Talk show host ousted on Survivor

Stuff.co.nz

Last updated 00:00 25/10/2007

GOOD CHRISTIAN GIRL: Ousted Survivor: China competitor Leslie Nease says her Christian beliefs became too much of a focus on the show.

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Christian radio talk show host Leslie Nease has vowed never to leave her family again after becoming the third person voted out of Survivor: China.

Leslie - a 38-year-old mother-of-four from South Carolina - was eliminated by Fei Long after visiting the opposing tribe and talking up their superior team spirit.

Speaking exclusively to Stuff.co.nz, Leslie, 38, said she was gutted to have been voted out of the show but said she was glad to return to her family.

"I'm so glad to be home," she said. "I missed my family so much. I don't think I could ever leave them again. It was a joy to come home and see them.

"I would never do it again but I don't regret having done it."

Leslie, whose religious beliefs became a focus after she was seen leaving the welcoming ceremony in the show's opening episode, said it was absurd that her tribe voted her out because she was "untrustworthy".

"Here I am - a Christian, a woman of my word - and they didn't trust me. I think they made a mistake but, whatever, I did my best."

Leslie said talking up the opposing tribe was a bad move that led to her elimination.

"I talked way too much about how good the other tribe was and that was kind of stupid. It was a dumb game move," she said.

"I was trying to bring some of their spirit back to our tribe. I didn't intend to jump over and stab my tribe in the back but unfortunately it was taken that way."

Leslie, a former Miss Carolina winner who auditioned for Survivor five times before being accepted, said she was unhappy with the way her faith was depicted on the show.

"Every time I mentioned God it was shown. I wasn't out there screaming it from the mountain tops. I wasn't trying to push my religion and my faith on anyone.

"It's who I am. I tried to save my comments about the Lord for the camera."

Leslie said it was too early to pick a winner but she'd like to see one of her Fei Long team mates win - especially Todd or Courtney.

Watch Leslie leave the Survivor: China welcoming ceremony below:
Survivor: China screens at 8.30pm on TV3 on Thursday nights. Stuff.co.nz will exclusively interview every contestant as they are eliminated. For more information, visit the Survivor: China website.