Western Sydney’s George Mladenov reveals how he felt about being the third player voted out – and what it was like to play against Survivor legends he’d watched as a kid.

“King” George Mladenov has been eliminated from Survivor: Australia V The World. George, from Western Sydney, was sent home at the end of the season’s third episode.

“I wouldn’t call it early,” George tells TV WEEK. “I think, with this season, it was a case of glory or death. There was no middle ground. You either go down in flames or you just further cement your legend status.
George, wearing budgie smugglers, throws something as part of a challenge on Survivor. For George, competing against some of the world’s greatest Survivor players was a dream come true. (Credit: 10)
“What I’d like to see is one of these Australian legends go on and take the crown home.”

George says he feels “incredibly proud” to have represented Australia against some of the world’s best players, including US Survivor legends Parvati Shallow, Tony Vlachos and Cirie Fields.

“When I step out on day one and I see Parvati, I see Tony, a two-time winner, I see Cirie, somebody who I’ve loved since I was a kid watching American Survivor, I am telling myself this is something that 15-year-old George could never have imagined. The chance that I get to play against these people who I cheered for and looked up to when I was a kid, it’s a real pinch-yourself moment.”

For George, who was working as a political staffer when he went on Australian Survivor: Brains V Brawn in 2021, the show has been life-changing. He returned to Survivor for Heroes V Villains and also competed on The Amazing Race Australia.

“I’ve been working casually as a political staffer again but I really had a pivot four years ago when I got the chance to play Survivor that first time,” he says. “I’ve done multiple different TV shows now. I’ve really enjoyed working in that TV space. I’ve become a published author, I do keynote speeches and I’m still a lawyer.”
George, wearing a colourful shirt and showing off his immunity idol tattoo, stands with his hands on his hips on a beach in Samoa.Would George go on Survivor again? Who knows? (Credit: 10)
As for whether he’d play Survivor again, George doesn’t have an answer.

“When it comes to Australian Survivor, it’s something that over the last four years has given me so many different opportunities and experiences, from shaping the game, from changing the culture, from making future players prioritise different things in terms of what’s valuable in the game,” he says. “I feel like I’m the Uncle George in the Survivor community. If I get the chance to play again, who knows?

“But I take a great deal of pride in the fact that Australian Survivor is the best franchise in the world with the best gameplay in the world. I’ve played an instrumental part in making sure that Australian Survivor can earn that status and recognition throughout the world.”

George is the third person to be eliminated from Survivor: Australia V The World, following South Africa’s Rob Bentele and Australia’s “Golden God”, David Genat.