WEBVTT - Conor Curran & Konrad Bien-Stephens: The CHALLENGE AUSTRALIA 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:01.720 It's in the news today, but it was actually on 0:00:01.800 --> 0:00:04.840 TV Reload the podcast last week Deadline and welcome back 0:00:04.880 --> 0:00:07.760 to TV Reload. My name is Benjamin Norris, and on 0:00:07.800 --> 0:00:10.360 this podcast I go behind the scenes with the biggest 0:00:10.400 --> 0:00:13.400 players in television. Each episode you will get a front 0:00:13.440 --> 0:00:17.800 row seat with content makers like executive producers, writers, editors 0:00:17.800 --> 0:00:20.239 and casting agents, plus the talent that we see on 0:00:20.280 --> 0:00:23.320 our screens. TV Reload reloads the shows that you are 0:00:23.360 --> 0:00:26.200 all currently watching and gives you a better insight into 0:00:26.200 --> 0:00:30.200 our television industry and our streaming services today. On the podcast, 0:00:30.240 --> 0:00:32.960 I have two of the contestants from The Challenge Australia. 0:00:33.200 --> 0:00:36.800 It is former Master Chef Australia and Bachelor contestants Connor 0:00:36.800 --> 0:00:40.000 and Conrad. Connor was one of the many celebrated Master 0:00:40.080 --> 0:00:42.720 Chef Australia contestants who made an impact cooking up a 0:00:42.760 --> 0:00:45.280 storm on that series. But it will be his quest 0:00:45.320 --> 0:00:47.680 to prove to the queer community and the Challenge Australia 0:00:47.760 --> 0:00:49.880 that he is a Challenge beast. That will be pretty 0:00:49.960 --> 0:00:52.920 much how I will always remember him. Conrad is known 0:00:53.000 --> 0:00:56.840 for his romances with Bachelorette's Brook Blurton and TV personality 0:00:56.840 --> 0:01:00.120 Abby Chatfield, but now single and ready to mingle. He 0:01:00.160 --> 0:01:02.680 found himself in a spa with Megan, but it was 0:01:02.720 --> 0:01:05.399 his romp with Troy that will probably stay in my 0:01:05.560 --> 0:01:08.120 mind for quite some time. I will ask Connor about 0:01:08.120 --> 0:01:12.160 his villain edit those clashes and near passions with fellow contestants. 0:01:12.360 --> 0:01:15.480 Then with Conrad we will talk breakups and hookups, and 0:01:15.480 --> 0:01:18.080 then I'll ask them both five need to know questions 0:01:18.080 --> 0:01:20.800 that will probably leave you quite shocked. However, let's get 0:01:20.880 --> 0:01:24.040 started with today's guests. I'd like to welcome Connor and 0:01:24.120 --> 0:01:27.040 Conrad from the Challenge Australia to TV Reload. 0:01:28.840 --> 0:01:30.720 So I was doing it for, you know, that little 0:01:30.760 --> 0:01:32.920 chunky queer boy that lives within me still, that was 0:01:32.959 --> 0:01:34.080 heavily bullied in school. 0:01:34.160 --> 0:01:36.520 This could be the very last challenge and elimination. 0:01:37.319 --> 0:01:39.640 Even me watching it back in some of my interviews, 0:01:39.640 --> 0:01:41.120 I did feel a lot, you know, I felt like 0:01:41.160 --> 0:01:43.959 I was quite flat and I'm bothered by Conrad size, 0:01:44.040 --> 0:01:45.520 like he's going to be a fierce competitor. 0:01:45.520 --> 0:01:47.800 Either way. As a few people went into the house, 0:01:47.800 --> 0:01:49.760 they did actually chann on their partners and I didn't 0:01:49.760 --> 0:01:50.880 want to have that for myself. 0:01:51.120 --> 0:01:56.280 In third place, for the men with an unbelievable effort. Connor, 0:01:57.160 --> 0:01:59.320 I guess the more annoying thing about this situation is 0:01:59.360 --> 0:02:01.680 nothing bad the people who are trying to find something. 0:02:01.800 --> 0:02:04.160 If you're letting go of the you're literally letting that 0:02:04.160 --> 0:02:06.120 treo hundred thousand dollars of the way, exactly. 0:02:06.240 --> 0:02:08.760 I don't think it's villainous beating other people at the 0:02:08.880 --> 0:02:10.600 hard actual challenges. 0:02:10.960 --> 0:02:13.280 So that's being a villain then sure, Hey. 0:02:13.120 --> 0:02:17.399 Connor, congratulations on surviving the Challenge Australia. 0:02:17.440 --> 0:02:18.400 Thank you so much. 0:02:18.480 --> 0:02:20.560 It really feels I hate to use the day word, 0:02:20.600 --> 0:02:24.200 but this one's been an absolute journey we get. 0:02:24.080 --> 0:02:26.679 To you know, everyone knows this. You can't say the 0:02:26.760 --> 0:02:30.920 journey word in reality TV. And the reason why was 0:02:31.040 --> 0:02:34.560 because on Australian Idol and Big Brother, which were like, 0:02:34.600 --> 0:02:37.160 you know, the mother and father of reality shows here 0:02:37.160 --> 0:02:40.639 in Australia, that's what every contestant would say every year, 0:02:40.720 --> 0:02:42.680 the journey, the journey. 0:02:42.320 --> 0:02:44.560 Oh yeah, one hundred percent. It was drilled into your 0:02:44.600 --> 0:02:47.720 master Chef. But no, it's a look. I to make 0:02:47.760 --> 0:02:50.080 the top eight, like, I don't think anyone would have 0:02:50.080 --> 0:02:51.919 had me in their fantasy team to get there. 0:02:52.000 --> 0:02:54.959 But I'm pretty happy to be there, Connor. 0:02:54.680 --> 0:02:59.040 You were definitely not in my fantasy team. I don't 0:02:59.080 --> 0:03:01.120 know what it was it. I mean, I loved your 0:03:01.240 --> 0:03:04.680 master Chef, but I just didn't see you fitting into 0:03:04.800 --> 0:03:08.880 the show. But you were the biggest surprise of the season. Really, 0:03:09.240 --> 0:03:11.240 you really were. Okay, I said this to a friend 0:03:11.240 --> 0:03:14.359 of mine. You earned your paycheck. You know, you knew 0:03:14.360 --> 0:03:17.360 what you were there to do, and well done for 0:03:17.400 --> 0:03:17.919 showing up. 0:03:18.120 --> 0:03:21.760 Yeah, no, kidd been I really everyone did the same 0:03:21.760 --> 0:03:23.400 thing when I was there. I think by the time 0:03:23.440 --> 0:03:25.880 I got to what was what episode eight last night, 0:03:26.000 --> 0:03:29.160 it was truly the first elimination where my name wasn't 0:03:29.200 --> 0:03:32.640 really even bantered around, And it was probably the first 0:03:32.639 --> 0:03:35.280 club night out that I actually enjoyed. And I think 0:03:35.440 --> 0:03:37.320 the Brooks just looked at me and just like, go 0:03:37.480 --> 0:03:38.119 have a good night. 0:03:38.160 --> 0:03:39.120 You probably deserve it. 0:03:39.160 --> 0:03:41.680 And I was like, it was nice to get there, 0:03:41.680 --> 0:03:43.880 and it was nice to know that I earned it, 0:03:43.920 --> 0:03:47.120 opposed to maybe just kind of like guiding and cruising 0:03:47.120 --> 0:03:48.120 my way through to the end. 0:03:48.600 --> 0:03:50.520 You were kind of a bit villainous in this, and 0:03:50.760 --> 0:03:53.880 to me it felt like you leaned into your villainry. 0:03:54.080 --> 0:03:57.560 Oh my villain era. Look, I think definitely the start 0:03:57.600 --> 0:03:59.800 of the season. I think when a big trunk of 0:03:59.800 --> 0:04:02.960 peeople are coming at you for a little reason as well, 0:04:03.200 --> 0:04:06.240 just particularly because you're weak, it did very much turn 0:04:06.320 --> 0:04:09.000 something in me. But I don't think it's villainous, you know, 0:04:09.120 --> 0:04:12.280 trying to protect myself. I don't think it's villainous beating 0:04:12.320 --> 0:04:15.200 other people at the hard actual challenges. 0:04:15.520 --> 0:04:17.239 So if that's being a villain, then sure. 0:04:17.839 --> 0:04:19.359 But how do you feel about how the way you 0:04:19.440 --> 0:04:23.520 came across? So was it unusual to see your edit or? 0:04:23.600 --> 0:04:24.919 I mean, I don't like to say the word edit 0:04:25.000 --> 0:04:27.080 because I don't think. I think producers do a very 0:04:27.120 --> 0:04:29.240 good job of playing people as they are. I really do. 0:04:29.839 --> 0:04:31.920 But were you happy with watching the show back? 0:04:32.120 --> 0:04:32.320 Yeah? 0:04:32.320 --> 0:04:34.960 I was actually pleasantly surprised. I think I was really 0:04:34.960 --> 0:04:37.640 proud of how I handed myself in the actual competition. 0:04:38.080 --> 0:04:40.280 And I think a lot of people don't see what happens. 0:04:40.279 --> 0:04:42.120 It is a twenty four to seven film show, and 0:04:42.160 --> 0:04:44.279 I think a lot of people should be sending some 0:04:44.440 --> 0:04:47.880 very lovely emails to production to thank them for their edits. 0:04:48.240 --> 0:04:51.159 But I feel like I came across exactly who I am, 0:04:51.240 --> 0:04:54.440 you know, on Mastership, it's all about love and positivity, 0:04:54.480 --> 0:04:57.240 and there's no real backstabbing, so you don't really get 0:04:57.279 --> 0:05:00.120 to see sides of people. I think I got to 0:05:00.120 --> 0:05:02.360 show a lot of different sides to me. You know, 0:05:02.680 --> 0:05:06.080 I'm not a perfect person. I have multiple facets to 0:05:06.120 --> 0:05:09.080 my personality and who I am. But I'm strong in 0:05:09.120 --> 0:05:11.480 what I believe, and I stand up for myself, and 0:05:12.000 --> 0:05:13.680 if people are going to come for me, well then 0:05:13.920 --> 0:05:16.640 I take it upon myself, apparently to remove. 0:05:16.360 --> 0:05:18.200 Them from a competition, rightfully. 0:05:18.279 --> 0:05:20.440 So I've always been a big belief that queer people 0:05:20.440 --> 0:05:23.359 on TV is just incredibly important. You're one of the 0:05:23.360 --> 0:05:25.760 first queer people I remember seeing on TV, and so 0:05:25.960 --> 0:05:27.800 for me to be there, I think it's very easy 0:05:27.839 --> 0:05:30.400 to make the queer person the bully. I think that's 0:05:30.480 --> 0:05:32.440 quite easy. I think it would shock a lot of 0:05:32.440 --> 0:05:35.320 people that it was actually very much the other way around, 0:05:35.920 --> 0:05:39.360 and that it was a big bunch of strong, cool 0:05:39.480 --> 0:05:42.240 kids coming for the little queer boy. And I make 0:05:42.320 --> 0:05:44.800 no qualms about standing up for myself. And if you 0:05:44.839 --> 0:05:47.240 watch the edit, I really didn't really have anything too 0:05:47.279 --> 0:05:49.800 horrible to say about them, whereas a lot of people 0:05:49.800 --> 0:05:51.520 had some horrible things to say about me, and that's 0:05:51.560 --> 0:05:54.120 just not my style. So I really truly don't feel 0:05:54.120 --> 0:05:55.840 like it came across like a bully. And I think 0:05:55.920 --> 0:05:58.480 a lot of people have responded and sent me messages 0:05:58.520 --> 0:06:00.640 saying I'm very much not the villain. I don't think 0:06:00.640 --> 0:06:02.440 there was even a way for me to be the villain, 0:06:02.520 --> 0:06:04.719 because I don't think I did anything that villainous. 0:06:04.880 --> 0:06:06.600 Do you think that we've changed the way in which 0:06:06.680 --> 0:06:08.719 queer people are being seen on TV? 0:06:08.920 --> 0:06:09.000 Like? 0:06:09.240 --> 0:06:10.760 You are right? I think you know, we've been on 0:06:10.800 --> 0:06:12.440 a real journey. Back in the day of you work 0:06:12.480 --> 0:06:15.599 cast on a show you were were pretty much given 0:06:15.640 --> 0:06:17.440 a villain at it in a way. But do you 0:06:17.440 --> 0:06:19.520 think we're changing the way like because I felt like, 0:06:19.560 --> 0:06:21.240 you know, we didn't even you know, I mean, we 0:06:21.320 --> 0:06:24.000 got to see you talking about your queenness a little bit, 0:06:24.080 --> 0:06:26.360 but sort of feel like they jam it down our 0:06:26.400 --> 0:06:28.520 throat as much as what they used to or packages 0:06:28.600 --> 0:06:30.920 us as just the queer person. I think it's kind 0:06:30.920 --> 0:06:31.400 of changed. 0:06:31.480 --> 0:06:32.880 It definitely has changed. 0:06:32.920 --> 0:06:34.760 And you know, on my season of Master Chep, six 0:06:34.880 --> 0:06:36.720 of the twelve boys were gay, you know, so that 0:06:37.040 --> 0:06:40.200 already shows you that there is so many different faceted 0:06:40.760 --> 0:06:44.039 versions of queenness and how that works, and we're seeing 0:06:44.080 --> 0:06:46.160 so much of it now, which is incredible, And that 0:06:46.240 --> 0:06:47.680 was the reason I wanted to show, you know, I 0:06:47.680 --> 0:06:49.599 wanted to prove that you could be queer and you 0:06:49.600 --> 0:06:51.960 could be strong, and you could you didn't have to 0:06:51.960 --> 0:06:54.520 be a muscled up gay person. You know, I've suffered 0:06:54.520 --> 0:06:58.000 from not being a muscled up gay person in the queer. 0:06:57.720 --> 0:07:00.600 Kind of community. So with even within my community, I'm 0:07:00.640 --> 0:07:02.159 a little ostracized on that level. 0:07:02.400 --> 0:07:04.279 So I was doing it for, you know, that little 0:07:04.320 --> 0:07:06.800 chunky queer boy that lives within me still, that was 0:07:06.839 --> 0:07:09.640 heavily bullied in school, that was told he couldn't do it, 0:07:09.680 --> 0:07:09.840 you know. 0:07:09.960 --> 0:07:12.280 So it was very personal for me to be. 0:07:12.280 --> 0:07:15.320 There, and it was on another level, it was hopefully 0:07:15.320 --> 0:07:17.920 going to mean something to someone who is younger than 0:07:17.960 --> 0:07:18.960 me possibly watching. 0:07:19.280 --> 0:07:21.920 What do you think this was like in comparison to Mastership? 0:07:21.960 --> 0:07:24.920 I mean, they are very different formatted shows. But like 0:07:25.560 --> 0:07:28.480 you know, now, having these two experiences being so different, 0:07:28.560 --> 0:07:31.560 you know, what were the major differences in making reality 0:07:31.600 --> 0:07:33.520 TV between these two shows. 0:07:33.720 --> 0:07:34.960 Oh, they're very different. 0:07:35.320 --> 0:07:38.360 Weirdly enough, I actually think, look, I'll be very honest 0:07:38.360 --> 0:07:40.680 in terms of Mars chef was just a very joyous experience. 0:07:41.000 --> 0:07:42.760 But I wasn't looking to get much out of this. 0:07:42.840 --> 0:07:44.560 I think I was a lot more determined in the 0:07:44.640 --> 0:07:47.239 challenge and it was something where I could probably surprise 0:07:47.280 --> 0:07:49.800 people as well. So that was a really exciting prospect. 0:07:50.240 --> 0:07:53.160 Living with a bunch of people who really represent society 0:07:53.160 --> 0:07:55.640 in a weird way, you know, that was quite difficult. 0:07:56.080 --> 0:07:58.080 In my day to day life. I have a bubble 0:07:58.120 --> 0:08:00.800 that's very protective of me. I have a I'm surrounded 0:08:00.800 --> 0:08:02.920 by people I love and a lot of queer and 0:08:03.040 --> 0:08:05.040 allied based people. And I went into a house that 0:08:05.080 --> 0:08:07.840 represents a bit more of Australia where there are people 0:08:07.840 --> 0:08:10.800 who aren't on my side in life, and so that 0:08:11.000 --> 0:08:13.520 was really confronting. In the first two weeks were very difficult, 0:08:13.560 --> 0:08:15.360 but I've got a loving partner who was there for 0:08:15.400 --> 0:08:17.520 me when I needed to call him, and he just 0:08:17.600 --> 0:08:18.360 kept telling. 0:08:18.120 --> 0:08:19.680 Me that you know, you know why you're there, and 0:08:19.680 --> 0:08:20.600 you know why you're doing this. 0:08:20.800 --> 0:08:23.600 And I will very happily admit it got better as 0:08:23.680 --> 0:08:26.280 time when on. Once I started the bubble around me 0:08:26.320 --> 0:08:28.120 in the house was really people that I would have 0:08:28.240 --> 0:08:29.280 in my life day to day. 0:08:29.680 --> 0:08:32.000 I love following you for your cocktails. Just by the way, 0:08:33.920 --> 0:08:36.760 thank you. I love cocktails. I love cocktails, and I 0:08:36.920 --> 0:08:39.240 like to watch you make the cocktails. You always look 0:08:39.360 --> 0:08:42.360 very happy doing that. But yeah, look, I think that 0:08:42.600 --> 0:08:45.920 you If anyone's listening to this, follow you on Instagram 0:08:45.920 --> 0:08:48.400 because and I don't say that about anyone, but yeah, 0:08:48.440 --> 0:08:51.000 I do really appreciate following you online. What was I 0:08:51.040 --> 0:08:53.040 going to ask you? I was going to say, Oh, 0:08:53.120 --> 0:08:55.320 everyone that's come on the podcast, I've been asking them 0:08:55.360 --> 0:08:58.160 like the rumor mill, because so many rumors came out 0:08:58.160 --> 0:09:01.000 while the show was going on. What's your story? Because 0:09:01.040 --> 0:09:03.080 there was this rumor that came out that Jack and 0:09:03.120 --> 0:09:06.640 you hooked up, but that that quickly changed to Jack 0:09:06.720 --> 0:09:09.000 hitting on you, and then it's now changed into a 0:09:09.000 --> 0:09:12.760 few different things. What's the truth behind that story? What happened? 0:09:13.200 --> 0:09:14.400 What happened with Jack Vigeon? 0:09:14.559 --> 0:09:16.760 Okay, I will tell you from a first hand account 0:09:16.840 --> 0:09:20.520 exactly what happened, because I was there and prefaces I 0:09:20.559 --> 0:09:24.920 love Jack. Jack is an absolute, delightful human being. But essentially, 0:09:24.920 --> 0:09:27.720 on the first night, I was in a non monogamous 0:09:27.760 --> 0:09:30.080 relationship at the time, and that was quite clear, and 0:09:30.400 --> 0:09:32.960 me and Conrad had great conversations about non monogomy in 0:09:32.960 --> 0:09:35.080 the house that obviously was not using the edit. But 0:09:35.520 --> 0:09:36.880 on the first night, I was saying, it's being about 0:09:36.880 --> 0:09:39.360 my partner at the time, and you know, a few 0:09:39.440 --> 0:09:42.640 drinks I had and I walked Jack back to his room, 0:09:42.640 --> 0:09:44.480 which I know sounds very romantic, but it was just 0:09:44.480 --> 0:09:47.120 on the way to my room and I was like, okay, 0:09:47.120 --> 0:09:49.000 good night, babe, and he just went in for a 0:09:49.080 --> 0:09:51.920 kiss and I kind of jerked my face away and 0:09:51.960 --> 0:09:53.840 I was like, oh no. 0:09:54.160 --> 0:09:55.760 I've got cold saughs I can't. 0:09:56.960 --> 0:09:59.280 But then also, on the other hand, I was going 0:09:59.280 --> 0:10:01.480 to get with anyone and then have my partner have 0:10:01.559 --> 0:10:03.600 to watch it back despite being non monogamous. 0:10:03.920 --> 0:10:04.920 So that's what happens. 0:10:05.080 --> 0:10:07.120 The next day, we laughed about it and we had 0:10:07.120 --> 0:10:08.200 breakfast and life went on. 0:10:08.679 --> 0:10:11.959 Okay, great, So that's been settled. So there's definitely no 0:10:12.600 --> 0:10:16.360 reality TV romance with you. Just the only reality TV 0:10:16.480 --> 0:10:19.080 romance apparently now is Emily and Ryan. 0:10:20.280 --> 0:10:22.400 Well, yeah, I didn't want to, like, I know, I'm 0:10:22.400 --> 0:10:23.319 being non monogamous. 0:10:23.320 --> 0:10:25.720 I was like, I can do whatever I want essentially 0:10:25.720 --> 0:10:27.559 with what we've spoken about, but I didn't think it 0:10:27.600 --> 0:10:29.160 was fair for my partner to watch it on TV, 0:10:29.679 --> 0:10:32.079 and you know, as a few people got went into 0:10:32.120 --> 0:10:34.280 the house, they did actually chand on their partners, Emily 0:10:34.320 --> 0:10:36.160 being one included, and I didn't want to have that 0:10:36.200 --> 0:10:36.800 for myself. 0:10:37.280 --> 0:10:39.000 Well yeah, there was a lot of hookups in there. 0:10:39.160 --> 0:10:40.480 I mean, that was the one thing that was coming 0:10:40.520 --> 0:10:41.920 out of this show was that, you know a lot 0:10:41.960 --> 0:10:44.400 of people have got partners, but everyone's still hooking up. 0:10:44.640 --> 0:10:46.480 It's kind of like a work Christmas party that went 0:10:46.480 --> 0:10:47.880 for too long, you know what I mean. 0:10:48.679 --> 0:10:49.199 It was. 0:10:49.360 --> 0:10:51.160 It was the problem is you've got to do the 0:10:51.200 --> 0:10:54.319 clean up the next day and everyone's still over and 0:10:54.600 --> 0:10:56.440 you don't really want to speak to anyone, but there's 0:10:56.480 --> 0:10:57.120 no doors. 0:10:57.720 --> 0:10:59.760 There's a houseful of no doors, which was annoying. 0:10:59.800 --> 0:11:02.560 So so, yeah, do you have any outstanding beef with 0:11:02.600 --> 0:11:04.200 anyone since the show's been rapped? 0:11:04.440 --> 0:11:06.040 I don't have time. Honestly. 0:11:06.120 --> 0:11:08.679 I love my life so much and I look at 0:11:08.679 --> 0:11:10.960 it as a show. I took a massive bunch of 0:11:11.000 --> 0:11:13.560 friends out of it, and I'm too loved and I'm 0:11:13.600 --> 0:11:15.200 too happy in my own day to day life. 0:11:15.240 --> 0:11:17.000 I love what I do. So there's I actually don't 0:11:17.040 --> 0:11:17.480 have time. 0:11:18.040 --> 0:11:19.960 Well, what sort of training do you do? To go 0:11:20.000 --> 0:11:21.840 and do this sort of a show, did you, because 0:11:21.840 --> 0:11:23.640 I know Emily, did I know a few people you 0:11:23.679 --> 0:11:26.760 know rewatched or were able to get access to the 0:11:26.880 --> 0:11:29.640 challenge and versions of it from around the world. What 0:11:29.960 --> 0:11:31.840 sort of training did you do before going in there? 0:11:31.880 --> 0:11:33.880 Okay, so I swear to you. I went over to 0:11:33.960 --> 0:11:35.680 London because I used to live in London. 0:11:35.760 --> 0:11:37.200 So I went over for a month to see my mates, 0:11:37.240 --> 0:11:40.000 and I just was pretty much out every night partying, 0:11:40.160 --> 0:11:42.880 and then came home and then pretty much flew straight 0:11:42.920 --> 0:11:46.160 to Argentina. So I hadn't really done any training, and 0:11:46.200 --> 0:11:48.200 I had never seen the show either. I really went 0:11:48.240 --> 0:11:51.199 in completely blind, thinking, let's just see what happens. 0:11:51.360 --> 0:11:53.160 Why did you do this show? Like as in I 0:11:53.200 --> 0:11:55.480 can't when they're scouring the type of people that they 0:11:55.600 --> 0:11:57.880 looked and the people that they found for this show. 0:11:58.120 --> 0:12:00.200 You know fair to say you know the type of people, 0:12:00.920 --> 0:12:04.160 your name doesn't really come straight to mind. So how 0:12:04.160 --> 0:12:05.400 did you get picked to do this show? 0:12:05.640 --> 0:12:07.120 I was as shocked as you Ben. 0:12:07.800 --> 0:12:09.880 There is a lovely producer called Sky who I think 0:12:09.920 --> 0:12:12.800 she just saw something in me, maybe something that I 0:12:12.840 --> 0:12:15.160 didn't see in myself, to be completely honest, and I 0:12:15.320 --> 0:12:17.000 had no idea what it was really going to be, 0:12:17.200 --> 0:12:20.199 but I thought, why not, you know, I if I 0:12:20.520 --> 0:12:22.040 didn't go on a MARCHI if my life would be 0:12:22.080 --> 0:12:23.480 the way it is now. So I always think you 0:12:23.559 --> 0:12:25.319 might as well just do everything that's offer to you, 0:12:25.720 --> 0:12:27.840 and so I really just kind of was like, let's 0:12:27.880 --> 0:12:30.280 just give this, just give this a shot. I've always 0:12:30.280 --> 0:12:32.719 been competitive, I've played a lot of sport growing up. 0:12:32.760 --> 0:12:36.000 I don't think I'm in physical peak, but she very 0:12:36.080 --> 0:12:39.120 much told me that the game isn't just strength. There's 0:12:39.120 --> 0:12:41.640 a lot more involved, and if you watch a show, 0:12:41.720 --> 0:12:44.200 you'll see that. Puzzles really were something I had in 0:12:44.240 --> 0:12:46.520 my back pocket the whole time. I love puzzles, I 0:12:46.520 --> 0:12:48.920 love maths, I love anything to do with like. 0:12:48.880 --> 0:12:50.000 Memory based things. 0:12:50.040 --> 0:12:51.880 So for me, I thought, if there was a chance 0:12:51.920 --> 0:12:54.040 that I could get to those puzzle games, I could 0:12:54.080 --> 0:12:55.160 do quite well. 0:12:55.200 --> 0:12:57.480 I kind of thought to myself when I heard the 0:12:57.559 --> 0:12:59.959 casting and as I said, i'd seen your master shifts, 0:13:00.040 --> 0:13:02.160 I knew who you were for sure. I was like, 0:13:02.440 --> 0:13:04.760 I've also worked in restaurants and hospitality and a bit 0:13:04.800 --> 0:13:06.440 of drama goes down there, and I was thinking, oh, 0:13:06.480 --> 0:13:09.160 he's I think he's I think he's currently a restaurant manager. 0:13:09.400 --> 0:13:13.120 He understands politics and drama better than anyone, so maybe 0:13:13.160 --> 0:13:14.000 he's perfect for this. 0:13:15.280 --> 0:13:17.880 I think also, I think maybe there was this idea 0:13:17.920 --> 0:13:20.880 that my social game could be really excellent, which, as 0:13:20.920 --> 0:13:24.720 it turns out, it was absolutely dreadful until about the 0:13:24.760 --> 0:13:27.560 halfway mark. But the good thing about me is is 0:13:27.600 --> 0:13:30.200 that once you do like me, you really do love me. 0:13:30.679 --> 0:13:32.880 And I don't think it was a coincidence that nine 0:13:32.920 --> 0:13:35.679 people came to my side halfway through the season and 0:13:35.720 --> 0:13:38.160 the you know so the social game did kick in 0:13:38.280 --> 0:13:40.120 and weirdly end up having a physical game. 0:13:40.160 --> 0:13:41.240 I think I am one. 0:13:41.080 --> 0:13:43.079 Of the better from what I've heard from people who 0:13:43.080 --> 0:13:45.400 watch a challenge, one of the better challenges, weirdly enough, 0:13:45.760 --> 0:13:48.840 because you can't really put a percentage on brain power 0:13:49.400 --> 0:13:52.080 or like wanting it and passion, which I think is 0:13:52.120 --> 0:13:55.720 something I have. And the game's about really really based 0:13:55.760 --> 0:13:58.000 around teamwork and what do you do in a kitchen 0:13:58.040 --> 0:13:58.640 and a restaurant. 0:13:58.640 --> 0:13:59.480 It's all teamwork. 0:14:00.120 --> 0:14:00.160 Me. 0:14:00.240 --> 0:14:01.800 The teamwork part really came in. 0:14:02.040 --> 0:14:04.040 I've got that written down. It's like my next question, 0:14:04.400 --> 0:14:07.040 you know you understand teamwork, and I think that that 0:14:07.080 --> 0:14:09.200 would have come in handy, and I think I think also, 0:14:09.280 --> 0:14:11.000 do you know what, It's funny you do reality shows 0:14:11.000 --> 0:14:12.640 and you think you're going to have a strategy, and 0:14:12.679 --> 0:14:15.000 it's not until really the halfway mark that you really 0:14:15.000 --> 0:14:17.120 relax into who you are anyway, do you know what 0:14:17.120 --> 0:14:19.400 I mean? I think that's I think that's fairly normal. 0:14:19.480 --> 0:14:21.120 And then all of the skills that you have in 0:14:21.160 --> 0:14:23.920 your real world seem to surface, they seem to rise 0:14:23.960 --> 0:14:25.400 to the top, is the best way. 0:14:25.520 --> 0:14:26.600 Yeah, it's funny you say that. 0:14:26.640 --> 0:14:30.920 Actually, I think legitimately halfway through the process, I turned 0:14:30.960 --> 0:14:33.320 around and I started making past it every day just 0:14:33.360 --> 0:14:34.160 to calm down. 0:14:34.640 --> 0:14:35.760 And everyone came. 0:14:35.720 --> 0:14:37.880 Up to me and we're like, ah, and like, this 0:14:37.960 --> 0:14:40.040 is the person who you are? Like, I just became 0:14:40.040 --> 0:14:42.920 myself so much more. I think I very quickly became 0:14:42.960 --> 0:14:45.320 that like Bully day Kin in high school, wanting everyone 0:14:45.360 --> 0:14:47.600 to like me at the start, and then halfway through 0:14:47.640 --> 0:14:49.960 I just stopped caring and I actually did become myself. 0:14:50.000 --> 0:14:52.480 And it's funny you It does take a bit longer, 0:14:52.520 --> 0:14:54.840 I think for certain people to settle into environments are 0:14:54.920 --> 0:14:55.480 just not used to. 0:14:55.880 --> 0:14:58.160 I think that's perfectly normal. You know, if this was 0:14:58.200 --> 0:15:01.520 the discovery channel. This was the National Geographics and you 0:15:01.600 --> 0:15:04.360 had you know, David Attenbro narrating it. I think that's 0:15:04.440 --> 0:15:06.800 what he would be saying, you know, right now, these 0:15:06.840 --> 0:15:09.240 people are bout shit crazy while they find their feet, 0:15:09.440 --> 0:15:13.600 you know, yes, very obviously, my David. I didn't even 0:15:13.600 --> 0:15:15.480 do the David appro voice because I would be terrible 0:15:15.480 --> 0:15:18.560 at it. But anyway, I was going to ask you 0:15:19.200 --> 0:15:21.720 because I saw you being friends with Conrad and everyone 0:15:21.800 --> 0:15:23.680 was like, oh, Conrad's there, and at the time, he 0:15:23.800 --> 0:15:26.480 was dating Abbi Chadfield, and so I think a lot 0:15:26.480 --> 0:15:29.640 of people were expecting to hear him, you know, talk 0:15:29.680 --> 0:15:32.280 about his relationship with Abby. Did he not talk about 0:15:32.280 --> 0:15:35.560 it at all? Because it's never really mentioned and probably 0:15:35.600 --> 0:15:38.080 because time's gone on. But was he not talking about 0:15:38.120 --> 0:15:39.560 Abby Chadfield while he was in there? 0:15:39.800 --> 0:15:40.840 I can speak from my experience. 0:15:40.880 --> 0:15:42.920 So I actually shared a bedroom with Kieren and Conrad 0:15:42.960 --> 0:15:44.760 the whole time, but the three of us became really 0:15:44.840 --> 0:15:47.160 quite close, and I spoke. 0:15:46.920 --> 0:15:48.640 To me trying to hug you at one point and 0:15:48.640 --> 0:15:50.320 call you Abby in the middle of the night, or 0:15:50.680 --> 0:15:51.360 that didn't happen. 0:15:51.440 --> 0:15:55.240 I wish he did. I feel like I was jumping 0:15:55.280 --> 0:15:57.920 into his bed. Moores for like just for like spoon 0:15:57.960 --> 0:16:03.480 and touch, I'm the other guy. There's your there's your headline. 0:16:03.560 --> 0:16:05.200 No, no, he was. 0:16:05.320 --> 0:16:07.600 Me and him spoke a lot about it, particularly because 0:16:07.640 --> 0:16:10.240 of non monogamy and relationships and all that kind of stuff, 0:16:10.240 --> 0:16:12.720 and he was on his own journey with pan sexuality 0:16:12.720 --> 0:16:15.160 as well, so me and him had a heap of 0:16:15.160 --> 0:16:17.880 conversations about her and a lot of other things. But 0:16:18.440 --> 0:16:20.400