After a total 48 days roughing it in the Australian outback, facing one gruelling challenge after another, we’ve finally seen our sole survivor crowned.
In the end it came down to pain researcher Hayley Leake, big wave surfer Flick Palmateer, and political operative George Mladenov.
Huge congratulations are in order for pain researcher and PhD candidate Hayley Leake, who edged in front of the rest and won the jury’s final vote.
Hayley won the title of sole survivor, and $500,000 in prize money.
Australian Survivor is well-known for its gruelling final immunity challenges, and this year did not disappoint, with the final three stepping into what resembled a torture chamber to fight it out for the top two spots.
All three were pushed to the very edge of their limits, but it was Hayley who won a spot in the top two, then choosing political operative George Mladenov to take through to the final tribal council.
The jury then voted for Hayley to win after her pitched convinced them she had most successfully outwitted, outplayed and outlasted the other castaways.
Hayley took to Instagram to celebrate her win.
“Playing Survivor was a childhood dream that I never thought was possible. I have always been that person, sitting on the couch at home, yelling to the players through the TV to make a move. It is surreal that now I am the Sole Survivor!” she wrote.
“A huge thanks to all the incredible players this season. Although Survivor is a cut-throat game, I have no doubt I am walking away with lifelong friends,” she added.
She gave a special shout-out to George, her runner-up, writing, “King George, Survivor has never seen a player like you. I am so proud to stand by your side, to call you a friend, and to have shared this incredible journey together.”
All three finalists were decent contenders for the crown.
Hayley, from NSW, has always spoken candidly about her super-fan status.
“I’ve been a fan of the show for 20 years,” she told WHO.
“I re-watched a lot of old seasons, and I made these spreadsheets, and on them I put down why people were voted off at different times and what their mistakes were, so I could try to learn from their mistakes,” she explained.
George’s career in politics is what got him set up for Survivor, but ultimately, they made him a divisive character.
“He is a hot mess and not very socially aware, but he is coming round on me ol’ King George,” a fan wrote on Twitter not long after the show began airing.
“I think King George is my all time favourite contestant on #SurvivorAU, absolutely hilarious,” said another.
Flick, who has been a physical threat since day one given her sheer strength, also endeared the nation with her story.
Her mother, Pauline, passed away during filming from early-onset dementia, leading Flick to launch a fundraiser for dementia research after the episode aired.
The fundraiser has just ticked past the $20,000 mark.
Flick continued to compete and wanted to win for her family and for her mum.
Congratulations Hayley, and also to all the other castaways on such an amazing season!
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