Shannon, a model and fitness instructor from Sydney, says she joined the show to test herself, and to see what she was really made of.
“Some people climb mountains, some people run marathons, for me, it just had to be this game of Survivor, I just wanted to strip everything away from myself and see what I was made of,” she admitted.
“I’m so grateful for the experience, and I didn’t realise I had a competitive edge in my – that was something I learned about myself, too.”
WATCH BELOW: Survivor Brains V Brawn: Meet Shannon
Shannon did put forward a very competitive game of Survivor. With her background in boxing, her physical strength came in handy during the challenges, and she also did her absolute best to win the strategy side of things.
However, this would eventually lead to her downfall.
When a clever play from Hayley meant that Shannon could not protect her original team from the Brawn tribe, she opted to try to convince Simon to vote his close ally, Chelsea, out of the game.
Simon, who distrusted Shannon from the start, wouldn’t have a bar of it, and managed to execute his strategy only slightly better.
“You don’t have any time,” she explained.
“You’ve got like an hour before tribal … to execute something without hiccups is very hard to do, and I just don’t think my execution was clean enough.
“Everyone saw through it. I just don’t think I should play poker, because I give things away and I’m not very good at that part,” she laughed.
However, the saddest part of Shannon’s elimination is perhaps the breakup of her strong alliance with surfer Flick Palmateer, who is now a good friend of Shannon’s.
“Flick and I are the little space-bun mafia, we have a few ideas, we want to work on maybe a scrunchie line, and yeah we’re always talking,” Shannon said.
“We’re addicted to voice memos, just when you’re on the go we’re just walkie-talkie radio style catching up with each other.
“It’s been really fun, you know being on the outside you get to see people’s lives, their dogs, their partners, what they wear, and it just bonds you so completely, this experience,” she reflected.
Although she feels fondly for many of the other contestants, Shannon is convinced that this is a ‘girls’ year’ and is very keen to see one of the girls take the win.
“I just think it’s a girls’ year, I think once they come together again they’ll be a force to be reckoned with.
“I just see a girl winning this, and I want a girl to win it so bad. I’m all for empowering women and uplifting them, and I just think, you know, we battle so many stereotypes on a day-to-day basis,” she added.
“I would love a girl to wear the crown of Brawn and Brain, it’s just the ultimate hybrid if a girl can take that home, so yeah I’m rallying,” she laughed.
Although Shannon didn’t quite make it to merge, she proved herself to be a pleasure to watch and a contender who really tried to make it on Survivor – and she is definitely keen for a comeback if the stars align.
“I’m hoping the timing works out really well, I would love to start a family, but you know, I don’t know if the game will be in my cards if I do,” she pondered.
“I’ve already raised my hand, I’ve already pitched it, please bring me back for any fan-favourite type of show, I will be there!”