Survivor star Simon calls out obvious manipulation after exit

Survivor contestant Simon Mee was ousted from the game in Sunday’s episode, narrowly missing a placing among the final five players this season.

But it was still something of a turnaround in Simon’s fortunes, as he’s emerged in recent episodes as one of this season’s most-loved players.

Viewers who’d dismissed him earlier in the season found themselves cheering on this Survivor underdog, as he managed to last episode after episode without allies in the game.

Many also celebrated as he did his best to take down fellow returning player George Mladenov, the self-described “king” of the game who’s dominated this season – and still remains mystifyingly safe as it enters its final stages.

In an interview with Channel 10 after his exit, Simon said it had been “frustrating” trying to convince George’s allies to turn on him.

“He’s such an amazing operator, so to warn everyone about it and see it happen in front of my eyes was extremely frustrating. So many people fell under the rule of King George … I did everything I could to warn everyone,” he said.

As the game wore on, his pleas to the members of George’s alliance became increasingly desperate.

“Never being in their alliance, I never got to see the inner workings of it, but seeing the way George was manipulating the newbie players is just so obvious,” he told Channel 10.

“I knew that he had been in their ear, talking up their game, that Gerry was one of the best strategic players to ever play. When you’ve got someone in your ear telling you that, you start to believe it.”

Simon said that those in George’s alliance were living in a “warped reality,” unable to see how they were being manipulated by the game’s most dangerous player.

His attempts to get through to them ultimately failed, but the blow of being voted out was softened when Simon went to jury villa. He was met with a rapturous reception from his fellow ousted players, who had been barracking for him to eliminate George from the game and emerge victorious.

Last week, Simon tweeted – and then hastily deleted – some other insights about just how tough life can be for those playing Survivor.

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He revealed said that Survivor’s rudimentary sleeping arrangements, in which players huddle together for warmth under a makeshift shelter, revealed “a lot about the pecking order of the tribe”.

Without an alliance, Simon was very much at the bottom of the pecking order – so he was afforded a much less comfortable sleeping position than other members of his tribe.

Australian Survivor: Heroes vs Villains continues 7.30pm Monday on Ten

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