Reality TV

Australian Survivor contestants Paige, Anita and Zach spill on the competitive game

'I never saw it coming!'
Loading the player...

Australian Survivor has successfully hooked us in for another season! With an incredible cast of Contenders and Champions fighting it out for the top prize, it’s safe to say we can’t WAIT to see what happens next.

Ahead of this week’s episodes, we caught up with Paige, Zach, and Anita to gain some insight to their experience on the reality series so far.

Paige tells of her startling blindside

It was a development she never saw coming, and Paige Kerin is still reeling from the consequences.

Paige, who’s been accused of swapping alliances during her time on the Contenders tribe, was saved last week, despite the boys plotting and turning on her.

“Especially Rob [Skibicki] and Benji [Wilson], I really connected with them because we were a similar age, but I had no idea that behind the scenes they were orchestrating a vote against me,” Paige, 24, tells TV WEEK.

“It was a shock and incredibly hard to deal with.”

Paige was blindsided by the boys.

Zach fancies himself a champion, not a contender

He’s been on TV before, as Hunter on reality show Gladiators in 2008, so Zach Kozyrski firmly believes he’s in the wrong camp on Australian Survivor.

Zach is one of the more imposing figures on the Contenders tribe in Fiji, and he thinks he could’ve easily fitted in with the Champions.

“Like them, I’m at the top of my game,” Zach, 39, says.

Zach as Hunter on Gladiators.

The big guy’s ruffled a few feathers on his tribe with his willingness to say what he thinks. The personal trainer concedes he struggled at times being around people who didn’t share his ruthless competitive spirit.

“My experience on my tribe was good and bad,” he says.

“I made some friends, but we were from completely different walks of life and mindsets.”

He also admits his second crack at television has been a much different experience.

“With Gladiators, I had a beautiful, plush hotel and people were cooking for me,” he says. “The training was hard, but it was nothing compared to how tough Australian Survivor is.

“There is no food, everyone is trying to stab you in the back and you only get to sleep half an hour a night.”

Zach fancies himself a Champion.

Anita will take her Survivor experience to the grave

When Richard Hatch won the inaugural season of US Survivor back in 2000, Anita Berkett was a single mother and Survivor was her TV addiction.

Now, all these years later, the charismatic blonde can’t believe her luck at actually being on the show.

“My experience was life-changing,” she says. “It’ll be one of those things at my funeral – my Survivor experience will be in my eulogy.”

Anita is a MAJOR fan.

Anita, who hails from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, describes herself as a super fan and earlier this year celebrated her 50th birthday with a Survivor-themed party.

Go, Anita!

We’re only 1000% jealous of this cake!

Australian Survivor airs Monday and Tuesday, 7:30pm on Network Ten.

Want more Australian Survivor stories? We’ve got you sorted!

Exactly where to follow the 2018 Australian Survivor contestants on Instagram

AFLW player Moana Hope on the devastating illness that saw her eliminated

Jenna spills on her heartbreaking exit

Robbie reveals: I’m 100% open to finding love on Survivor

Russell Hantz’s most controversial moments

Related stories