Australian Survivor: Redemption - Exit Interview | Episode 22 | Beyond Tribal

In this episode of Beyond Reality: Beyond Tribal, long-time Australian Survivor producer Hayley Ferguson sits down with the latest player to be eliminated from Australian Survivor: Redemption and the eighth member of the jury - Sally.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:15

Hi, I'm Hayley Ferguson and this is Beyond Reality. I've spent the past decade working as a producer on Australian Survivor. And now I'm taking you Beyond Tribal. I'll be chatting with the players from Australian Survivor Redemption as they leave the game unpacking their strategy, their downfall, and their story beyond the vote.

SPEAKER_00 0:33

This is Beyond Reality!

SPEAKER_01 0:36

Hi Sally. Hello, Haley. Thank you so much for joining me. Obviously, last night we saw you go out in a Final Four fire making challenge. Yes. How did it feel watching it all back?

SPEAKER_02 0:51

Um, I was so scared to watch that, to be honest. The past few episodes have been hard to relive. Um, just because you're really putting yourself out there. I'm really, I'm really going hard at this stage of the game. You know, I'm trying to do the most and going to fire and failing so miserably at it. Um, I was pretty nervous to watch that, to be honest. But now that I have, I'm really relieved. You know, I gave it everything I could. And if there's anyone I would have loved to have lost fire to, it's Caleb. So I have zero regrets. I'm really happy.

SPEAKER_01 1:31

I mean, Caleb didn't give you much of a chance. That was a pretty quick fire. Quickest in Australian survivor history.

SPEAKER_02 1:38

Wow, so is that some comfort? It's some comfort. I mean, no one was gonna beat Caleb in fire, absolutely not. Is it how I would have loved to have gone out? No.

SPEAKER_01 1:50

But as a survivor fan, it's pretty damn cool. Obviously, Caleb made a fire very quickly, but I mean, in terms of fire making, was it something that you were comfortable with?

SPEAKER_02 2:03

No, absolutely not. I'd never put any thought into making fire out there, um, which obviously worked against me. I mean, I never would have beat him anyway, but I didn't care about fire. I was a social player, you know, like I every single thing I did was to create social connections out there. So who knows? If I had spent a lot of time out there learning how to make a rip of fire, and maybe my social connections would have been lacking, and maybe I would have gone home earlier. So I don't think I could have done it any other way, but I do wish I'd practiced with the Flint and stuff a little bit more before the game. But what's done is done now.

SPEAKER_01 2:44

In your mind, why did Loz make this move? Because she had a very strong connection with Caleb and she's extremely loyal. Did you know how close they were in that moment? Like, did you did you feel that, or did you feel like your connection with Loz was stronger?

SPEAKER_02 3:02

I felt like they had a very strong connection, but I felt like Loz knew that Caleb was a very, very good player and that she should take him out. So there are so many thought processes happening at once, so many alternate realities. It's really something you will never go through unless you've played Survivor. Like, it's like every single thought has 10 different layers to it. So at that tribal council, I'm sitting there going, surely Loz is gonna want to get Caleb out. She she knows what an incredible game that he's played. I've told her that. And I'm also thinking, Loz, you won't want to give Caleb a fire move as well. You know, don't give him anything else to make his game even better. But then I'm also thinking, like, there's no way that Loz is gonna flip on Caleb. I mean, there's it was, I had no idea what was gonna happen at that tribal council, so I would have been shocked with whatever had had adventure.

SPEAKER_01 4:04

There's so many dynamics at play, especially when you get down to Final Four, I guess, because you have played a whole game together. For you, it was a really emotional exit, and we could really feel that. Where was that emotion coming from? What was hitting you the hardest in that moment when you were leaving the game?

SPEAKER_02 4:22

Just being proud of myself, honestly. Like you can actually see in my some of my interviews on the beach that day, like I fully had just been crying so much, and it was because I was just so proud. I just couldn't believe it was day 43 and I was still on the beach. You know, it's a 45-day game. I never thought I would get on Survivor, let alone make it that far. And especially when you get out there, you know, the first five days, you're basically in shock. You're just in complete shock. You are on a beach living with strangers, you've got no food, no shelter, no creature comforts, you're missing your home, you're regretting every decision you've ever made. And somehow I still end up at day 43, and somehow I end up with a game that I'm actually really proud of by day 43. So I was just overwhelmed with joy. I mean, I completely by that point I felt like I had already won. So when I left the game, I really left feeling like I had given it everything I could and that I that I did win. And it was, you know, it felt like I'd won$500,000, even though I hadn't. So I was just so stoked.

SPEAKER_01 5:33

And if you were to make it through the night and Caleb went home, what was your plan to make it to the end?

SPEAKER_02 5:42

My plan was to definitely win the endurance challenge the next day, which I think I would have been really good at. Um, I endurance is probably my forte. Um, so I think I would have I would have won that. I'm good with with pain and stuff like that. And I would have taken Loz out and I would have taken Jackson to top two. In your mind, why was that how you would have seen your final two? Basically, my order of how I wanted to get people out from four onwards was to get out the people that played the most similar game to me. Caleb and I played a very similar game, same alliances a lot of the time, Redemption Beach, but he had more moves on his resume than me. So it made sense to get him out. Loz, even you know, a similar game, not exactly the same, but a similar game. You know, we didn't get to meet each other really until merge. Um, but Jackson and I completely different. Yeah, our games were really uh highly in contrast, and I wanted to pitch against someone that I could diversify my story and my narrative and my strategy from theirs. And Jackson played the game um, you know, very entertaining, lots of bravado, lots of talk, talk, talk at tribal councils. And you know, I did the opposite, is what I felt. And so I was really basically from you know the Keely vote onwards, or even before that, I was really taking into account who do I want to pitch against and what do I want my story to be? And that's what a lot of my gameplay was really focused on at that pointy end of the game.

SPEAKER_01 7:11

I want to talk about the idol play in terms of you found a half idol, and then you convinced Keeley to give you her half, but then you didn't play it. Can you talk me through that decision-making process? Yes, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 7:29

So the half idol, the bloody half idol. The thing is with that half idol, and this is why it is such a chaotic little little emblem from Survivor. It is half an idol, so you can't play it like a normal idol, right? You have to be relying on your social bonds to do anything with that little thing. Otherwise, it's null and void. You may as well have it as a best friend charm. You can't do anything with it. And Brooke had the other half to start off with, and she's who I want to vote out. So I can't use it with someone that is not in my alliance. You actually, the rules of the idol, and it's set on the scroll, was that the two idol owners must make a unanimous decision to play that idol. A unanimous decision. So I could not just decide who to who to save with the idol. Me and Keely, or me and Brooke, had to make a unanimous decision. So I tried really hard to get that idol off Brooke before she went home that night by pretending I was gonna vote for Caleb so I could use it as a whole idol for myself the next night if I needed to. That's why I came up with that plan. I had a very short time. I really just want to do something, anything, to get this idol from her. And they were potentially gonna vote for Caleb that night. So I was like, great, I'll blindside Caleb. You give me the idol, he'll give me the idol, then I'll have the whole idol. And Brooke goes packing. So I just wanted to get it from her before she left the game, and I knew she was gonna leave it to Keeley. By the time that Keeley tells me at the last second at Tribal, you know, up until that point, I knew that she had it, but she never had said, I've got it, let's do something. So I really was thinking to myself, like, what do what do I do with this half idol? Like before Tribal, I'm like, man, the jury aren't even gonna know I've had this. They are not even gonna know that I hustled so hard to find this in the bushes, that I've been trying to figure something out to do with it. And they're not gonna know that um, you know, that I tried to get it from Brooke. Nothing. So I needed to do something just to be able to articulate that part of the story to the jury. So that's why I brought it out and said, who's got it? Because I wanted the jury to know one, at least I found a half idol, and I'm trying to do something at this point. But lo and behold, because you have to make a unanimous decision, I can only use it for a move that Keeley agrees with. And obviously, the only thing she's gonna agree with is for me to save her if she thinks she's going home. I'm a split vote at that time. I could either use the idol to save Keely and Senlo's home, or I cannot do anything with the idol. They're my two options at that point. And I was like, if I get the if I show the jury that Keeley is gonna give me the other half, at least they then know that Keely still trusted me at that point of the game. At least they still then know that I was playing a great social game and that people trusted me even when I wasn't working with them. So I thought to myself, at least then the jury knows something about this half idol. And unfortunately I had to send Keely home because she's the best player of the game. I mean, I wasn't gonna keep her in. I just couldn't. She sent me to Redemption Beach, hadn't trusted her in a long time. She's an amazing survivor player. It benefited me in my mind at no point to save Keeley. And I wanted to show Caleb and Laws that I was a loyal player because they were still in the game, you know, and if they're gonna end up on the jury, I want to get their votes. So they're all the things I'm contemplating with the half idol. And I don't think it made a lot of sense, um, you know, that perspective, but that's actually what was going on through my head.

SPEAKER_01 11:20

In terms of the rules with the half idol, when you put them together, because she handed it over to you, did it not become your idol at that point to play as you wanted? Like, could you have potentially played that idol for loss?

SPEAKER_02 11:37

So all I know is that on the the rules of the idol, so none of that was stipulated. This the rules of the idol on the scroll just say that the each half idol owner must make a unanimous decision on who the idol should be played for. That's it. That's all I've got. So in my mind, it's like, can I play this for Loz if Keely gives it? No. No, it doesn't say that as soon as you put the two halves together, the idol is then one whole and you can do with it what you will. Absolutely not. Was that ever stipulated? So it was like literally, I could play it for Keely because that's the unanimous decision. You know, it didn't say anywhere, as soon as they're magnetized, whoever is in possession of it, the rules are changed. You know, that's not what was happening with a half idol at that point in the game, and not what I was aware of. And when you read the scroll, you stick to the rules on the scroll, absolutely, because you could jeopardize your entire game otherwise. So I had two options, and it was to either play it for Keely or to not play it at all, and at least show the jury that I had a half idol and you know, just something for my pitch. So that's where it was. But I didn't need to use it to save Laws anyway, because my vote was on Keeley.

SPEAKER_01 12:59

So I understand that I more meant it in terms of playing it on Laws as a way of garnering favour and using it as social currency, I guess. Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_02 13:10

That was what I thought I could. I mean, I knew I couldn't play it for anyone but Keely because it had to be a unanimous decision, and Keely's never gonna go agree for me to play it with Laws. And that's basically what the scroll said, and that was the assumption between anyone with the half idol. So I don't know if there's this, you know, I've contemplated it since then, but that's there's no way I could have in that moment thought expected that that was a thing.

SPEAKER_01 13:35

You have spoken about your social game and making these social connections, which was a really strong part of your game from the very beginning. Did you find it harder as the game went on when you had to be more ruthless?

SPEAKER_02 13:49

Yes, definitely, because I do find it, you know, in some of the episodes you do see me saying, like, oh, the Brooke vote was a really hard vote, you know, oh, the Keely vote is it's a it's a hard vote. And it's because they are your friends and you've spent so much time with them, like Survivor is a ruthless game, but we're human beings playing a ruthless game, and it completely defies a lot of uh natural ways of living. You know, you keep the people that you love closer to you, and you want to protect the people that you enjoy spending time with. And playing Survivor is the opposite of all of that, it actually flips human nature on its head. So it does become really hard to be ruthless, and it does become very hard to be thinking on your feet really quickly and using, you know, you the top of the brain all the time to be making all these executive decisions for yourself and your alliance when you're so tired, you are so run down, you're so fatigued, you're you are laying awake at night all night spiraling over your pitch and what to do next and all of the options that you've got. And it it gets so much harder as the game goes on. I mean, by the time that I got eliminated, I was the shell of a human being, to be honest. Like, yeah, I slept for a couple of weeks straight afterwards, I'll tell you that.

SPEAKER_01 15:11

With your story, I mean, you had a deeply personal reason for being out there and for playing this game of survivor. Do you feel like that reason and that motivation for being there impacted on how you played this game?

SPEAKER_02 15:27

Definitely, absolutely. The the whole motivation for why I went out there was really to, I mean, the$500,000 would be great, I won't lie, of course, but it was really to prove to myself that, you know, all the awful things that have happened in my life, including, you know, losing my brother to suicide in 2020 and how much my family have suffered, you know, going through that since way before that even happened. There was such so much of me that really thought that like I had no control over my life and I'm a victim and I don't understand why this has all happened to me. And since I've got my spark back, if you will, after so many years of being really lost and really suffering from all of that, I've really been kind of on this trajectory of kind of showing my brother, my guardian angel, like, look what I can accomplish because of what I suffered with you. Look at the strength and resilience that you have given me because I've turned this story around of you know loss and tragedy to being like it's made me so much stronger. And that just gave me so much fire every single day that I was out there because every extra tribal counsel that I got home from, I just thought, yes, Jacko, did you see this? I'm still in the game. I'm doing this for you, brother. Doing it for mum and dad. You know, there was that motivation just kept me in the game even at my darkest moments, and when I just wanted to give up like Redemption Beach. So, and that's part of the reason of why I fought so hard at the end with the half idol. I was like, I'm not gonna let it slip. I'm not as scared of failing. I'm just gonna try. You know, I know I'm I I feel very safe in my alliance right now. I feel like Brooke's going home now, Keely's going next. I may as well try to do anything with this half idol because I don't give up. I keep fighting, and I'm not the most strategic person. You know, I'm not like those other geniuses that are out there, but I have unwavering faith in myself and spiritual strength. And I don't care about failing, and I don't care about making a fool out of myself. I have nothing to lose. I've already been through the worst days of my life, and I think you see that in every single thing I did while I was out there. I mean, I played a game really authentic to myself. You know, I won the car when I wanted, you know, when I wanted to fight, I fought, and I got today 43 out of 45. And I don't think I could have done that if I hadn't had been through what I've been through in my life. So it I really do feel like I have won.

SPEAKER_01 18:09

I love that, and I love that you have that purpose behind you and you had that strength. Was there a moment, a particular moment out there when you felt like your brother gave you the strength to keep going or to get you through? Definitely.

SPEAKER_02 18:25

There are a couple. The main one I think was Redemption Beach. Um, I was really sad when I went to Redemption Beach. I was really scared. I mean, I'm a Survivor fan. I've seen what those kind of purgatories are like for Survivor in the past. And, you know, Keely, someone who I'd worked really hard with to garner trust with, had voted me there. And I was really questioning everything. I was like, I'm not fit for this game. This is too hard. What was I thinking? And I had to take a few deep breaths and spend an hour on the beach in the morning just gaining my composure and just going, Sal, you have got this. And one of those mornings was a beautiful sunrise, and my brother Jackson and I used to watch sunrises together, and I just felt him there coming through the rays of sunshine that were like landing on the ocean and through the clouds, and it was so beautiful. And it was just him saying, like, you can do this, like, come on now. This ain't nothing. You've been through way worse. And I think that's when I go back into the game and I've got this newfound confidence, is what was said. You know, I really changed my game after that was because I was like, So you got nothing to lose. Go, girl, fight for what you believe in, get out who you want to get out, work with who you want to work with, and just don't give up until you that your torture snuffed.

SPEAKER_01 19:43

That's incredible. And obviously, you know, I hope that you and your family have, you know, got a lot out of your experience out there and being able to watch you back.

SPEAKER_02 19:54

Yeah, yeah. My parents are so, so proud of me. You know, I really wanted to show them that they have raised really, you know, a really strong, resilient daughter, and that they are amazing parents, and I couldn't have done it without them. And they're they're stoked. They're absolutely stoked. I'm going to take them for a nice little cruise in Manu Mahindra when it comes.

SPEAKER_01 20:14

Love that. Before you go, I would love to get some quick fire questions. Go for it. Who was your favourite person in the game? Caleb. Who had the most annoying habit, and what was it? Caleb whistling. What was your proudest moment of the game?

SPEAKER_02 20:30

The times that people in my alliances saved me. So that for me was just a testimony to the social game that I played. I loved Keely's blind side of Dawn to save me. Moments like that. Moments where I was like, yes, I've got these people wrapped around my little finger. What was the most embarrassing moment of your game? The cameraman like constantly zooming in on my facial expressions. Like, I didn't even know I could pull those faces, but it's very on-brand for me. I am such a dork. Um, I hope that someone makes a montage of all the weird faces when like I'm doing it to people behind their back. Oh my god, I didn't know I did that. But now I realize I'm much more animated than I think I am.

SPEAKER_01 21:14

What song sums up your time on Survivor?

SPEAKER_02 21:17

We actually were singing a lot out there. Um, Hillary Duff. Keely loves Hillary Duff. I love Hillary Duff. Um, where let the rain fall down and dreams, I don't even know the lyrics, but it was because it was always raining. So we would just sing these songs about rain whenever it happened, just to like bring a little bit of joy back into the experience, and that is still stuck in my head. It's still in there. So I don't think it's ever gonna leave me. It's a classic. Love that one. And she goes on tour soon, and Killy and I want to go see her. So would you ever play Survivor again? Yes, because I'd be so much better at it. Like, honestly, second time round. If I knew then what I knew now, seriously, this whole interview would be different.

SPEAKER_01 22:02

If you could be on any other reality show, what would you be on?

SPEAKER_02 22:06

The amazing race, definitely, because you get to travel, that would be so fun. But probably I'm a celebrity get me out of here, I would probably do better. I reckon. So one of those. If anyone's watching that wants to put me on those, I'm ready.

SPEAKER_01 22:19

What celebrity would you want to see play Australian Survivor?

SPEAKER_02 22:22

Definitely Michael from Love on the Spectrum, the Australian version. The guy, he's like from Wollongong, and he's autistic and he's on Love on the Spectrum, and he's just like the coolest person ever. I would love to see him on Australian Survivor. I would love to see him on anything.

SPEAKER_01 22:41

Finally, describe your Survivor legacy in three words. Dorky, clunky, cute. Amazing.

SPEAKER_02 22:50

I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 22:53

Thank you so much, Sally. I really appreciate your time today. And uh I hope you're really proud of yourself. Baking it to Final Four is an incredible feat. And you know, now we just have uh the finale to look forward to to see how it all plays out.

SPEAKER_02 23:06

So exciting, and I'm really proud, and it's been such a privilege and honour to play Survivor as a massive Survivor fan. So yeah, very, very grateful. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_01 23:16

Thank you. See you later.

SPEAKER_00 23:18

This is Beyond Reality.