Survivor entrants believe they can outwit contestants
BLOOD, sweat and tears is what it takes to be a survivor and the new season of Survivor SA: Philippines proves this to be true.
The 18 contestants from across South Africa have to give it their all to stay in the game.
Two contestants – Adrian
“Ace” Chetty and Dr Tevin Naidu – believe they have what it takes to outwit the rest.
Chetty, 28, a Johannesburg graphic designer, said it was vital to have the physical strength to outplay the other contestants; the mental strength to outwit others; and the tenacity to physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually outlast everyone.
Chetty was the wild card entrant and he did the billboard challenge – where he had to stand out on a billboard, with seven other contestants, for three days. He said it was “gruelling”.
“We had to stand in the scorching sun, withstand the rain and eat worms in an attempt to outlast the others,” said Chetty.
“We were given allocated times to sleep, eat and use ablution facilities between 11pm and 4am. The one night while standing in the downpour we were all tempted to quit. To lift spirits, I started singing and telling jokes. This helped us get through the night.”
Chetty entered the show because of his love for the outdoors. Survivor has taught him many things about himself and his outlook on the world.
He said he loved falling asleep, looking at the stars, but hated sleeping on an uneven bamboo bed. He missed his wife, Shanice, 25, and children Arianna, 4, and Arizona, 2, “the rest of my family as well as cheeseburgers”.
But he said he would do it all over again if given the opportunity. Going into the game, all friendships were meant to be temporary, but he made a few good friends with whom he had bonded.
Naidu, 24, is a medical doctor doing his internship in Durban. He is single and “available” – but very shy when it comes to dating.
“From the age of seven, I was captivated by Mark Burnett’s creation of Survivor,” said Naidu.
“I watched the show religiously for 18 years – four Australian, five South African and 36 American shows. Survivor SA: Philippines reality show which premieres next month.
“I have a passion for neuroscience, psychology and sociology, and I consider Survivor to be one of the greatest social experiments on television.”
Naidu said his experience was “phenomenal” and surpassed his expectations. It was far more difficult than he imagined, he said. He loved being a part of the game, but also hated sleeping on bamboo.
He said his body was bruised, and with weight loss his bones grated against each bamboo stick that rubbed against his body.
“I missed the internet most of all. It sounds millennial of me, but it’s the unfortunate truth,” said Naidu. “It is my source of information, entertainment and sanity. Not being able to read or learn, which drives my curiosity, killed me inside.
“My family and friends were a very close second. But I would still jump at the chance of doing Survivor again.”
Naidu said he made no friends on the show, but he did gain a few allies and hoped they would all become friends.
He said Survivor was a “game where your pros could become cons and vice versa”.
To play, he said, you had to be mentally strong and trust your body, which was exceptional in adapting to any situation.
The paranoia, strategising and deception could take a toll – if you’re not mentally equipped for the social trauma in this game, you could crack under the pressure, he said.
Survivor SA: Philippines premieres at 7pm on May 3 on M-net (Dstv 101).