Gold Coast’s Chelsea Hackett reveals what went down on latest Survivor series

Reedy Creek’s own champion MMA fighter Chelsea Hackett knows a thing or two about snakes, thanks to her starring role in the latest season of Australian Survivor: Brains v Brawn. HER STORY >>>

GOLD Coast’s own champion MMA fighter Chelsea Hackett knows a thing or two about snakes – literally and figuratively – thanks to her starring role in the latest season of Australian Survivor: Brains v Brawn.

Ms Hackett, 22, is among 24 contenders who ventured to the heart of outback Queensland to battle it one with one another in a series of challenges in the long-awaited series return.

“Being in the outback was a complete change-up; it was so exciting because it’s in our backyard so it still kind of gave you that feeling of home as well,” she said.

Hailing from Reedy Creek, Ms Hackett – who won her first MMA fight at age 13 – said gruelling daily workouts helped her feel both as “mentally and physically prepared as possible” heading into the game.

Meet the cast of Australian Survivor: Brains v Brawn.

“Coming from a competitive background sporting-wise I do find myself quite mentally strong and physically strong,” Ms Hackett said, touching on her time preparing for the challenge.

“Going into Survivor, I trained every day in my profession, it was more so the little things in Survivor that you go without that I struggled with most; the little coffee and food, it was more losing those luxuries that came as a shock.

MMA champion Chelsea Hackett takes to outback Queensland in the latest series of the Survivor franchise.

“I’m such a big foodie, so I did struggle with the small portions, again it was just one of those things that challenged me though.”

The latest series is again hosted by Jonathan LaPaglia and it’s the first time the competition has been divided into two teams of ‘Brains’ and ‘Brawn’ – Ms Hackett’s brute strength earning her a brawn allegiance.

“Let’s just say there’s a reason for that,” she laughed when questioned whether she was equally as qualified to join the Brains side.

Australian Survivor: Brains v Brawn will premiere Sunday, July 18, at 7.30pm on Channel Ten

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Originally published as Gold Coast’s Chelsea Hackett reveals what went down on latest Survivor series