$9M Man Aussie Reality Star Scores One of TV’s Biggest Prizes
David Genat, the former Australian Survivor champion known as “The Golden God,” has struck gold once again. The Perth-based ex-model has won Season 2 of the US reality series Deal or No Deal Island, walking away with a staggering $US5.8 million ($A9.2 million).
This win marks one of the largest cash prizes in television history, second only to the $US10 million ($A15.9 million) jackpot claimed last month on Amazon Prime’s Beast Games.
A High-Stakes Decision
Host Joe Manganiello raised the tension as David Genat faced a life-changing choice between two remaining cases—one containing just $US75 and the other holding $US12,232,001.
“If you take this offer, it would be the most money anyone’s ever made on network television,” Manganiello told him. “You would truly be The Golden God. But if you turn it down and have $75 in your case, David, you’d be the biggest loser in TV history.”
The offer came from none other than Chrissy Teigen, who was revealed as the show’s secret “banker” in a full-circle moment—20 years after she started her career as a briefcase model on the original Deal or No Deal.
Genat ultimately took the deal, saying, “I’ve seen hubris take out a lot of people.”
A Reality TV Veteran’s Perfect Game
Deal or No Deal Island puts a fresh spin on the classic game show, combining high-stakes briefcase selections with physical challenges and social strategy elements familiar to Survivor veterans like Genat.
His competitors this season included Survivor legend Parvati Shallow, who will soon appear alongside him in Survivor: Australia v The World, and Big Brother champion Will Kirby.
Even Survivor icon Rob “Boston Rob” Mariano, who competed on the first season of Deal or No Deal Island, was in awe of Genat’s tactics. “You were a freaking psycho, bro,” he joked during an aftershow special, adding that he was “highly impressed” by how Genat kept his true identity under wraps.
Taking full advantage of the fact that most US contestants hadn’t seen Australian Survivor, Genat strategically deflected attention onto others. Shallow, a well-known Survivor champion, became one of his main targets.
One fellow contestant even joked, “I’m going to be mad if you won Survivor Australia.”
“Can you imagine?” Genat laughed. “I don’t even think that’s a show.”
Reality TV Community Reacts
Former Australian Survivor stars, including Pia Miranda and Abbey Holmes, were quick to celebrate David Genat’s victory on social media. His old ally Luke Toki had a more colorful response: “Dammm son… Sending networks are broken.”
David Genat is no stranger to winning big; he previously took home $500,000 on Australian Survivor: All Stars. But this latest win solidifies his status as one of reality TV’s greatest players.
