Media Release
13 June 2019
Legends and mortals draw a line in the sand. Australian Survivor: Champions V Contenders Returns.
Pack away the Reef Oil, because this is no beach holiday.
Australian Survivor: Champions V Contenders is back, pitting everyday Aussies against the giants of Australian society in the Network 10 world’s toughest game. A CBS Company
Made up of Olympic heroes, world record holders and athletic legends, the Champions are a team of terminators who bring the eye of the tiger to everything they do. Out to prove they are Champions beyond their own field, these legends will stop at nothing to be the Sole Survivor.
After being dominated by the Champions last season, the Contenders are hungry to prove Aussie underdogs have what it takes. With a team that includes a cleaner, a teacher and a miner, can one of these scrappy Survivors make it to the end?
First of the Champions to pick up their buffs and head to the isolated beaches of Fiji are:
Andrew Ettingshausen, 53, NRL Legend When you think of NRL, Andrew Ettingshausen (ET) is one of the biggest names in the sport’s recent history. Renowned as one of the best NRL players of our time, ET played 328 games for the Cronulla Sharks over 18 years. The longevity of his career and his contribution to the NRL has cemented his status as a legend of the game and was awarded the Daly M Centre of the Year Award in 1994 and 1996. Still living in Sydney’s shire and the father of four girls, ET now spends most of his time out on the water with his own fishing TV series, Escape With ET which airs on Network 10.
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Janine Allis, 53, CEO Powerhouse One of Australia’s leading Entrepreneurs and CEO’s, Janine is the founder of Boost Juice bars, which is now one of the largest juice bars in the world. With over 600 stores in 15 countries, the iconic brand has secured Janine a spot in the list of top Aussie businesses. Her overall company, Retail Zoo, employs over 7000 people working across four businesses. The winner of numerous retail, franchise and business awards including Telstra Business Woman of the Year, she is also well known to Australian TV audiences from Network 10’s, Shark Tank.
Ross Clarke-Jones, 53, Big Wave Surfer A legendary big wave surfer, Ross is one of the most iconic surfers to catch waves over 80 feet high. Known as Mad Dog, Ross has a need for speed in all things action. Making his name as a big wave surfer at the 1986 Billabong Pro, he then spent 12 years on the ASP World Tour. In 2001, Ross became the first Network 10 Australian surfer (and first non-Hawaiian) to win the prestigious Quiksilver in A CBS Company Memory of Eddie Aikau. Then in 2016, he took second place at the elite big wave competition now known as The Eddie, which is the world’s most renowned big wave surfing competition.
Steven Bradbury, 45, Olympic Gold Medallist Not many people have a phrase named after them in the Australian National Dictionary, but ‘Doing a Bradbury’ has become part of the country’s vernacular. Steven is a former short track speed skater and four-time Olympian. He’s most famous for his Gold Medal win at the 2002 Winter Olympics after his four opponents all collided, leaving him to skate to victory. This win made Steven something of a folk hero and the story of the underdog who never gave up.
Susie Maroney, 44, Marathon Swimmer The most highly decorated long-distance swimmer in Australian history, Susie knows how to stay strong mentally and how important endurance is to win a game like Survivor. Growing up with asthma, her mother got Susie and her siblings into swimming to build up their lung capacity which lead to a huge career in marathon swimming. Most famous for her 1999 swim from Mexico to Cuba, the world’s longest open water swim, Susie completed the 200 km swim in 38 hours, a feat no one has done since.
Making their way to the first challenge for the Contenders are:
John Eastoe, 28, Gold Miner Looking like he’s fresh off the set of a VB commercial, John is the ultimate Aussie larrakin. An underground gold miner from WA, John is cheeky, tough, determined and a bloke who just wants to have a good time. Hoping these characteristics will help him in the game, John is not a superfan of the show but thinks he’s still got what it takes.
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Matty Farrelly, 29, Highschool Teacher/Pro Wrestler With two very strong sides to his personality, Matt is a humble history teacher by day and by night, a hard talking, arrogant, pro wrestler under the alias of Matty Wahlberg. Strategic, cocky and a self-professed, “21st Century Success Story,” While he might play hard on his pro wrestling persona, there’s a definite soft side to Matt who knows how to look after people and make them feel comfortable thanks to his teaching history.
Sarah Ayles, 45, Cleaner Sarah is a cleaner from South Australia and already a real-life Survivor. In 2004, Sarah survived the Boxing Day tsunami while in Sri Lanka. Not knowing what was happening until it was too late, she jumped off a balcony and was dragged 800 metres away trying to hold on to anything she could. She eventually was grabbed and pulled onto a roof. Mum of two and married for over 10 years, Sarah has taken the hard times and turned them around hoping Network 10 to inspire people to live their lives to the fullest A CBS Company
The fourth season of Australian Survivor is hosted by Jonathan LaPaglia and is made for Network 10 by Endemol Shine Australia in the tropical paradise of Savusavu, Fiji.
For your first look at television’s greatest battle, click here.
Australian Survivor: Champions V Contenders. Coming soon to 10 and WIN Network.
Join the conversation:
#SurvivorAU Facebook: SurvivorAU Twitter: Survivor_AU Instagram: SurvivorAU
Want to know more? Get in touch with:
Katie Benson (Champions) Senior Publicist P: (02) 9650 1213 E: [email protected]
Emma Turner (Contenders And Host) Senior Publicist P: (02) 9650 1102 E: [email protected]