like we didn't have like fiery tribal counsels like what the villains did. So these relationships I
had with these people were like really solid. And Sean is like my secret number one out there, like we were with each other's number one, and I just felt like.
I couldn't turn my back on him, you know.
And and the thing is is the edit makes you seem like, oh, flick, how could you be so dumb? And how could you do that? But like with the information that I knew and the perception of reality that I had out there, I thought we had the numbers. So that's why I made the decision I did, you know, And obviously looking bad hindsight's twenty twenty and like, yeah.
I should have stayed with George, Shannie and Liz.
But at the end of the day, like you know, these are big players, like and you know, having two people play so closely together like Shonnie and Liz, that's a massive threat. So that my thinking was, as if we do have the numbers, which I thought we did, let's go for one of them.
I just wonder whether or not the nickname is right because I was like, oh, I love the Spice Girls. I love that for them, And then now I'm like, are they the Spices girls? Are they the mean girls? Like George is kind of like Regina George rightfully, so.
Oh my god, that's so funny.
Maybe in the no, look, I wouldn't say they're the mean girls. I mean, there's a bit of sassiness going on, but at the end of the day, everyone's there just to play a game. And you know, like I am great, great friends with everyone, Like I don't hold grudges, and like I'm sure that they can realize and I know they do.
We've already had conversations about it.
But like everyone knows that it's just gameplay, and like you just do whatever you can to get through, and like, I play Survivor to have fun and I'm not there to like make.
Mortal enemies and keep grudges.
Yeah, exactly, why would I be doing that to myself? You know, why would I carry that baggage out of there when I went in there with no baggage at all?
Exactly exactly.
I was going to say, though, you know, because you've been on a series with George and Haley and there's history there, I wanted to know what your relationship had been like between the two experiences, because you know, watching from the outside, it looks like, you know, Haley and George have been quite close. Have you been involved in that? Click?
Yeah, So it's quite funny. We spent forty seven days together in the outback. We did every single challenge together that was possible. And since the show finished, Australia was in lockdown and Hailey was actually living in Sydney at the time and George lives in Sydney, so they got the chance to like catch up and be together, whereas I was stuck in West Australia. We had this super hard border up and I couldn't leave, and with what
I do. I'm traveling and as soon as the border did kind of loosen up a bit my career, you know, big wave surface. So I'm traveling the world like chasing these big waves like I and my schedule was really busy, like I just couldn't find the time. But however, Hailey and George and I all stay in contact. And yet it looks like if you just take social media, like the base of social media, that George and Hailey have spent a lot more time together about Haley and I
talk on the phone all the time. We're catching up. You know, we're going to each other's weddings.
Like we're close, So George and I.
And it's funny because George and I don't play together like in the game, but we're like brother and sister. We banter, we fight, we call each other up, like I honestly like think of him like a brother. And Hailey, you know, we've got a lot we've always got along.
So Haley and I actually when we landed on that.
Beach, we had like this thing we wanted to keep our relationship with a bit of a secret, and I basically planned to the thing of oh no, we've never hung out once ever before, and like we're not close at all, Like the only time we spent together is you know, in Survivor and we didn't even play with each other. Meanwhile, we actually are really close, but we just wanted to keep that under wraps.
It's like you're the Lisa Cudro in the Courtney Cox Jennifer Aniston friendship. You know, they're always they're always defending. They're like, no, we love Lisa Kudro, you know she We love her just as much as each other. But because you always see Courtney Cox and Jenniferaniston together, people think that Lisa Kudro is being excluded, which is not the case. It's just you know, how the media depicts it, you know what I mean, yes, for us, how social
media is you know, depicting it. But I was curious, don't you think those two really got together and knew they were going to go to this series of Survivor and set out a game plan.
Ah.
Look, I wouldn't put it past him one hundred percent.
You know, they're two of the most strategical players ever and they get along rt so like why not?
And you know, Haley.
Did do a really good job on the season though, of like feeding everyone on the tribe. In the on the Original Heroes tribe, you know so many things about George, like, oh, he's the mass manipulator.
Don't trust him for a second. He's this, is that, he's this.
So she did a good job at making it very clear to everyone that she would never do that. So when she does flip, it's like, oh my god, that no one can believe it, you know, because of what she was saying and spreading about George.
Well you have to do that though, I mean, if you don't want someone to think you like someone, you just have to make it sound like you hate them.
Yes, exactly, exactly.
Yeah, the writing was totally on the wall though, in that tribal council. You know, for you, was there ever a chance that you would have been able to survive that tribal council?
Oh?
Look, probably if I had an idol, or if Sean would have played his idol for me, I think, yeah, would have survived.
But yeah, I think that's the only way.
I really don't see another way out of it for me. There was also a couple of other things that went down. A couple other things got said by a few different people too, Shannee and Liz, that it just made it impossible for me to really come out of that one alive.
I think I think I would. I just would have maded a miracle or an idol.
Well.
I wondered also if your friendship with Liz and Shawnee was total manipulation. And you kind of did answer this before, because you know, it's not social game. You're just getting along with people. But in that time that you were hanging out with them, did you always know you were going to throw them under the bus.
No way, I never knew that.
It's just that I get along with anyone. I'll sit there and have conversations with them. Shannie and Liz are beautiful people, and like I know, you know, outside the game, we're all going to catch up and we're gonna have the best time. It's just that I people and the public and the audience get confused that it is a game and you need to keep trying it, you know.
And I was very clear and going in this time that I wanted to try and play a little bit differently, you know, I wanted to be a bit more aggressive and in terms of strategy as well, because so many people on my first days of well athlet didn't really have any strategy, and I'm like, yeah, okay, So the moment, it's just so silly, you know, Like I.
Got to understand I guess that. You know, when you're watching a show like this, you want people to buy into the magic of it, do you know what I mean? You want people to feel like they're a part of it. And a part of that means that we're all reading into things, we're all believing things to be gospeled, you know. I mean like it's a double edged sword with I know how the audience are going to watch it, where for me, I was just thinking the whole time you
were making that alliance. I never for one second, I think I even said it in one of the other exit interviews. I was like, she's gonna flip, like why why are they doing that? It was a big mistake. So, you know, I think we're all guilty of probably buying into.
The SA that's what it is, you know, And like, of course Seannie's played. This is her third time playing, so she's been on people's screens for so long and people have a relationship with her. So the moment anyone if it was me if it was anyone turns on Shannie. It's the biggest thing ever because Seannie has been in front of people's eyes for a long time, so people do have that relationship with her. But like nothing, what
I'm doing isn't manipulative. It's just that it's gameplay and I've just decided that I wanted to vote them out because they are a big threat. Now you can call it manipultive or not. I don't see it as manipulative. I see it as Yes, they're still my mates, and I know, like we've already chatted postings and we're fine.
Like I just know, I.
Know what I do, and I don't really care what other people say, Like good on them if they think I manipulated people, like keep thinking of that.
Well, no, it's not that I think, you know, interestingly, you know, it was ten years ago now, but I did Big Brother, and I played Big Brother like Survivor, and Big Brother at that stage wasn't like Survivor that it is now.
You know.
It was more about being friends and you know, having a laugh and being silly where I was literally counting everyone's heads every night and manipulating people and it was because I wanted I wanted to win the money, and I won because I was playing the game like that. But people called me a bully, people called me a bitch like people were saying that, and I'm like, well, I'm not really that in real life, because that was just to do with the fact that I gave myself up to the gameplay, Like.
You're seeing Pluddy one, like like, what what am I on screen for maybe five minutes out of a whole episode, ten minutes out of a whole episode, and you're gonna make you You're going to form your opinion of me from Matt Like, that's pretty silly.
I'm going to say, though, I have to say, with Sean knowing he had that idol and watching your relationship with Sean through that episode, I really felt like he should have played that idol for you, Like yeah, yeah, to me, the fact that you ran up to each other and you had the sort of heroes return to each other, and you know, I just was like, oh, he really needs to save you. So I think that
was really hard. I mean, that was brutal to watch as an audience, but you know, it's gameplay, Yeah it is.
That's gameplay. Too.
And look if the shoe was on the other foot and I was sitting there with an idol, I don't know if it's a big deal to play an idol for someone else and not yourself because and it's risky. You know, that could backfire on you. Then it exposes our relationship and all this, like there's a lot to think about.
And look, I don't blame him.
He did message me last night being like, oh blig, yeah, I'm so sorry I.
Didn't do that.
We should.
You know, it's like I wish, I wish I played it for you. But you know, I don't blame him because like he's probably gonna he knows now he's in a minority, he's going to need that down the line.
So you know, I don't blame him. We're at the point point the end of the game. It's individual now.
So how do you how do you see Nina and Sean really coming out from underneath this? I mean, do you foresee? This is my thought process is that we're going to see two groups fractioned into three, and the third the group that merges, like the group that forms out of these two will become the dominant one. Is that sort of how Nina and Sean could survive. How do you think that's gonna How do you think that Nina and Sean can come out from underneath this O?
Man Ah, I think it's going to take a lot of luck, and I think it's there's so many moving parts of this game and but eventually, look to be honest, I don't see this Spice Girls alliance cracking. I just think they're so strong. But I think that eventually there has to be right and eventually they're gonna have the snake has to eat itself, like it's going to have to, and so there's got they're gonna need people like Nina and Sean to make big moves to get rid of
other people. So I think it's not all over for them, Like there's definitely still there is going to be still game play left.
It's just you know, it's just if they can stick in.
There long enough to see those people move around, you know, I don't know.
Who have to wait.
Well, I'm looking at Sam and Matt equally and thinking I've got them in a different category because I'm kind of like, are they just pawns for people to get rid of? Like I mean, I don't necessar I certainly know if they are serious contenders to win this show at this point.
It definitely seems that way right now. I and I see what you're saying. But like I said that, you know that Spy Skills Alliance, even that they oh the Vigilantes, you know, they seem strong right now, and they seem like they're not going to crack. But the cracks will have to form, because that's the nature of the show. If someone goes home every second night and you know there has to be there's not not going to be, you know, so it's going to get interesting.
That's all I say.
So lovely chatting to you, but every I've got to get to the end of this because otherwise, I know you're talking to a lot of people today. I'm asking everyone, though, who do you think is going to win? Because I don't really want to know what you may know now. I want to know where you're headed. Was that when you walked out of that tribal council, Like, who did you think at that point when you snuffed your torch? Yeah, because you think was going to take this out?
So I think, Look, I think George is playing an amazing game I think at this point I've walked out, Like, I think he's playing incredible. He's like super masterminds, so strategic. The way he's making decisions like on the fly like that is just incredible, and how he's able to think so many moves ahead. I just don't know, because he's such a big threat, if you know, if he's really gonna last that long because he is such a big threat, you know, I'd like to see him get a win
because he is incredible and like he deserves it. But I think the underdog for me is someone like Nina, because Nina is playing a game that hasn't gotten much airtimelate, and she puts so much into it.
She's such a great thinker, she plays.
An incredible social game, and she's just like, Yeah, Nina for me is definitely one to watch.
And I don't think we've seen enough of that gameplay yet.
And I have to ask, would you ever return to the show And do you know what sort of a theme you would need to return with? Have you thought, God, they could easily have me back, Sean, He's done it three times, Like, what sort of a theme do you think that they could rope you into?
Oh look, I mean, i'd love to look if I was going to go and play again.
It's just it's going to be hard for.
Me with my focus being on my career and big wave surfing and that is my sole focus.
I feel like the last two years.
Because of lockdown and being in Western Australia and COVID, I had the opportunity to play Survivor because my surfing took a bit of a back seat because I couldn't.
Travel the world doing it.
Yeah, right, and that allowed me to That allowed me to Yeah, so that allowed me to play Survivor, which has been incredible. It's given me, like you know, best opportunities, made so many friendships and an amazing experience.
Now, if I was to do it.
Again and just be like I wouldn't, I'm not, like, it'd just be a lot more thought go into it and timing, like, you know, is this going to work out with what I'm doing right now, like with my big wave surfing career, because that's my number one priority right now.
So just a little bit more thought.
But in terms of what I don't know, I mean it definitely again, Yeah, that'd be pretty funny, flick so lovely to chat with you.
I'm so glad you came back. I'm so glad we've got to see you. It kind of as an audience, makes us realize that you're okay, you know, and actually and now it's really good to see because we buy into these people, you know. When we saw you leave last time, I mean, I can only speak for myself, but you know, I had a lot of love in my heart for you, and it's nice to be able to see you come back and look happy and be happy.
Thank you, Thanks for the chat.