Sam didn’t land the $500,000 prize money on Australian Survivor, but she did walk away with a boyfriend!
The endurance athlete confirmed to TV WEEK that she and fellow Asaga tribe mate Mark, 37, are currently dating.
And sure, he might be gorgeous and super fit, but that wasn’t what drew Sam to her new man.
“I felt like I could trust him,” Sam tells TV WEEK.
“There is something very calming about him. He is a born leader and also very caring and he listens and I just felt he was someone I could trust.”
Sam laughs at the conditions that the pair met under.
“The ads make it look like we were in love on the island but you don’t brush your teeth the entire time or have a shower!”
“It’s only after filming that all of us have connected on a different level. And I guess fortunately for me, the way Mark and I connected after the show, we developed a deeper connection and I think it’s quite amazing considering what the game is all about, especially with the game what it is.”
“It is very special.”
Unfortunately for Sam, the close bond on the show meant she had a target on her back and was voted off by her tribe.
“We are two very strong people and the pairing of us probably put a target on our back,” she says.
The close bond they formed meant she was voted off by her tribe.
But the 32-year-old doesn’t regret one second of her time on the island.
“My interactions with Mark allowed me to have time away from the game and we would have normal conversations about what we do and our lives and it was a bit of a break,” Sam says.
As for navigating their new relationship in the real world, the pair must first face the hurdle of a long distance relationship, with Mark in Western Australia and Samantha based in Melbourne.
“It’s day by day, and like any new relationship you take it day by day,” Sam says.
“It’s just about getting to know each other. Mark is a roaming guy, he has been to Melbourne, he was in New York but he is Australia based now and we are taking time to get to know each other outside of the game.”
