Survivor winner Liz reveals shock truth about how finale is filmed: 'Fake votes'

After an intense season filled with plenty of surprising moves, dramatic blindsides and gruelling challenges, Liz Parnov was declared the winner of Australian Survivor: Heroes V Villains during Monday night’s epic finale.

The 28-year-old former Olympic pole-vaulter, who was both the only Villain and female player to make it to the final tribal council, won the title of Sole Survivor and $500,000 by a unanimous vote.

However, Liz tells Yahoo Lifestyle she didn’t know she was the winner until she watched the episode on TV because they had filmed three different results.

“We filmed alternate endings for everyone, so I only actually found out that I'd won yesterday,” she explains. “So it’s all very, very fresh.

“We went on The Project yesterday and then the three of us that were in Melbourne all watched it together. I was such an emotional mess watching it, I think I cried through the whole episode.”

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When asked about how they filmed alternate finales, Liz says the show’s host Johnathan LaPaglia read “fake votes”.

“They can bring in fake votes and read them out and then they don't show the real votes,” she details. “It’s wild.”

Liz’s dramatic transformation

Liz went on to say that there were plenty of moments from the finale that viewers didn't get to see on TV, including multiple jury members’ questions.

“There were a bunch more questions, but obviously for editing reasons they only left those ones in,” she shares.

“It must be so hard for the producers to crush down 24 hours a day of filming into however many hours in total after we've been out there for 40-plus days. So for them to be able to make it look like it is and pack it up so pretty, I think they really captured the whole season beautifully and it showed all the ups and downs and the laughs and the crying. I think it was just a really great season.”

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Speaking about the physical changes she endured from the show, Liz reveals that she lost around 10kg but feels “great”.

“I've heard some horror stories about people really struggling when they come off and they can’t stop eating beans and rice, but I just kind of got off that island and got back on with life in the real world,” she says. “I went back to work, I started eating like normal and I was fine.

“I lost about 10kg but that's all part of the game and you are out there eating rations so of course, everybody's going to lose a lot of weight. That’s just what comes with the deal.”

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