‘Survivor 46’ Winner Kenzie Talks Season 50 Gamers, Jury Votes (Unique)

“Mermaid Dragon” Kenzie Petty, whose fire-making second within the Could 22 Survivor finale helped her safe the title of Sole Survivor, is “relieved” she will lastly talk about successful season 46. 

The salon proprietor, 29, stored her victory a secret for nearly a 12 months — from when the season filmed in June 2023 to when the finale aired.

Kenzie, who delayed her June wedding ceremony to compete on season 46 and obtained married after she returned, is anticipating her first child in September, however is returning to Survivor sooner or later additionally within the playing cards, doubtlessly for the milestone fiftieth season of all returning gamers? 

“By no means say by no means,” Kenzie tells PEOPLE. “However on the identical time I’ve a really, very full cup of Survivor. I hit all of my bucket record gadgets, I obtained the letters, I obtained the buddies, I obtained the win, I obtained the dangerous days, I obtained the great days, I blindsided, I flirted with [host Jeff Probst], I did all of it. I am very glad and really content material with the entire journey. If Jeff calls it is type of laborious to say no.” 

Probst lately confirmed that season 50 will function a full solid of returning gamers for the primary time since season 40’s all-winners solid.

“Oh my gosh, I might like to see all of season 46 return,” Kenzie says earlier than naming three castmates. “But when I needed to decide a number of, I might say Tiffany. I believe Tiff is simply so good and I might like to see her give it one other shot. I might like to see Hunter give it one other shot. Clearly Q is nice tv. I hate to say it, however I might love to look at it.”

Under, Kenzie additionally tells PEOPLE about Maria’s shock jury vote, Liz’s “bizarre edit,” Bhanu’s apology over giving her the “Mermaid Dragon” nickname, Ben’s energy in dealing with his panic assaults, the Q-skirt and an unaired blooper involving Charlie’s “household jewels.”

PEOPLE: Congrats on changing into the Sole Survivor and your current child announcement. Large week for you. How do you’re feeling proper now, the day after your successful episode aired?

Kenzie: Oh my gosh. I’m all the great issues. I’m relieved that we may lastly speak about it. I’ve been sitting on this data for a very long time. I am so excited. I am so grateful, I am so proud, simply surrounded by love and pleasure.

How laborious or straightforward was it to maintain it a secret since final 12 months?

Each. [laughs]  It was laborious since you wish to share your life experiences. I am a really open guide, like that is what I do, however straightforward as a result of I needed everybody to undergo the journey with me, you recognize? You signal an enormous NDA so I used to be like, “Survivor? What? Survivor? Who?”

You and season 44 winner Yam Yam are each salon house owners from purple tribes that didn’t achieve this effectively early of their seasons. Have you ever two bonded or talked about these similarities? 

Yeah. I did not inform anyone I received within the alumni neighborhood in any respect. So he really simply came upon I received final evening. We bonded as a result of I met him really and I used to be like, “We watched you win.” After which the subsequent evening we flew out and I believed the percentages have been stacked in opposition to me. There is not any approach they’re gonna let one other purple tribe salon proprietor get to the top. After which we began doing so dangerous and there have been three of us and I used to be like, it’s just like the Tika three over again. … Nevertheless it labored out. [laughs]

Yeah, I noticed some tweets saying, oh, if there’s one other salon proprietor sooner or later from a purple tribe, vote them out instantly.

[laughs] We’re like the brand new attorneys. It is like salon house owners are the harmful ones.

You delayed your wedding ceremony to compete on Survivor 46. What was your thought course of when deciding whether or not or to not push again your wedding ceremony date to be on Survivor? 

Yeah, so we had deliberate our wedding ceremony for June 2023. Survivor known as me they usually have been like, “Are you doing something this summer time?” And I used to be like, “No.” [laughs] And I got here inside and I informed my 1716509089 husband and I used to be like, “Um, Survivor known as.” And it was actually him who was the driving drive in shifting [the wedding date]. … He believed in me and rightfully so. He impressed me to consider in myself that I may convey it residence and I did.

You probably did. And what are your ideas on naming your child one thing impressed by the Survivor journey? Has that come to thoughts?

Um, no it has not. I like my Survivor journey, however a reputation could be very particular. I’m paying homage by making his nursery jungle themed — the jungle paid for the infant to be born so he has a jungle themed nursery.

What’s one thing producers did not present that you simply want that they had? 

Oh my goodness. It is laborious to say as a result of there’s a lot that will get proven. This is rather like a humorous blooper second, however I actually needed to strive fishing and by no means had an opportunity as a result of we have been all all the time scrambling and preventing for our lives. After which on the final day, I had an opportunity to go fishing and I did not know how you can use a Hawaiian sling as a result of we by no means had one on Yanu, clearly. 

[laughs] So, Charlie was like, don’t be concerned, I will present you how you can use it. And Charlie goes to point out me how you can do it and it flung proper again and hit him proper within the household jewels. Oh my gosh. And it is advantageous. He was advantageous. Nevertheless it was so humorous. It felt like a cartoon, like, it was simply too good of a second. [laughs] I want it had simply made the reduce as a result of it was simply such a foolish second on such a foolish season. I cherished it.

Perhaps the producers can ship it to you.

It was very humorous. I imply there was additionally yet another. After we have been on the Siga seashore, Hunter and I had a enjoyable afternoon of searching for flowers and it was simply such an attention-grabbing juxtaposition as a result of Hunter is approach taller than me. I actually needed to make a flower crown, and he simply began making me a flower crown, like so dainty. We simply had such a enjoyable day on the Siga seashore, Hunter and I, and I want they’d’ve proven that a bit extra.

Bhanu described you because the “Mermaid Dragon” early within the season. What do you consider that nickname, particularly after successful the ultimate 4 fire-making? 

Oh my gosh, I cherished it! Are you kidding? I believed it was superb. I hope I made him proud. Bhanu known as me to apologize for saying it. He was like, “I known as you one thing imply — I known as you a Mermaid Dragon.” And I used to be like, “Bhanu, that’s the coolest factor I’ve ever been known as in my life. And also you have been proper. Such as you known as it.”

Now, what do it’s important to say to viewers who didn’t like Liz serving to you win the immunity problem by grabbing the plank for you?

Properly, they weren’t on this season, so it does not matter what they assume. [laughs] I believe if they do not prefer it then they do not like creativity as a result of there are not any guidelines on Survivor. That is what’s so cool about it. Each group comes up with their very own guidelines and we did not plan that. That was Liz’s fast considering. We had a standard objective and we obtained it executed. It was ingenuity and artistic considering on Liz’s half. So the subsequent immunity problem, Jeff was like, “Y’all are taking part in your individual recreation. Do not assist one another.” [laughs] That is what it’s important to do in Survivor is get your objective nonetheless you are gonna get it and assume creatively, discover a loophole, make it occur. 

That is perhaps the way you make it to a Sport Changers 2-type season.

Yeah, precisely.

Would you ever put on or purchase a Q-skirt? 

No. No. [laughs] I like Q, however no, I did not put on it on the market on the vogue present. I am not carrying it at residence. I like him and I respect the hustle, let me be clear.

Yeah, it does not look very cute. [laughs]

You stated it. To be sincere, it’s not a cute skirt, it is a Q-skirt. [laughs] So, yeah, it was a extremely humorous bit although, actually, prefer it did make me snigger on the market. That is why it really works is as a result of he is aware of it is a bit. That is what’s nice about Q typically. He is excellent at taking part in it up, he is excellent at making a factor occur, even whether it is only a hoodie. It was humorous.

You probably did convey vogue moments to tribal council, which was actually enjoyable to see. Did you could have a favourite vogue second?

The palm-frond scrunchie and the buff bow. I forgot I used to be doing that. I used to be very proud and impressed. And that simply goes to point out how type of boring it’s on the market typically. Is that every one it’s important to do is vogue island equipment? [laughs] I used to be like, “I am right here to serve. OK, I’m right here to slay.”

You probably did serve and slay.

Thanks!

Some viewers are stunned Maria gave her jury vote to you rather than Charlie. Have been you stunned by incomes Maria’s vote? 

I used to be very stunned by Maria’s vote. My jaw hit the ground. It simply goes to point out that as a participant, you’ll be able to try to cater to the jury, however you do not actually know who’s gonna respect what. So all you are able to do on the finish of the day is personal your recreation, promote your recreation and converse from the center. And I am simply grateful that that resonated with not solely Maria, however everybody who voted for me.

Going again a number of tribal councils previous to this one, do you assume Ben really by chance wrote your identify down as a substitute of Venus’s identify?

[laughs] I do. I stand by it. It is a lot more durable than anybody can think about, particularly while you’re going by means of one thing like what Ben was with the panic assaults. It is so laborious to get your bearings straight while you’re in that state. You are starved, you are sleep-deprived, you are alone. 

So is it an enormous mistake? Sure. Is it comprehensible in the event you’re on the market? Sure. Sitting on the sofa, folks have been like, “No approach!” And I used to be like, “Properly, yeah, you are wrapped up in a blanket and consuming 5 sorts of snacks.” I bear in mind what it was like on the market, particularly for the way lengthy we had been on the market and I put myself again in that spot, I am like, “Yeah, I wasn’t considering clearly. I could not, neither was he.” So Ben is robust to make it so far as he did. So everybody saying he wasn’t taking part in his must go play as a result of it is a lot more durable than you assume.

Talking of Ben, producers confirmed your efforts to assist Ben by means of his nervousness and evening terrors. He stated, “She’s been my No. 1 by means of my panic assaults. She’s been a sweetheart.” How do you’re feeling about displaying these scenes to convey consciousness to psychological well being? 

It is close to and expensive to my coronary heart as a result of that is one thing so private and to be so susceptible on tv is terrifying. And I’ve a whole lot of respect for Ben for the best way he is dealt with all of it. I’ve respect for the best way he dealt with it on the market. I believe there ought to be extra deal with Ben’s energy getting by means of all of that than there ought to be on my compassion. He’s actually the one who obtained himself by means of it and I used to be simply there to assist. So, I am comfortable that the present is utilizing its platform to be, like, it’s laborious out right here and it is OK to undergo a tough factor.

You turned a transparent social menace early on, and Venus even described your social recreation as “sensible” in the course of the finale. Was that your technique going into the sport?

Yeah, I knew that my social prowess was gonna be what obtained me far. Then, particularly as soon as I used to be horrible at challenges, I used to be like, oh, that is all I obtained. Granted I received two however the remainder have been a bit questionable. I’ve gotta depend on my abilities and my profession is personable and social that it’s extremely pure to me. I like folks, I like attending to know folks. So I used to be simply gonna experience that wave and I obtained fortunate sufficient to experience all of it the best way to the top.

Anything you want to add that I did not ask?

Liz Wilcox obtained a bizarre edit. Liz is a good individual, and I’ll combat that combat till the top of my days. Anybody who has something imply to say about Liz can come by means of me. She’s far more level-headed. Please remember the fact that folks in your tv are folks, and there is much more that you do not see, and persons are advanced and multidimensional. Be good to one another. 

“Be good” is nice. Did you could have Applebee’s since filming?

I’ve. I’ve had Applebee’s with Liz since filming, so it is even higher.

How was Applebee’s with Liz?

Oh, it was fantastic. It was nice. It was a Wednesday and season 45 was on. We have been collectively and I used to be like, “What are we doing tonight?” And she or he was like, “We’ll Applebee’s.” And I used to be like, “Oh, you actually do this?” [laughs] I believed it was a bit for a second, however no that is precisely what she does on Wednesdays.

What did you order?

I do not bear in mind what I obtained. I used to be simply so excited to see her. This was quickly after we obtained residence from filming. She obtained the burger so all of the prophecy was fulfilled. That is all that issues is that Liz obtained the burger. [laughs]