The Queen has fallen! Survivor fans were left shocked on Sunday night after self-proclaimed Queen of Survivor, Sandra Diaz, once again suffered from the Day 16 curse and was sent home at the latest tribal council – leaving her daughter Nina to battle it out in a bid to take the crown.
WATCH: First Look At Australian Survivor: Blood V Water
What was even more shocking, however, was the fact that Nina voted against her own mum, explaining during the vote that her mother always taught her to move with the majority votes.
We caught up with Sandra following her exit from Australian Survivor: Blood V Water to talk about everything from family blindsides to the biggest differences between the Aussie and US franchises.
Speaking of dreaded Day 16 – the point in which usually marked a major turn in Sandra’s game on previous stints of Survivor – she said, “And I was not happy about it, I was dreading it and I was fearing for my life in the game.
“I could sense that something was wrong during Tribal. Every time I said something, everyone would say, ‘Guys stick to the plan.’ And I’m thinking, ‘What plan? Oh my God, I am the plan!”
“I’m trying to look at my daughter’s face and look into her eyes and listen to what she says,” Sandra continued, adding, “I had always told her, you can’t play this game alone. Unless you’ve got an idol and you could save me, save yourself. Don’t write down anyone else’s name, don’t jeopardise your game for me if I can’t be saved.”
“And that’s exactly what ended up happening.”
Despite Nina putting her mum’s name down at Tribal Council, Sandra insists there are no hard feelings against Nina or the rest of the competitors.
“There are no hard feelings at all, no hard feelings to Nina, none to Jordie who was the mastermind of the episode. Not one bit!” she declared.
Having successfully completed 166 days on Survivor across her appearances on Australian Survivor and the US’ Survivor: Pearl Islands, Heroes vs Villains and Game Changers, the reality show veteran noted some differences between Australian and American versions of the show.
“While the competitors are definitely nicer, they definitely value strength a lot more and what you bring to the table and what you can do for the tribe,” Sandra explained.
“Also, the challenges are so, so hard and you can’t get out of it – you have to perform for the tribe. In the US version, I could sit out challenge after challenge and no one would say anything like that, because I had been there, done that, whatever – I don’t have to participate.
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“But in Australia, you have to be ready to perform challenge after challenge after challenge – and that was one of the hardest things for me because I’m not a physical person. I’m not an athlete. I don’t go to the gym or work out. I’m not strong physically, but I am strong mentally.”
And who does our fallen Queen suggest to look out for this season?
“Sam the social butterfly – she played the game perfectly!” she said.
But, of course, she’s hoping her 24-year-old daughter will continue the family tradition of becoming Survivor’s new Queen.
“I’m already so proud of her,” Sandra gushed. “Every time she goes to Tribal she gives it her all, and if she ended up with the crown I couldn’t be happier. I’m glad she feels really, really good and that everyone’s really nice to her because she grew up watching Survivor so she knows the gamer inside out.”
Australian Survivor: Blood V Water continues Monday at 7.30 pm On 10 And 10 Play On Demand.
For more Survivor content check out the links below!
Here’s when Australian Survivor is returning in 2022
US Survivor’s Sandra Diaz-Twine says daughter Nina is her ‘secret weapon’ for Blood V Water
One wedding and a baby later! How Mark Wales and Sam Gash found true love on Survivor
Everything we know about Jonathan LaPaglia’s wife Ursula Brooks
Jonathan LaPaglia ditched his career as an ER doctor to follow brother Anthony into acting
From fiery antics to family man: How Michael Crocker’s fiancée changed his life for the better
“It’s an awkward conversation”: Inside Khanh Ong’s refugee journey
‘Ones to watch’: Jonathan LaPaglia dishes on Survivor: Blood V Water contestants
Awkward! Sam Frost’s brother Alex joins forces with her ex Jay Bruno on Survivor
Why Sophie Cachia left her ‘perfect life’ to explore her attraction to women
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