Each weekday, EW will post the answers from a different player.
Survivoris known for its epic opening sequences where the contestants arrive at their isolated destination in super dramatic fashion.
Season 2 of the show was no exception as 16 strangers landed in the Australian Outback on a No.
Rodger Bingham of ‘Survivor: The Australian Outback’.Monty Brinton/CBS
38 Squadron Caribou DHC-4 military aircraft on loan from the Royal Australian Air Force.
But as contestant Rodger Bingham reveals, the original plan was for that plane to never land at all.
“Originally, we were going to skydive into the Australian Outback,” says Rodger.
Rodger Bingham of ‘Survivor: The Australian Outback’.Monty Brinton/CBS
Notes Rodger: “CBS changed their mind about this because of insurance issues.
Thank God that they changed their mind.”
And I was still running my farm operation raising cattle.
The cast of ‘Survivor:The Australian Outback’.Monty Brinton/CBS/Getty Images
In 2012, I officially retired from the state job when a new administration took office.
I drew up the blueprints for the project and then hired sub-contractors.
I am now engaged to a lovely lady that lives in Ohio and we love being together.
What is your proudest moment ever from playingSurvivor?
Jumping off of the 50-to-60-foot high cliff was definitely a turning point for me in the game.
The next thing I remembered was breaking through to the surface.
No memory of falling nor being down in the water.
Kind of scary when you think about that.
Everyone looked at me quite differently after that, and I most definitely gained everyone’s respect.
CBS changed their mind about this because of insurance issues.
Thank God that they changed their mind.
What is your biggest regret from yourSurvivorexperience?
Having said that, it is a game of numbers and how people vote.
Even the night I was voted out, I knew that I was leaving.
I worked hard to get the votes to vote someone else out, but was not successful.
So 300 hours of filming gets cut down to 44 minutes.
How do you feel about the edit you got on the show?
What was it like coming back to regular society after being out there?
Was there culture shock or an adjustment coming back?
I most definitely did have an adjustment period after returning home.
No, I never did regret being on the show.
For me, it truly was the adventure of a lifetime.
After giving this much thought, I came to the conclusion that she was correct.
So if nothing else came out of the show but this, then I am most thankful.
Whom do you still talk, text, or email with the most from your season?
I will text or hear from mostly Mike Skupin andTina Wessonfrom time to time.
Nothing on a real regular basis.
Tina because she is a southern girl and had the same accent as I do.
I thought she was the only one that spoke normal in the Outback.
Go back and watch earlierSurvivorseasons and then watch the present season and look at the difference in food.
I lost 35 pounds in the 36 days I was on the show.
Who’s one player from anotherSurvivorseason you wish you could have played with or against and why?
I would have liked to have played with Big Tom.
We have become very good friends even though we were on different shows.
If you could make one change to any aspect ofSurvivor, what would it be and why?
I personally likedSurvivorwhen there was less back-stabbing and more about surviving the elements.
But, in the end, the game is all about Outwit, Outplay, and Outlast.
Finally, would you play again if asked?
This time, I would play the game much harder and worry less about providing food.
