You either know this #TMITuesday’s guest from two places:
1. Australian Survivor – 2026
2. Twitter
So of course I know him from both; it was only natural to get OOMF on the blog.
We talk reality TV, music, the thought of a marriage with Jeff Probst, and so much more.
Let’s get into itttttttttttt!
1. So you’re a lawyer; if you had to defend one former Australian Survivor player in Survivor court (and win) for the shady moves they made, who would it be? What would your case be?
(Eg. Defending George for almost everything he’s done on the show lol)
This is easy. Both in real life and in the game, George for pretty much everything he’s done across all three seasons. He is reality gold.
George tried to pressure Simon to play Simon’s supposed idol for Stevie, convincing him that Stevie was receiving votes. Funny enough, I was actually on a season with Simon! Some people called it evil; I call it one of the best moves.
But honestly, the real reason I’d defend George is because of what he’s done for me personally. Months before I even got on the show, George was giving me tips and helping me prepare for Survivor. He’s helped me so much both before and during the whole experience, and he’s become a genuine friend.
He’s honestly one of the nicest Survivor alumni I’ve ever met. He would constantly check in on me, make sure I was doing okay, and I genuinely owe him so much. So I’m telling Survivor fans now, no bad words about George will be said around me. The Survivor Court is officially in session, and I’m getting him off every charge.
2. You’re in the trenches with the rest of us on Twitter while we watched Big Brother 28 (US). If you were on Big Brother and won HOH, which album are you picking to listen to?
I’m a massive BANKS fan, so honestly, I’d probably pick III by BANKS. But realistically, any BANKS album would work for me; I could happily spend my entire HOH week listening to her.
That said, I also really love Loreen from Sweden, so her album Heal would be another huge contender. Give me either of those, and I’d be very happy locked away in the HOH room!
3. Since today is #TMITuesday, can you tell the readers something about you that they may not already know? Any hidden talents or guilty pleasures?
I’m actually quite musically inclined! I can play piano, and I love writing music, so that’s probably something people might not know about me.
As for guilty pleasures, although I don’t really feel guilty about them, I’m a massive reality TV addict. I love shows like The Challenge, Big Brother, Survivor, The Traitors, and pretty much anything where people are strategically playing against each other. If there’s an alliance, a blindside or a messy argument, I’m probably watching it. 
4. How did you prepare for your season of Australian Survivor? I’d have to learn to swim in a large body of water, probably get better at puzzles and learn to make rice.
I honestly did everything I could to prepare! I worked on my swimming, practised puzzles, binge-watched seasons of Survivor, ran, trained my endurance and spent hours doing challenges. I’d go to parks and practise hanging off things and getting comfortable with that kind of physical strain. I even learned how to make rice!
George also gave me so much advice in the months before I went out, which was honestly invaluable.
But I think the biggest thing is that you can’t really prepare for how to play Survivor. You can plan what you think you’re going to do, but once you’re actually out there, everything changes.
Going into it, I was petrified I’d be the first person voted out, so I definitely kept my cards close to my chest. But you have to play from the get-go. You can’t spend the first few days waiting for the game to happen to you; you have to make things happen and be willing to take risks.
5. If you could choose one song to be your ‘theme song,’ what would it be and why?
I’d probably choose “Hero” by Jessie J. I love the message behind the song; it’s about finding that strength within yourself and becoming your own hero rather than waiting for someone else to save you.
6. Do you keep in touch with any of your former castaways?
Absolutely! I’ve made some really good friendships from the show. I speak to Blanche and Cat pretty much every day; I literally just went to Cat’s birthday, and I was also with Blanche on the Gold Coast recently.
I still talk to Paula, Aisha, Lottie, Eliza, Loz and Sally often. I’m very close with the og bounty girls. I also keep in touch with Richard and winner Caleb
And Daniel actually stayed at my place recently, so I’d say the friendships definitely continued beyond the island! It’s one of the best parts of doing Survivor; you come out of it with this really unique group of people who understand exactly what you’ve been through. On the contrary, some people I never want to speak to again nor have I after the show, except at the reunion in April. Go figure.
7. Would you appear/compete on any other reality shows? Which one(s)?
Absolutely! I’d love to do another reality show. The Traitors would be a huge one for me, but I also would love to play Big Brother US if I ever got the opportunity.
Honestly, I’m a massive reality TV fan, so there are plenty I’d throw my hat in the ring for. Give me a strategy game, a cast full of big personalities and the chance to cause some chaos, and I’m there.
8. Let’s play F, marry, vote out
The Golden God
Jeff Probst
TJ Lavin
This is so easy.
F— David “The Golden God” Genat. Please don’t ban me or blacklist me, David, but he’s a hot daddy. I said what I said.
Marry — Jeff Probst. Obviously! I don’t want there to be any record of me saying I’d “kill” Jeff, so marriage feels like the safest option. We know he holds grudges.
Vote out — TJ Lavin. Sorry TJ, but someone has to go!
9. What advice do you have for anyone looking to apply for Survivor?
Don’t try to impress anyone in your audition videos. Don’t make it feel like an interview. Talk to the camera or the producer like you would to a friend when you’re most comfortable. Be yourself, let your personality come through, and don’t be afraid to have a little bit of an “OMG, did I really just say that?” moment. And once you actually get on the show, don’t overthink or over-prepare. You can have all the plans in the world, but Survivor will throw them out the window. Play hard from the start, but know your limits. Don’t be afraid to make moves, take risks and actually play the game. Just tell yourself you are only there once. You shouldn’t be scared or have regrets.
10. What’s next for you, Tez?
Honestly, I’m just excited to see where everything takes me. I’d definitely love to do more reality TV. But for now, I’m enjoying everything that has come from Survivor, spending time with the amazing people and my family, and working my day job, although a 9-5 is not for me. But one thing that is certain like taxes, you can always find me tweeting.
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