Emin, operational general manager of Brussels Expo, paid the price for a reversal of strategy within the red team this Tuesday evening in “Koh-Lanta, the sacred fire”. While Helena, the captain, crystallized the tensions, the adventurers preferred to bring out a candidate whom they considered physically weaker. And so it was Emin – he celebrated his 57th birthday since filming – who had to leave the game. The Belgian regrets not having lasted longer, but has finally realized a dream he had had for two decades.
You have been applying for “Koh-Lanta” for twenty years, have your motivations changed over time?
EMIN. “Koh-Lanta”, I fell into it from the start and I immediately wanted to go there: the change of scenery, the surpassing of oneself… It spoke to me. Then, at 56, you want to take a step back, think about the meaning of life, your family, your work, what you want to do in the years to come… Being alone with nothing, to think about all this, also motivated me.
Did you train specifically for “Koh-Lanta”?
I have always tried to have a good physical condition. Every week I run 10 km and go to the gym twice. Next I trained in balance, I’m quite strong in apnea, good at swimming, I trained in archery, I recreated a pole, etc.
And in terms of survival?
On that side I had no problem. I don’t eat a lot so it was going very well, I’m basically a manual, I’m someone who has to move. I was going to look for wood, I tried to fish, to catch crabs, I found cassava, sugar cane… For the fire, I had taken two pieces of wood at home, I had tried ten minutes before giving up, but I had looked at tutorials on the Internet. Besides, I would like to point out that even if it was Martin who managed to make the fire, it was Julie and I who had prepared everything: the bamboo, the fireplace, the fuel…
Did you think your age could harm you?
Obviously ! In “Koh-Lanta”, when no one knows each other, the first argument that comes to everyone’s mind when eliminating someone is “he’s older”. I said to myself that if I could hold out the first two weeks, it could do it, because then there are more discussions, tensions between young people and you can fall through the cracks . Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to get there.
With Helena and Élodie, you are three Belgians in this edition and all in the red team. Haven’t thought about getting together?
No, because very quickly there was the problem of Helena who annoyed some people and she is Belgian… And then “Koh-Lanta”, it is more a question of affinities than of nationality.
When did you realize you were in danger?
When we came back from the immunity test that we lost. There, around the fire, I saw that Alex had shifty eyes. I asked him to fetch water with me and he said: “The strategy against Helena is dead, everyone is going to vote against you. Me, I can’t do otherwise, you understand, otherwise I put myself in danger compared to others. »
While searching for an immunity necklace, you found a strategic weapon that granted you a double vote…
For me, it’s a victory. I searched for ten to twelve hours, I was exhausted, but I didn’t want to stop so as not to have any regrets in this adventure. I found this double vote, which unfortunately was not enough, and my biggest regret is not having bluffed with this strategic weapon by saying that I had found immunity.
You talked a lot with Rudy, even admitting to him that you had found this double vote. Why trust him so much?
I had no choice. I no longer trusted Alex. I had to try to hang on to branches. I went to Rudy because he had the talisman that could protect me. I wanted to be transparent with him hoping to have a chance, without knowing that he was one of those who wanted to vote against me. He told me that it was under discussion, that there might be a possibility of voting against Helena or Élodie… In fact, he did it to me upside down! Then, just before the council, he nevertheless warned me: “It’s dead, everyone is going to vote against you. »
What do you remember from this adventure?
It was fantastic, even if it didn’t last long enough for my taste. I met beautiful people, I have wonderful memories. I hope one day to be able to set foot there again. It made me think, my wife offered me to go on a world tour, so it’s a challenge that we will try to take up in the coming years.