Bra Boy Koby Abberton has undoubtedly been one of the most talked about contestants to ever try their hand at the SAS Australia course.
But with his hilarious one-liners, no-holds-barred approach to challenges and outspoken nature has come some tense moments between himself and other recruits.
In an exclusive interview with TV WEEK, the 44-year-old got candid on his rivalry with Ironman Jett Kenny after the two shared a number of heated exchanges throughout the course.
“Watching the show now it gives me a whole new outlook on the competitors and the teammates, but I knew nothing about those people,” he tells TV WEEK.
“I’m going in there and, you know, he thought he was fitter than me. I thought I was the fittest, I didn’t like it and I wanted to challenge it.
Bra Boy Koby Abberton has undoubtedly been one of the most talked about contestants to ever try their hand on the *SAS Australia course.
(Image: Seven)“I could feel it from him and he could feel it from me.”
Koby says their contention stemmed from being “two alpha males coming head-to-head” on the course.
“I said something smart to him, he said something smart to me,” he says.
Koby also referenced a particularly fiery moment that erupted after the 27-year-old lifeguard burped in his direction while eating dinner.
“I would never do that, that’s not how I was raised and I had a pretty rough upbringing,” Koby says.
“But he was a really good young kid and after seeing what he went through I got a better understanding of him.
Koby got candid on his rivalry with Ironman Jett Kenny after the two shared a number of heated exchanges throughout the course.
(Image: Seven)“Every book you judge by its cover and that’s what I did and he did the same to me.
“We didn’t see eye to eye but if I see him, I’d hang out with him any day of the week.”
When asked about how it felt to be competing against Dan Ewing, who played a Bra Boy-inspired “River Boy” on Home and Away, Koby said he was proud of the actor’s achievements.
“When I went into the interview area they kept asking me about him and told me his character was based off my family,” Koby reveals.
When asked if he still keeps in contact with his fellow recruits, Koby admitted he likes to “separate that life” from his personal life in Bali.
(Image: Instagram)“When I first met Dan he kept telling me he was an actor and after a couple days I said: ‘listen have you got something to tell me?’
Koby revealed the 36-year-old then looked him “straight in the eye” and admitted his character Heath Braxton was inspired by him.
“I don’t know what sort of reaction he thought I’d have.
“I said ‘I’m so proud of you. If you’ve used your platform and had success, if you used a part of me as your launching pad, I’m very happy for you’,” Koby says.
Koby, who formed a strong bond with Sam Burgess on the show, revealed he had met the NRL star years earlier while watching him play in the NRL grand final.
“I met him in the dressing rooms but it was his night and I didn’t want to annoy him.
“He’s a great man and a strong man, I’m a big fan of Sam,” Koby gushes.
Koby now lives in Bali with his Ukrainian wife Olya Nechiporenko and their young son Makua.
(Image: Instagram)“We’d been around the same circles. John Sutton, who’s a Bra Boy, is best mates with Sam.
“The last couple years he’s been hanging in Maroubra I didn’t get to hang with him because I left [for Bali].”
Koby also cleared up rumours that he and Olympic beach volleyballer Kerri Pottharst didn’t get along after they were seen coming to blows in a rafting challenge.
“I think it come across that I didn’t particularly gel with Kerri.
“I was being held back [in the challenge] and it was quite difficult,” he remembers.
Koby also cleared up rumours that he and Olympic beach volleyballer Kerri Pottharst didn’t get along after they were seen coming to blows in a rafting challenge.
(Image: Seven)“They tried to make out like I was rude in some way, but I wasn’t being rude at all.
“I really respect that woman. She’s amazing and I have nothing but respect for my elders.”
When asked if he still keeps in contact with his fellow recruits, Koby admitted he prefers to “separate that life” from his personal life in Bali, where he has lived for the past eight years with his wife and their young son Makua.
“I try to stay away from that whole Sydney celebrity vibe thing.
“I like to go off onto my own little world and just enjoy what I have and I’m happy here and I just stick to that,” he says.
“But I’ll remain friends to every single one of them if they ever reach out.”
Koby voluntarily withdrew from the show on Wednesday night after his ongoing lower back injury got worse.
(Image: Seven)And while Koby has all but left behind his life in Australia, he insists he’s the happiest he’s ever been.
“I’ve got an amazing wife who supports me, I’ve got a son that’s speaking English, Indonesian, Russian and Chinese.
“I’ve got a nice house that I can get to the beach quite easy from,” he says.
Despite admitting he would love to raise his son in Australia, Koby says he has no plans to relocate anytime soon.
“Right now and where the future of Australia is going it’s a bit scary for me to move back there right now.
“But I’m quite content, I’m happy and there’s no reason to move right now,” he says.
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