It's in the news today, but it was actually on TV Reload the podcast last week that line, Hey guys, welcome back to TV Reload. I want to thank you for clicking and downloading. On today's episode with the winner of Australian Survivor, Ferris, who is here to share his story and man alive. Are you all in for a
treat today? Australian Survivor Titans Versus Rebels was a showdown that pitted the winners against the underdogs and the big wigs against the battlers, with an emotional outcome seeing an original rebel walking away with a grand prize of half a million dollars. Before I go on, I would love to acknowledge Mark and Caroline who both did so well and kudos to them for their ability to survive on the island of Samoa for forty seven days. Ferris from Sydney,
New South Wales was fearfully loyal to his allies. He played a confidence social game that allowed him to recover at times from a few blunders that almost Say's game end a couple of times throughout the series, most noticeably during the Tribe Switch, where his back was totally up against a wall. After the game's merge, Ferris settled into a cupfortable position and was rarely targeted despite having a public but yet hidden immunity idol at that point of
the game. His decision to align with Kirby created a formidable duo that brought both of them success and subsequently afforded him a guaranteed path to the Final two. However, when Kirby lost immunity at the Final five, Ferris took a big risk dispensing of her and came super close to being eliminated himself when he lost the next immunity challenge. Ultimately, Ferris was able to win the final immunity challenge and
he made it to the Final two. Despite the pretty slow start to the final tribal Council, where his vague answers were met with a pretty cold reception from the jury, Ferris made a pretty impressive comeback with his confident advocacy for his game, and at that point he earned the jury's respect and unanimously was crowned the first soul survivor
of Arab Descent. Today, on the podcast, Ferris will reveal for the first time who trained him for the current series and how the former survivor God actually helped him win the game. We will unpack Caroline's reaction to the unanimous vote against her and where that relationship is at now, with some insights into why Mark and Kitty surprisingly wrote
his name down over their alliance with Caroline. I will find out who Ferris things deserves a do over from this season, and we will hear who he would like to play against if he ever returned. Plus, I will ask fan questions, including the backstory to Nathan's dodger jacket and the surprising place that much sought after item has
actually ended up. There is so much to unpack today with Ferris, and I'm only teasing you with some of the stories that you're going to get to hear, So sit back and relax as we dive just that little bit deeper into the world of Australian survivor. Hey, Ferris, how are you mate?
Hello? I love you. That's awesome man.
Fully dressed up for you, mate.
I love that which I put well, but he just thinks.
Mine's actually a lot cleaner and I spray mime with whatever called after shave, So nothing like what you're used to.
Definitely not. I wish out of the shave on the Island.
Well, congratulations on winning this series. I'm so elated for you.
Thank you so much. I'm like so overwhelmed. I feel like I'm still dreaming. Didn't get a wink of sleep last night, so I'm just running off adrenaline. But yeah, couldn't be happier.
You still look better now with no sleep than you did by the end of Survivor so embarrassing.
When I looked in the mirror for the first time, I promise you, my first word was, do I look like it's on National TV? That's so embarrassed.
I actually think I feel bad, but I feel like you got hotter as the show went on.
Thank you. I'm so glad that there is that unpopular opinion.
How emotional was it to watch the show last night, because I think if you're a true Fairest fan, you would have watched on social media last night that you had every friend and family member and survive a player basically with you to watch that.
Yeah it was. Yeah, it was so emotional watching that last episode, and I think for everyone that watched it, you know last night, there weren't a lot of moments where you saw me cry, but I bored my eyes out in that last episode. Just reliving that moment. It was absolutely incredible, and I said to myself going in, I'm not gonna crime National TV, but they go board eyes. I have like a little baby. But yeah, I couldn't be happy.
Depending from Bendigo says that you're not batting above your average? How are you going with your social media? And everyone wants to know? Will you right back to everyone in some form at some point?
Yes, of course I was. I think I was up to well before turning off my phone. I was up to like three am replying to everyone. I made sure that I'm replying to every single person that has supported me, because it is the absolute least I can do. Yeah, I'm definitely getting back to every single person that does support me.
Well, it's a monumental win. That's the way that I'm describing it. And there's so much for you to be proud of. In the words that you used in that finale, I think you could do with a Kleenex sponsorship right now, because anyone who watched that show had is you know. I just want to say though, that whilst you you did so well, did you get help before taking part of the show with your application. Did you get any help from any survivor gods before doing so?
When I applied and I got my first Zoom interview and I had a chat over the phone off that like, it's a very lengthy process until the last stage where it was the audition process, and I message King George. I was like, George, I don't know if you're going to reply to me or not, but I am in the last stages of the audition and I could possibly be on the show. I need any bit of advice
he can give me. And he was so humble and nice to be able to meet up with me and then gave me a bit of advice going onto the show and pretty much how to audition properly. And it definitely worked. And again it's nothing, it was nothing out of the ordinary, but it was really solid advice that I needed to hear at that time, and to be reassured by someone like King George was absolutely amazing. Yeah, all credit to it, and.
What length can we get like a little teaste, because you know, it's all very well and good to say that you sat down with someone like King George and they Jedi mastered you. But It all comes down in the proof of the pudding as to whether or not he told you anything that worked. So what did you use that King George taught you to help you win the show?
Okay, Look, the advice the first time around that he gave me was purely about the audition, and he outlined three factors as to why they would possibly be interested in me his work. It's not mine. He said, your Arab, you're hot, and you're funny. They love that, they love it. Just embrace that in the audition and it was really really nice. It was hilarious. But going onto the show, his word of advice was literally, you have an idol,
keep it to yourself. Just keep it to yourself unless you need, unless it's saving someone really really close to you towards the end, keep it for yourself. And that was amazing advice that I honestly didn't think that I would go into the show holding an idol and being that selfish. Unfortunately for the others, the fallen Soldiers like gart. But yeah, he definitely gave me a bit of advice that really really helped. And it was not so much
it was less about his advice. Watching his gameplay, I saw who he aligned with the type of people he aligned with, and I made sure I wasn't going to be that alpha male guy that just aligned with a bunch of you know, big boys. I didn't want to play like that. I wanted to play pretty much similar to how George did in terms of his alliance. At the end of working props to it.
Do you think that there's any animosity now from George because you were able to do something that he was never able to do. And if I know George the way that I know George, and I'm assuming you do too, I'm sure that there is going to be a quiet moment for that man alone, a.
Little tears come out. He's a way better person than I am. He honestly has been so supportive with everything, and I think, if anything, he feels more like, you know, a proud friend than a proud coach, if you will, for someone from Assy need to be representing. So I think he's really really happy for me. He won't be that time to be upset. But look, George, he knows he's the greatest. We all lose. He knows he's a legend of the game, and we don't need to boost his ego anymore.
Well, look, I trust a man that can cope with the conditions of survivor from the person who was trained by King George, because that's some kind of free game torture right there. I'm picturing George. You're waking up at nighttime and George is in bed with you and your and your wife, and he's he's ranting at you.
Oh my god, he was. He was really lovely. He gave his advice.
So yeah, props to well the jury all voting for you was absolutely spectacular. Do we know why Mark and Kitty in particular voted for you and not Caroline?
Yeah, I think I think it was explained pretty well. You know in the episode yesterday, I knew Kitty. I was really surprised by Kitty's vote, but I think it just came down to for her at least, she said, you know what, there's you. I feel like you could do a lot more with the money, and I feel like you'd be a deserving player. So all props to her.
I really appreciated that from from Kitty and Mark. I think the thing that got him the most was the idol play, which thankfully here is and he loved and Yeah, I'm so thankful that I got all nine votes.
You might arguably be the most deserving of that money when it came in terms to you and Caroline and who might have needed that money. Do you think though the Castaways in that jury council think about wealth as a priority.
I don't think it's a priority, but I think it's a factor. I think when there is you know, for some people where they don't know what to do, where they are torn between two people, whether it be two amazing players or two players that they don't know their game much. If they're ever torn, I think it will come down to a small decision like that, which again is fair enough each to their own and how they want to vote, And if some people can't make up
their minds, I think factors like that. Yeah, he definitely does influence them.
What did you learn after the game that really surprised you? Because once you took the buffs off and you could be yourselves. I just want to know whether or not your relationships with the Castaways changed? Were people different once you removed the competition side out of your interaction and your relationship with them?
Look, everyone on the album was so lovely to me, and that hasn't changed at all outside of the game either. I am so close with so many of the people in the cast. They have been, you know, the most amazing people to make a season with, so throughout the entire time, no matter what we saw on TV or how aggressive the game might have seen, there was always a level of respect with each other. And I think that's what our hold dealing the most. And you know,
outside of the game, it's the exact same thing. I've had so many of the cast members come over, Race slept over in my house a couple of days ago, Alex came and visited me. I think there's just a level of respect that we all share for each other for having this shared experience.
You know, Eileen and Kirby were really instrumental in your win, and while they could take credit in some ways, I think that we can see that they respected your game. Do you think that you could have one without those two girls.
Look, they were one hundred percent so instrumental to those both, you know, Eileen being the mayors of the jury and Kirby disrespecting gameplay was a huge factor. I do think it would be a bit more difficult for me to explain to the others only because I met most of them after merg and they didn't see a lot of my moves, so it was a lot harder to explain or even validate a lot of my moves if I
didn't have people like Eileen and Kirby. I still think I could have taken out the win regardless, but they definitely had a huge influence, which I'm so grateful for.
Yeah, I love both of those women. I'm like mildly obsessed. I think that they worry me too. I'm really drawn to genuine people. Are there's something very genuine about these women, you know what I mean?
So right?
And I think you are too, because I really watched your game, and I think that you really respect or respond to strong women. I don't know where that. I don't know where that comes from, but that, to me, I think was all also so much a part of the way in which there's an enormous amount of respect for your gameplay throughout the fandom.
You know what now that you mention it your spot on. Honestly, I've grown up with women my entire life. I have two older sisters. They're both very strong women, very intelligent.
Boss ladies, and I love that, and I think it was just second nature to me, you know, to be drawn two powerful women in more of a sisterly sense, Like I love the fact that, you know, Kirby played her game and she was her own boss, and I lean the same thing, and I really respect that these times, a lot of times people underestimate backgrounds, personalities and gender as well, and that definitely wasn't the case with me. I was terrified of Kirby and I love her for that.
So yeah, both amazing women. They both deserve, you know, a huge, huge kudos to that.
All from Australian Survivor Fans, which is a group on Facebook wants to know what happened to Nathan's dodger jack.
I could write a book about this jacket.
I've heard what the hell's going on? What's the backstory to this fucking jacket?
Mate? Like everyone, you know what, it's even more backstory that I wish I could just like steal everything, give.
Us a taste, because that's a podcast in itself, Nathan's Dodger Jacket.
Yeah. So what's funny was Raymond actually wanted the jacket in the end, so right before his vote, off. He was so obsessed the fact that this jacket was the cause of so much arguments and he loves you silly things like that. So when he got voted off, I actually took off my jacket and I gave it to him, and then yeah, I was going to give it to him, and then Caroline pretty much said, look, I need that to sleep and I'll give it to you after eight I'm like, of course, you know, so I got it
to Caroline. In the end, I think I actually think the jacket's still on the island. No, yeah, yeah, I know.
It's such a sad editing to such an important part of the game.
I'm picturing like an Indiana Jones and the Crusade where they're looking for the you know, the what if it called that cup is? You know what I mean? Like the fans are going to go back to the island.
You know, how good would it be if there was an All Star season and it starts off with the jacket being on the island, all dirty and stuff, and then someone puts it off. That would be incredible. I love that.
That's a really good question that you say this, because look, the fans have been talking about it there's some serious rumors going around about the possibility of the next season having some returning players, and your name is there, Kirby's name is there, Raymond's name is there, Elaine's name is there. There's some people. But I want to know, from your perspective, who's the most deserving of a do over when it comes to the possibility of someone returning.
Ah, Kirby. I think I think Kirby definitely deserves another shot. I feel so responsible for what happens, so I think it would be an injustice not to see Kirby play a second time, honestly, And adding on to that, people like Garrick Eileen, we didn't get to see, you know, so much more of their game in their personality, so they definitely need another short two showcase start to all of Australia. We got a bit of a taste for it and we loved it, and he wanted to see it the second time.
So yeah, And I was going to talk about this thing because this is an anomaly in reality television. Mark winning that Azuzu continues the theory that in reality television, if you win a car, you will not you will not win the show. Hashtag Raymond's obsession with the is.
You know about who knows about that? Who knows about that? Oh that's a really inside information. I love it. I love making that research. But yeah, look, I think it was the only thing that was getting me through losing that car I was like, damn, I lost the car, but hey, I could possibly win it. Mike's definitely not winning because of your skirts. So amazing, you have not won the show.
To stamp and send.
That exactly right. We guess we have.
To touch on this because it's an important part of the finale, and it's also important in the fact that there's an enormous amount of respect for Caroline for getting towards the end. What has her reaction been to the unanimous vote? How did that play out? And how is that still playing out?
Look, Caroline is such an amazing human. She was so so humble with everything. She was so gracious and like such a classy woman. She you know, gave me so much props to my win, and yeah, look, I'm so happy I got to sit next to her at the end. But yeah, I think she knew how much I wanted this, and I think it was the motherly instincts in her just to just be proud and happy for me. And I'm so appreciative for someone like Caroline to be sitting next to at the end.
Another question from one of the for this was from Twitter, and I couldn't read this guy's name, probably, But who would you like to challenge if you were to return? Would you like to now? I think we will call George your Jedi master with that, But like, who do you who would you love to go back and challenge? If we're looking at the fi the gods, and we've got Luke Toki, We've got David Ginnette, We've got some amazing people there. Who would you like to go up against?
I need to prove my sisters wrong because they're obsessed with David. They loved his gameplay and they kept saying, watch him, watch him before we go into survivment. Make sure we watch his game. So I would love to go up against to David. Look nothing but respect for the man who's played an amazing game. So I would love to test my skills on someone like David Luke. I see myself more in an alliance with it than anything.
He seems like such a personal guy, and I think I can relate to him on twny different levels, and I think we would just click instantly. So I would go up against David and be the wedge between Luke and David and bring Luke over to my side.
I'm kind of picturing halfway through the season that either George or you like some kind of Jedi relationship or you have to try and take the other one down. And I'll tell you what, I'm just putting some of Raymond's popcorn on right now just because that kind of fantasy of you going up against George is that.
Would be more that would be amazing to watch, and you know, like forget about strategy. It would just be amazing to watch us go back and forth that tribal co. Yeah, I Kim talking crap and me just reading through all his baoll crap would be amazing.
I'll call Eden now and see if we can book a full cinema for that. But Dayden find a cinema because we need to watch that. Everyone who's joined the podcast, I've been asking them this question, something that you learned from playing this game? Can you put in a sentence in the Game of Australian Survivor.
In the Game of Australian survivor. I've learned to believe more in myself. Going into the game, I honestly didn't even think about winning my entire life. I don't put much belief in myself, and after the whole journey, I've learned I need to back myself so much more than what I already do. So Yeah, just having the utmost belief in your abilities and how capable you are, regardless of what it is doing, is so so.
Important, And everyone who joins the podcast gets asked this question from all different TV shows. Yes, what if something from behind the scenes, something of kind of like a behind the scenes secret from your time on the show? Of course, we know that the show gets sort of filmed over like a seventy two hour period and we only get to see about an hour and twenty minutes, so there's an enormous amount that we don't get to see. Is there a fun story on an anecdotal of.
Course there is.
Yes.
I could go on and on all day, but I will mention one thing that I wish, you know, we actually went through with it, but he probably won't be on air. Regardless. Me and Ray one night were sitting underneath the shelter while everyone will sleeping and we're laughing at the idea and possibly pranking everyone, and we came up with all these scenarios what we could possibly do.
One scenario would be to put just a bit of salt water and everybody who's some bottles just so they dehydrated for the next challenge, or because it was raining so much every single day, to poke holes in the top on like people except for us, So we'll just constantly rain on people.
And he wants to leave confirmation that you two are assholes.
Yeah.
Yeah, we loved so much about it, and we loved the idea of it, but then we thought, you know what, let's just play the game. We don't want to get in any more trouble than we already have because we've got in so much trouble.
Can I just say I felt so emotional watching you throughout this entire series. I remember before I did Big Brother, they said to me that a gay person couldn't win a reality show like that, and I could hear it in your voice about being an Australian Muslim Man and being able to take this show, and I can see how much that means to you. You've achieved something that is I'm emotional talking about it with you now, and I just I just think, thank you so much for doing that, and.
Thank you so much. I although I'm so proud of winning, I am most proud of how I represented myself, Mike, community, my faith. Whatever it may be. The fact that people got to see me pray on National TV is I kind of explain to you how monumental that is for my community. I know that that's something my community is going to be talking about for so long. It was so important for people around Australia for once to see a Middle Eastern man, a Muslim man on TV for
a positive light, not in a negative light. And you know, to be that fun character, to be loyal, to be trustworthy, to be funny, to be one of the characters that's always smiling. Was so important for me to show people
that don't judge a book boats cover. It's so humbling to see people all walks of life message me that aren't Mulsom, that aren't parried, and they've said they cried watching me pray on TV and it just makes you know, Australia the greatest country in the world to have so much support, regardless of what background you're coming from over this one moment is yeah, it's so humbly Yeah, I kindly begin to explain. I could speak for an hour about just this one topic.
Give you some categories on your own podcast conversation.
Yes, please, yes please.
That is definitely one mate. Just really enjoy this moment. Enjoy chatting to the media. I know that there's so many people out there looking forward to talking to you today and you sharing your story, and like them, I'm in your audience and I can't wait to see what you do next.
Thank you so much, Ben, I really really appreciate time. By the way, I loved you and big brother. I used to watch you like back in the days. I was absolutely upset. So this is completely legendary, right, I really appreciate your time.
Bizarre to you even hear that, biz, I have to let you go. But enjoy chatting to everyone, and thank you. I hope in the universe somehow that I get to have a drink with you.
At some point, and one hundred percent I would love that. Thank you so much, amazing, I really appreciate it.
Okay, chat to you.
Thank you