I can bring you the VERY FIRST independent exit interview with Survivor SA Santa Carolina celebitant Sade Giliberti who became the fourth last, and the first one of two celebitants voted out in this evening's penultimate episode.
Earlier today I spoke with the former YO.TV presenter about her 26 day stay on the Mozambican island. I asked her how she felt being voted out of the gender alliance of women, and what she felt sitting at tribal council. Sade Giliberti opens up about her strategy, who she liked . . . and didn't, and being young and small and understimated. Read what she reveals about her claustrophobia, how she decided who to vote for to win and what message the petite celebitant she has for women!
For my full interview with Sade Giliberti, click on READ MORE below!
How did you feel when Ashley Hayden chose you as the next one to go?
I suppose I knew after the challenge that it was my turn next to go. Purely based on the fact that I nearly . . . I was on her ankle when it came to the last immunity challenge. I did know deep down inside, prior to the actual tribal council, that I was going to be the next to go. I think there was a little bit of disappointment in myself for not making it all the way through to the end, but at the same time I'm very, very proud that I did make it for 26 days.
What did you feel when you sat at tribal council?
In all honesty when I sat at tribal council that evening I was feeling extremely upset. More with the whole situation of the game, and also at Ashley Hayden knowing that she twisted the other two to vote against me.
What was your strategy in the game?
To be honest with you I didn't have any strategy from the get-go. I was basically just going to play the game to the best of my ability and also just try and be the person that I am without having to alter anything about my personality to make it far. I stuck to my guns and I stuck to the way that I am and the things I believe in and my morals and that stuff and I survived on the island for 26 days. I think that's brilliant.
Who did you like the most?
I liked Hanna Grobler the most. She was voted out at the beginning of the merge. Hanna Grobler was probably my most favourite. Even though it was tough times, we always found a way to make light of the whole situation.
Who did you like the least?
In the beginning of the show you would have seen that I didn't get along with Craig Jacobs. I didn't enjoy his authoritative manners and the way that he came across. We ended up being okay. Towards the end I got upset with Izak Davel because we've been on the island for so long and we were all hungry and starving and he was eating a lot.
What did you learn about people?
I realized after being on Survivor SA Santa Carolina that a lot of people felt the same way I did about wanting to play the game in the most honest way possible and still having to get into situations where you have to stab someone in the back. I realized that Survivor is exactly what they say it is: it is a social experiment. It is to see how people come together, work together, and how they will need to do what they need to do to get to the top. I realized that I'm not the kind of person who will connive and do those kinds of things. I will do other things to get to the top.
Why did you decide to do Survivor SA?
I thought it would be an awesome, awesome experience which it was exactly. I thought it would be out of this world excitement. I didn't put two and two together about how serious and how real Survivor actually is.
What did you enjoy the most about the whole experience?
There's a lot of things on the island I did that I probably never would have done in normal life. I cooked a fish for the first time that was awesome. I went snorkling for the first time. I've always had a fear of snorkling because of my claustrophobia. I did all of that. The most amazing thing for me was that we had a whole beautiful island for basically a month to ourselves. Nobody is ever going to give me that again unless someone gives me millions and I go and buy an island.
What went into your thought processes in deciding who you voted for to win?
My judgement . . . I thought about the game, I thought about the people, all kinds of things. It was a bit of a tough one for me to decide while sitting in the final jury. Before we went up and voted I was still indecisive to be honest with you. I basically made my decision when I got to the box and had to write someone's name. I kinda did an ''eeny-meeny-miney-mo'' in my head.
Did you have questions you wanted to ask?
In the final tribal council my main thing was towards GiGi not telling me that they're basically voting against me. Which I knew. I just expected a little more from her and I let her know that. That's all that I really wanted to say.
You've told me before that people sometimes see you – still – as the YO.TV presenter, a kids TV presenter. Do you feel that way still, or do you use that as an advantage to be underestimated? How did that factor into you playing Survivor SA?
The YO.TV thing stuck with me for a very long time because I was on the channel for 10 years. I've accepted the fact that no matter where I go, people will always recognize me from YO.TV. I did want to break away from it because I feel that everyone was just seeing the child in me all the time and they will never see the adult in me. During Survivor SA I hope that it shows me for who I am. I am a tough little cookie. Yes. I am underestimated because I look very young. Yes. I am underestimated because I am very small. But like the saying goes: dynamite comes in small packages.
Do you think there's a bigger impact being a women doing this? Does that make it harder trying to compete against an Izak Davel in a thing like Survivor SA?
At the end being a women does make it a little bit tougher because no matter where you go, its always the case that men are stronger, they're the gatherers and the hunters. For a women to step up and to show that it's also a women's world and not just a man's world – that we can do as much as you can if not more – is awesome. I think for myself - being a young woman - making it as far as I did, I'm hoping that a lot of women in South Africa will sit back and actually realize that yes, we are strong creatures. We are very, very strong.
At the live finale next Wednesday, is there maybe something a fellow contestant that you are going to want to ask something or say something to?
I don't think so. We all have seen each other. In seeing each other you come back from the game show and you realize that it was a game and this is real life. What happened on the island happened on the island. We can't take that into our everyday lives and think about that the whole time and harp on that and go,'' Why did you do this and why did you do that?'' No. From my side I absolutely don't have anything to say. I will just give everyone a big, fat hug.
Other projects after Survivor SA?
There are quite a few projects coming up before the end of the year which I am looking forward to. Nothing yet are a spin-off from Survivor SA, so I'm hoping that something great will come from me being on Survivor SA for the last three months.
Survivor SA Santa Carolina live finale of 90 minutes, Wednesday, 21 April, M-Net, 19:30
