Tuesday May 24, 2022, TF1 broadcasts a new episode of Koh-Lanta, The Cursed Totem. After the elimination of Maxime, which led to the departure of Louana since they were in pairs, another adventurer is forced to leave the game. Fouzi. This 28-year-old financial director was appointed by Bastien to play an eliminatory round against Olga and Jean-Charles. A game he unfortunately lost, sealing the end of his adventure. With Purepeople.com, Fouzi talks about this crazy experience. He brings up the rumor that he has already participated in Koh Lantahis complicit relationship with Amber or his relationship to hunger.
How did you experience your elimination?
It was very hard, cruel, really a big disappointment. I was sent to a bit of a headache when I was not even one of the last in the comfort test, I finished fourth. And then this elimination game with the balls where you have to be meticulous, keep calm… I get angry, I’m very clumsy. So when I saw the proof I said to myself: “Shit, I’m still not going to leave on that!” So inevitably there is a lot of disappointment. I arrive at the gates of the final. I even had a boulevard because the adventurers liked me, and that even counts for afterwards with the votes of the final jury with whom I had my chances. Leaving now is very disappointing.
Why do you think Bastien chose you?
I don’t understand his decision but I try to stay positive. I told myself that it was fate, that I would come back even stronger. But looking back, I find it cruel. He might have been able to choose on merit and designate the last three of the event. But why me ? Especially since we got along well, I never hit him with Trafalgar or anything.
He says it’s because he knows you less, do you understand?
I don’t necessarily hear it. Because he didn’t really have a chemistry with Géraldine, he got along well with François, but just as much as me. I think he made a fairly quick choice by telling himself that I might not blame him. I took it well on the spot but hey it’s still there that I was eliminated.
Do you blame Bastien for choosing you?
Yes, and he knows it! Perhaps he could have chosen on merit. Afterwards, it’s not him who eliminates me, it’s me who loses the race. He participates in it by sending me there.
What do you think of Amber’s choice to nominate Jean-Charles?
I’m divided. Jean-Charles said he was tired of being last, that he wanted to prove his strength. On the one hand, she applied what he asked. But on the other I did not understand. She could have chosen Nicolas, that would have made two ex-yellows. Why send Jean-Charles? It was a little weird.
Is that when you discovered the alliance of ex-greens?
I had doubts. Especially concerning François and Nicolas, we felt that there was something strong that bound them. Amber, a little less. But suddenly the doubts were confirmed later. It was a green alliance, a southern alliance also with three adventurers who protect each other.
In your portrait, you introduce yourself as “the Mbappé of finance”, a phrase that amused a lot. Where does the comparison come from?
I’m a big football fan and I referred to a sentence from Kylian Mbappé in an interview where he said that we shouldn’t talk to him about age and that he was ready to take responsibility. On a daily basis, I am also judged in relation to my age and my duties as financial director. So his little phrase suits me well. If you are industrious and hardworking, it can do it. This little punchline made me laugh and I find it fun.
On social networks, some are amused by your “fraternal” relationship with Amber and suggest that you were perhaps expecting more. What do you have to answer?
With Ambre we are almost the same age, we get along very well. There is a little complicity between us, we teased each other a little but it’s still really friendship. She’s been with someone for years. He’s a great guy by the way who welcomed us for a weekend in Montpellier. He is a player of the French volleyball team. Me it makes me laugh, but there is no ambiguity.
Earlier in the game, Stephanie had a little time on the red team. She felt that some were “very fake”, what do you think?
I was super surprised because she didn’t have that speech at all on the island. I suddenly think that it is her speech that is fake because we have never heard her say that, she has always been natural with us. Unfortunately, she joined a team that was already united and she found that we were thinking too much. In a strategic game, you have to think. It’s important to play with the heart, but it’s good to use the brain too.
What was the hardest?
Unanimously, it is hunger. Sleeping with a rumbling stomach is horrible. I arrived at 69 kilos, I have rarely made that weight. It was quite shocking to see me flat and featureless. We often talked about food, McDo, burgers, fondue… It was just atrocious. And then there is all the strength that we lose. I have a profile that needs fuel and in the end I couldn’t even walk, I was using a stick. And then the rain in the evening was hard to live with because the roof was not completely waterproof. There were drops of water… And it lasted at least half of the adventure.
Regarding hunger, have you been able to catch up since?
Oh yes (laughs)! In two weeks, I had regained a large part of the 15 kilos lost during the adventure. It did me good. And even psychologically, I can have dinner at 8 p.m. and order an Uber Eats at 10 p.m. I can no longer tell myself that I will be deprived. This feeling of deprivation was so hard to bear that suffering from hunger is unimaginable for me.
And the one kilo tacos?
I was invited by O’Tacos to eat ! I went there. It’s not healthy, but I like it a lot. After 33 days of adventure like that, it was the minimum. It would be nice to have comfort like that, we should think about it.
What was your first gesture on the way back?
I took the train to go to Montreux directly, for work. It was very hard because the festival was hard. I was away for two months and couldn’t say anything to my colleagues who didn’t know. They didn’t understand where I had gone. The return, the relationships with people, it was quite complicated especially the first days.
According to some information, you had already participated in Koh Lanta in 2019 (season canceled due to sexual assault), true or false?
It’s true. I thank the production who was very nice to give us a second chance. They called me back this year after casting like everyone else and it’s just awesome. It was a huge joy to have this second chance. They didn’t have to, it’s amazing.
What are your projects ?
Especially professional projects. With the group we develop in Montreal, in Algeria, in Cannes. There are quite a few events that are going to take place. Otherwise, I continue my life normally, I haven’t changed my daily life.
Leaving for a Koh Lanta All Stars ?
Downright ! On the other hand, at the hunger level, I would anticipate and I would leave with 15 kilos more and in the end have my ideal weight. I will be bigger in the first races but in the end it will be better.
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