Known for his eccentric adventure videos on YouTube (possibly next level to Bear Grylls or '80s icon Alby Mangels), it was actually Ucles' knowledge of survival and university qualifications that had him pipped against the "brawn" in the sixth series of the reality competition, which began airing on Sunday.

"I know what I do looks crazy ... but there is another side to me that people haven't seen before," he told the Mercury. "It's a more intellectual side of myself that I've kept quiet all these years ... I did a degree in environmental science and got halfway through a masters in wildlife conservation."

Most recently Ucles has been working as a tour operator in the Northern Terriroty as well as a "survival instructor" for the Australian Defence Force.

"I've always had a love and affinity for nature and it's always been part of my mission and my plight in life to connect people back to nature," he said.

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The 33-year-old has been trying to crack television for many years now, but sending in an application for Survivor never crossed his mind until his sister Diana persuaded him to do so.

"She's a super fan of the show but the biggest issue I had was that I'd never watched an episode, I was going in blind," Ucles said, adding the location of the new series was kept queit during auditions.

"Once it came to light that it was going to be filmed in the rugged parts of the Australian outback I definitely had a bit of a smirk on my face, that is my backyard and I feel really comfortable there.

"There were aspects of my lifestyle that I was able to relate to the game of Survivor, but ultimately it's a social game, it's political game, it's a strategy game and it was definitely a new experience for me."

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Other contestants on the show come from all walks of life and include a big wave surfer, a Labor Party operative, a prison officer, an MMA fighter and an AFL player - most having the common theme of having a large fan following on social media.

Ucles laughed when asked if he was faced with any life or death situations but would not divulge if fear had been put in any other contestants, while a budding love interest was also ruled out.

"The only romance that I had out there was where for all my love and passion and dedication [channeled] to win those immunity challenges so I could get food," he said. "Definitlely a decreasing libido out there that's for sure."

Survivor: Brains vs Brawn continues Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays on the 10 network.

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