Battling through Tucker Trials, including the infamous Viper Room, Dylan kept his campmates and the country entertained with his constant resourcefulness, sense of humour and huge heart.
Speaking to 10 play after winning the crown Dylan admitted that looking back on the whole experience, “surreal is an understatement”.
“It feels surprising and remarkable that I made it to the end, I honestly was not expecting it,” Dylan continued. “I feel like every single person who went to the jungle was equally deserving of getting the end… every single person would have been a deserving winner and I know that all of us are of the same opinion.
Prior to heading into the jungle Dylan said he was most afraid of the trials that awaited him and his fellow celebs, but quickly he realised that there was something far more difficult that he would have to conquer.
“I thought I was supposed to be afraid of the heights, snakes and all the yuck things. Turns out those things pale in comparison with how hard it was to be exposed and raw, that was the hardest part of the whole experience,” he said.
“Hearing everyone’s stories and being able to tell my story, that was the richest part of the whole experience for me, and I think it was for all of us who were in there.
“Being put into a grave full of snakes or pushed out of a helicopter, that pales in comparison to what people go through every day in normal life,” Dylan added. “Those things are silly and horrible and I was never going to die from those experiences (the producers promised me that!) I’ve come out with perspective.”
Having overcome the toughest trial, the Viper Room, Dylan said it’s still difficult to see GIFs or footage from the challenge. “It’s full-on every time I see it. I can feel the weight of them on my face still.”
But during those moments where he and his fellow celebs were pushed so far out of their comfort zones, and thrived, they would then return to the camp where they would open up some of their most personal and revealing moments to each other.
“This was just an amazing platform to be able to try and get those messages out there,” he said. “There were so many important conversations that happened, and those conversations will continue with all the people I met in there, with friends and family.
“These are conversations that will hopefully be starting for anyone who was touched by anything we talked about.
“This was unlike anything I’ve ever seen or experienced as far as ‘reality TV’ goes,” he admitted. “This is real. It got back to what reality TV was, which is a little glimpse into real people’s lives and it’s such a clever format, breaking us down and taking away our luxuries and distractions so we’re forced to chat, and the chats were important. I feel blessed to be part of it.”
Throughout his time in the jungle Dylan was competing in support of Lifeline, an organisation close to his heart. For the first time, Dylan spoke publicly about the death of his brother Quinn. Having not only won the jungle crown, but $100,000 for for Lifeline was a motivator to push through the difficult days in camp.
“There was a bigger cause, a bigger picture. It wasn’t just about each of us…being able to raise the awareness for my charity and win $100,000 for them… I’m proud to say that’s going to save some lives so thank you, from me.
“I feel grateful right now that Australia got behind it and voted and fell in love with all the people that I fell in love with in the jungle too. I just feel really blessed I was able to be part of it all.”
If you’d like to learn more about any of the charities the celebrities were supporting this season, click here.
