Mark Wales is a contestant from Australian Survivor (2017).
One of the physically strongest players of Asaga, Mark quickly found himself on the outs of the tribe due to his tight relationship with Samantha Gash. After Sam was voted out, Mark's own elimination soon followed, but not before exposing Henry Nicholson and Jacqui Patterson's status as a fellow power couple during Tribal Council.
Profile
Retrieved from 10play.com.au
Age: 37
Occupation: Former Special Ops Commander
State: Western Australia
Tribe: Asaga
Mark is an ex-SAS Troop Commander who served in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, East Timor and the Solomon Islands who has recently launched his own fashion label.
Currently living in New York, Mark has also completed an MBA and works as a business consultant. But it is his SAS skills that he plans to bring to Australian Survivor.
"I think my time as a combat officer in the SAS was very, very formative, changed me a lot and has given me the skills to try this game. I have had to fight my way out of some desperate situations and I am great at hanging in there until the bitter end. It's often when you think it's all over that you pull through and something good happens," he said.
One of his abilities is reading people. Mark says he has learnt how to look at someone and determine whether they want to kill him or be his friend. He also has taken some traits from last year's contestants.
"I think I will be a lot like Lee but not so naïve – of course you can't be that honest all the time. Sue was a killer and just got on with it. I would like to be like her, she was physical and good on the team but I will be more ruthless when I need to be," he said.
"I love breaking rules. A great quote that I love is by Lord Nelson: 'No one ever made history by following the rules'."
Mark also loves cooking, travelling and surfing and after dealing with the after effects of war, he knows what he wants. "I genuinely think I will be good at it but I am also here to inspire other veterans to live a full life. It can be hard after leaving the military so I am encouraging them to have a go."[1]
Australian Survivor
Despite Mark's best efforts to hide some of his military skills and fire making abilities to not put a target on his back, he showed his strength in challenges and helped Asaga dominate most of the early Immunity Challenges. He quickly developed a strong bond with Samantha Gash, which was perceived as romantic by some, and a power couple by Henry Nicholson and Jacqui Patterson.
Henry threw the sixth Immunity Challenge to take the opportunity to vote out strategic threat Sammy before a swap or merge. Mark and Sammy thought most of the tribe was splitting the vote between weak links Ben Morgan and Michelle Dougan, but Mark was suspicious of ulterior motives. He was helpless in preventing his main ally Sammy from being voted out at Tribal Council. Mark sought revenge, and teamed up with Luke Toki who did not like how Henry and Jacqui held all the power. This plan failed as Luke was unable to secure enough votes to oust Jacqui, and Mark was voted out as planned.
Voting History
| Mark W.'s Voting History | ||
|---|---|---|
| Episode | Mark W.'s Votes |
Voted Against Mark W. |
| 1 | Joan; Joan1 |
- |
| 2 | Asaga Tribe Immune | |
| 3 | Asaga Tribe Immune | |
| 4 | Asaga Tribe Immune | |
| 5 | Asaga Tribe Immune | |
| 6 | Michelle | - |
| 7 | Jacqui | Ben, Henry, Jacqui, Kent, Michelle, Odette, Sarah |
| Voted Out, Day 18 | ||
^1 In "Episode 1", the vote ended with a 6-6 tie between Joan and Kent, forcing a revote. Mark W. did not change his vote on the revote.
Post-Survivor
Samantha & Mark on their wedding day.
- Sometime after appearing on Survivor, Mark started dating fellow contestant Samantha Gash.
- The couple became engaged on January 7, 2019.[2] and would later marry on December 14, 2019. Jacqui Patterson officiated the wedding, while Jarrad Seng was the photographer. AK Knight, Aimee Stanton, Jericho Malabonga, and Luke Toki also attended the wedding.[3]
- On March 30, 2018, they became parents to their first child, son Harry Lock Wales.[4]
Trivia
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References
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