Mark Wales is the Sole Survivor of Australian Survivor: Blood v Water. He previously competed on Australian Survivor (2017).
In 2017, despite being one of the physically strongest players of Asaga, Mark quickly found himself on the outs of the tribe due to his tight relationship with Sam 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.
Returning alongside Sam in Blood v Water, Mark had a much better start to his second season despite being initially separated from his wife. He built key relationships with players such as Nina Twine and helped his tribe win several Immunity Challenges. He then emerged as a dominant threat upon his reunion with his wife at the merge, with the pair only coming together when needed to help ensure that one or the other would make it to the end. This led to him sitting against fellow Water tribe members Chrissy Zaremba and Shay Lajoie at Australian Survivor's first Final Three, with his stranglehold over most of the game contributing to his unanimous victory.
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]
Mark, 42, Ex SAS Commander, Victoria
Mark was last seen on Australian Survivor Season 2, where he formed a power couple with fellow castaway Sam. The two fell in love, were married in 2019 and have a son together.
Last time Mark played Survivor, he thought being fit and strong would be enough to go far in the game, but he quickly realised this was not the case and that his social game would need to improve. He won't be making the same mistake twice.
What's one thing people won't expect from you?
That I am a soft heart. I do feel everything and have a lot of empathy and that made it extremely hard for me as a peacekeeper and a combat soldier.
How will you try to ensure you don't get blindsided?
Australian Survivor
2017
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 Sam 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 Sam before a swap or merge. Mark and Sam 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 Sam 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.
| Episode | Tribe Affiliation |
Challenge | Challenge Type | Sit-Out? | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asaga | Race to Shore | Reward | No | Lost |
| Flint | Reward | No | Won | ||
| Uprising | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 2 | Slip, Slop, Slap | Reward | No | Lost | |
| Hammer Time | Immunity | No | Won | ||
| 3 | Boulder Dash | Reward | No | Lost | |
| Raft and the Furious | Immunity | No | Won | ||
| 4 | Surf Nets | Reward | No | Lost | |
| Upstacle | Immunity | No | Won | ||
| 5 | Chain Reaction | Immunity | No | Won | |
| 6 | By the Numbers | Reward | Yes | Lost | |
| Polar Express | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 7 | Sumo-ans | Immunity | No | Lost | |
| Voted Out, Day 18 | |||||
Blood v Water
| Episode | Tribe Affiliation |
Challenge | Challenge Type | Sit-Out? | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Water | Water Slaughter | Reward | No | Won |
| Gatecrasher | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 2 | (No title) | Reward | No | Won | |
| Yank Your Hank | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 3 | (No title) | Reward | No | Lost | |
| A Bit Tipsy | Immunity | No | Won | ||
| 4 | In the Trenches | Reward | No | Lost | |
| Boats, Brains & Brawn | Immunity | No | Won | ||
| 5 | Sumo at Sea | Reward | No | Won | |
| (No title) | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 6 | By Any Means Necessary | Reward | No | Won | |
| Free Fallin' | Immunity | No | Won | ||
| Switched Tribes, Day 15 | |||||
| 7 | Blood | Boats Tug of War | Reward | No | Lost |
| Puppet Master | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 8 | Chain Reaction | Immunity | No | Won | |
| 9 | (No title) | Reward | No | Won | |
| Operation Balance Build | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 10 | Slip, Slide & Score | Reward | No | Won | |
| Losing Face | Reward/Immunity | No | Won | ||
| 11 | Spoon Man | Immunity | No | Won | |
| 12 | Ballin' A Jack | Immunity1 | Lost | ||
| Tribes Merged, Day 25 | |||||
| 13 | Lava | A Bit Tipsy | Reward | Lost | |
| Wrist Assured | Immunity | Lost | |||
| 14 | Fire and Water | Immunity | Lost | ||
| 15 | Well Stacked | Reward | No | Invited | |
| Take the Reins | Immunity | Lost | |||
| 16 | Chimney Sweep | Immunity | Lost | ||
| 17 | Paddle Out | Reward | Lost | ||
| Audio Slave | Immunity | Lost | |||
| 18 | (No title) | Immunity | Won | ||
| 19 | Survivor Auction | ||||
| (No title) | Immunity | Lost | |||
| 20 | Domino Effect | Immunity | Won | ||
| 21 | Splash Back | Reward | Lost | ||
| Faulty Towers | Immunity | Lost | |||
| 22 | The Obstacle Course | Immunity | Lost | ||
| 23 | Always on the Run | Immunity | Lost | ||
| 24 | Planks a Lot | Immunity | Lost | ||
| Sole Survivor, Day 47 | |||||
| Notes: ^1 This challenge was played for individual immunity at each tribe's next Tribal Council.
| |||||
| Episode | Mark's Votes |
Voted Against Mark |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andy | - |
| 2 | Chrissy | - |
| 3 | Water Tribe Immune | |
| 4 | Water Tribe Immune | |
| 5 | No Vote | |
| 6 | Water Tribe Immune | |
| 7 | Sandra | - |
| 8 | Blood Tribe Immune | |
| 9 | Amy | - |
| 10 | Blood Tribe Immune | |
| 11 | Blood Tribe Immune | |
| 12 | Mel | - |
| 13 | Khanh | - |
| 14 | Michelle | - |
| 15 | Jesse | - |
| 16 | Shay | Jordie, Shay |
| 17 | Jordie | - |
| KJ | KJ, Michelle | |
| 18 | Michelle | Individual Immunity |
| 19 | Safety Without Power1 | |
| 20 | Jordie | Individual Immunity |
| 21 | David; David2 |
-2 |
| 22 | Jordie | -3 |
| 23 | KJ; KJ4 |
Chrissy; - |
| 24 | Josh | - |
| Jury Votes for Mark |
David, Jesse, Jordan, Jordie, Josh, Khanh, KJ, Mel, Michelle, Sam | |
| Sole Survivor, Day 47 | ||
^1 In "Episode 19", KJ used a Safety Without Power advantage on Mark, granting him immunity, but at the cost of his vote.
^2 In "Episode 21", Mark used a Hidden Immunity Idol, negating 3 votes against him. Also, the vote ended with a 2-2-0 tie between David and Jordie, forcing a revote. Mark did not change his vote on the revote.
^3 In "Episode 22", Mark used a Hidden Immunity Idol, but did not negate any votes against him.
^4 In "Episode 23", the vote ended with a 2-2 tie between Josh and KJ, forcing a revote. Mark did not change his vote on the revote.
Post-Survivor
- Sometime after appearing on Australian Survivor, Mark started a relationship with fellow contestant Sam Gash. The couple married on December 14, 2019. Their castmate Jacqui officiated the wedding and Jarrad became their photographer. Fellow castmates Aimee, AK, Jericho and Luke also attended the wedding.[3] Mark and Sam have one son, Harry Lock Wales, born in 2018.[4]
- In 2019, Mark, alongside his wife Sam, competed on World's Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji, as part of 'Team Aussie Rescue'. Two of their opponents were Survivor contestants Ryan Opray and Mikayla Wingle.
- In May 2021, Mark's autobiography, "Survivor: Life in the SAS," was published nationwide by Pan Macmillan.[5]
- Mark, Sam, and their son, Harry, appeared on the 18th of August, 2022 episode of The Dog House Australia.[6]
- Mark and Sam seperated at some point prior to April 2025.
- Mark is currently in a relationship with Australian Survivor (2016) and All Stars castaway Phoebe Timmins.[7]
Trivia
- Mark and his wife Sam are the second pair of returning players internationally with a familial relationship to compete in a season, following Rob and Amber Mariano.
- Mark and Sam however are the first all-returning player pair to compete in a Blood v Water format.
- Mark is the first Sole Survivor on Australian Survivor to use a Hidden Immunity Idol to negate enough votes that would have otherwise caused them to be eliminated. He would be followed by Myles Kuah on Brains v Brawn II.
- Mark is the first castaway on Australian Survivor to win a season with a Final Three format at Final Tribal Council.
- Mark is the first man on Australian Survivor to unanimously win a jury vote.
- Mark has the greatest improvement in placement for a returning player in Australian Survivor, going up 17 places between his 2 seasons.
References
- ↑ https://10play.com.au/australian-survivor/participants/season-2/mark-w/pa190708lkgft
- ↑ https://10play.com.au/australian-survivor/participants/season-7-blood-v-water/mark/pa220123blvwj
- ↑ https://www.newidea.com.au/samantha-gash-and-mark-wales-our-survivor-wedding
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg5cSzLBcpV/
- ↑ https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9781760982751/
- ↑ "Dog House Australia: Aug 18". TV Tonight. 15 August 2022. https://tvtonight.com.au/2022/08/dog-house-australia-aug-18.html. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/DIvMmmfsBhh/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
| Preceded by Brains v Brawn (2021)  Hayley Leake |
Sole Survivor Titleholder Blood v Water  Mark Wales |
Succeeded by Heroes v Villains  Liz Parnov |
| Australian Survivor (2017) Castaways | |||||||||||||||
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