Survivor NZ tribe left reeling after double loss

A Survivor NZ tribe is in tatters after losing two members — one to illness — in a single episode.

Tony Deane, a member of the decimated Mogoton tribe who had already been ousted and sent to Redemption Island, was the first to go home in dramatic fashion.

Deane, the only Survivor contestant with military training, lost a lastgasp challenge against Izzy Pearson when she finished an obstacle course first.

But before the 55-year-old left, he had a stern warning for the rest of his tribe about Izzy, should she return to the game.

“I think she’s a bit deceiving, this girl,” he told several members of Mogoton.

“She comes across as meek and mild-mannered — but she’s a bit of a stick of dynamite.”

On Survivor NZ, contestants are sent to Redemption Island after being voted out by their tribe. To return, they need to win several challenges.

But worse was to come for Mogoton, who had already lost tribe mate Hannah Gough in last week’s elimination challenge.

After returning from a reward challenge, Lou McClintock, the show’s youngest competitor, stopped eating and fell ill.

“I don’t feel good at all, my stomach and my legs are really tingly,” said the farmer as she doubled over at camp. “I just feel like s***.”

Team mate Sala Tiatia declared: “She’s sweating, but she’s freezing. We have no idea what to do.”

As McClintock’s condition deteriorated, a doctor was called, who said a cut on her foot had turned “septic” and he made the decision to stretcher her away for treatment.

“Some sort of bug seems to have got into her system. I’m just not sure what it is,” he said.

“Being put on the stretcher she looked pretty bad,” said Tiatia.

“She was convulsing, retching. It was awful to watch.”

The doctor put her chances of returning at 50-50.

After McClintock left, host Matt Chisholm described Mogoton as “broken”.

Opposing tribe Hermosa has lost just one contestant, Dee Harper, who was the first contestant to go home.

But there was one glimmer of hope for Mogoton: they won a ball-catching challenge which saw them take home fishing gear — something they quickly put to good use, catching five fish in a drag net.

“The other tribe are looking pretty bony,” said Mogoton’s Tom Paterson.

“They would love some fish right now.”