Australian Survivor: Flick: 'I think I played an amazing game'
The Gold Coast bartender fought until the end, becoming the 21st person to leave the game and eighth jury member
- by
Cynthia Wang
{title}
{duration}
The Bachelor's Locky Gilbert and Irena Srbinovska get married
1:43
Cate Blanchett at the 2023 Oscars
0:05
Janelle shows up to the MAFS dinner party ready for revenge
0:34
Louis Tomlinson Calls James Corden Out
0:36
Meet the Dancing With The Stars 2019 Cast!
0:56
MKR Amanda confirms the truth about her scary cancer diagnosis
0:48
Justin Lacko addresses what everyone is thinking
2:36
MAFS Jules tells: How things ended up with me and Justin
0:31
Celine Dion Has Something to Say About These Startling Photos
0:31
A few tribals ago, Flick had no problem ousting her mate Brooke to save her better mate El. But El gave Flick so much grief for attempting the same move with her that Flick had to worm her way back into El and Lee's good graces on Day 53.
While El said she would have wanted to move forward with Flick, Lee stayed loyal to Kristie, who had stayed loyal to him. And since El and Lee vote as a bloc, Flick knew her only path forward was to conquer the obstacle course immunity idol challenge.
It wasn't to be. This time, El emerged victorious for her second immunity win. Flick then tried to convince Kristie that If they both voted for Lee, and Flick received two votes as well, Lee and Flick would have to duel each other in a fire-making challenge and regardless of the results, Kristie would be safe. But in front of a groaning jury, Kristie stayed true to Lee and El and Flick's flipping came to a flop.
WHO spoke to Flick Egginton, the 23-year-old Gold Coast bartender about becoming the 21st person to leave Australian Survivor and the eighth member of the jury.
Q: The past couple tribals proved Kristie wouldn't break from El and Lee. Just how hard did you and Matt work to get her to flip?
A: Yeah, we tried so hard. She just wasn't going anywhere. She kind of made up her mind, although she was a little bit wish-washy. She'd say to us that she would be dumb not to go with us, yet she didn't go with us. So I didn't really understand her strategy in doing that, but I guess to each her own. She's a huge Survivor fan as well, so I think everyone was disappointed she didn't go and make that big move.
Q: How would you have fared in a fire challenge with Lee?
A: Ha! I mean, come on, I probably would have lost, but I at least wanted to go out with a bang. I wanted to go out fighting for my life. That would have been fun but I still feel like I fought anyways.
Q: Other players have flipped in the game. Why do you think you were the one saddled with the bad rep for doing so?
A: I actually don't know the answer to that question. Maybe because I got a little bit further than many people and maybe because I was real cutthroat and got rid of Brooke and then I tried to flip on El as well, so that's why I got that little label, I guess.
Q: The original Saanapu members I've spoken to — Brooke, Sam and Matt — thought the plan was to keep the Saanapu Four strong until the end. But what was it about your relationship with El that overrode your trust in Brooke, your original Saanapu ally?
A: I just felt that I could trust El more than I could trust Brooke. I felt that El wasn't playing the game as much as Brooke was, so I could work more with El. I felt that Brooke was trying to call all the shots and that she was in a good position to make it all the way to the end, and that was scary for me because that was ruining my chances to win. The fact that she wanted get rid of El scared me because I actually did want to go to the end with Brooke and El, and when Brooke wanted to get rid of El, that made me question what Brooke was actually doing. So I couldn't trust her and knew she was just going to get rid of me at some point, so I had to do it first.
Q: Can you describe the bond you have with El?
A: I consider El to be like a sister, a best friend, like someone I really look up to as well. When we were out on the island, we spoke about how we both suffered with anxiety and depression, and I think we connected in that way, that we've been through that struggle together, because we were still struggling out there as well. So we supported one another and she was always there for me. After the game, we've continued to stay great friends. She's just an amazing person.
Q: As close as you were to El, when did you realise she would take with Lee to the end?
A: Actually, they didn't show that on TV, but El was saying that she would take me to the final two, and I kind of believed her because she was like, 'You saved my life, I feel like I have to take you even though I feel bad having to do that to Lee.' But then, as it went on, I was like, 'Well, Lee's probably going to win that last challenge anyway,' and I felt like I couldn't trust El completely. I thought, 'I don't know what she'll do in the end.' And I had a better chance of going with Matt and Kristie, and they had a better chance, too, so I thought it would make more sense to actually play the game and play to win.
Courtesy of Network Ten
Q: Do you think the kind of moves you made in the game would have been appreciated more in the US version of Survivor?
A: Oh, definitely. I watch American Survivor and I am such a huge fan of it. The thing is, it's season one for Australia, so not many people know the game, so there were probably a lot of people on there that didn't know what to do. I'm sure next season will probably be more cutthroat and there will be more gameplay. I don't think people will let others play the game for them.
Q: Your partner's brother Benry made it to the jury on Survivor: Nicaragua. What tips did he pass on to you that came in handy?
A: He just told me to be myself pretty much and just try to get on with everyone and just try to get close to the alpha male as well, he said, which I tried to at the start. I tried to get close to Sammy. And then he formed a closer friendship with Brooke, so then I got close with Matt and Conner, which was good, but yeah, he just told me to try to be friendly with everyone because it's really a social game. Like if you don't get on with someone, you'll likely get voted out.
Q: Still, the atmosphere in the Jury Villa seemed tense when you went there. Were you able to mend any fences over time?
A: I honestly think so. I thought some of those people were never going to talk to me again, and they have. Some of it has been just casual, but there's some people who have been like, 'OK Flick, you were just playing the game and I respect you for that. I think you played amazingly and you came fourth and you did better than us.' They apologised for how they treated me in the Jury Villa.
Q: How proud are you of your game?
A: I was really happy with how I handled everything. I think I played an amazing game and at the end of the game, I was happy with the way I played. I thought I would be a lot more upset. I thought I would be distraught at being so close to winning, but at that time, I was like, well, 'I didn't win, there's no point in getting upset about it.' I came in fourth out of 24 people, out of 15,000 people that applied, so I need to be proud of myself for that.
Q: Did it take some time to adjust to normal life, and what are you doing now?
A: I'm still not completely over it but after watching last night's episode, I think it's given me a lot of closure. I feel like Survivor helped me so much in real life and what I actually want to do with my life. I'd like to get into mental health and I would love to help people. I've always felt that way. I've always wanted to help people but I've never actually gone ahead and done it, so I really want to contact some organisations or possibly start my own. El and me have actually been talking about maybe doing something together.
For more on this story, pick up a copy of WHO on sale now.