Aysha Welch Reflects on Her Heartbreaking Elimination from Survivor 47

Aysha Welch Reflects on Her Heartbreaking Elimination from Survivor 47

“I found it incredibly hard to process the personal disappointment I felt within myself,” Aysha Welch shared after her early exit from Survivor 47.

Transitioning from podcasting about Survivor to competing in Survivor 47, Aysha arrived in Fiji with high hopes. Unfortunately, her journey in the game was cut short when she became the first contestant voted out of the Lavo tribe. Her refusal to vote against her ally, Sol Yi, led Kishan Patel and Teeny Chirichillo to change their plans and target Aysha instead.

In an exclusive interview, we asked Aysha about her regrets regarding the game, her initial journey, and the infamous incident involving Rome Cooney and fish guts.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Let’s be real, Aysha. How tough was it to be the first person voted off your tribe?

AYSHA WELCH: It was incredibly difficult. Being the first one out feels like an immediate failure because you haven’t even had the chance to test the dynamics or loyalties yet. I was hard on myself, questioning my ability to navigate the social and strategic elements of the game. Watching everything unfold, I realized there were many factors at play, including the idol situation and not knowing if it was a Steal a Vote or an extra vote. It made it challenging to strategize, especially with our tribe being clearly divided into duos, which is tough in a six-person setup.

After the vote, you seemed to look directly at Kishan and Teeny when expressing your hurt. What made it painful specifically with them?

It hurt because I had come into the game wanting to be as authentic as possible. I didn’t plan to mention my podcasting background but wanted to be open about everything else. I felt I had built genuine connections with Teeny and Kishan in the short time we had together. I was all in on our alliance, believing that I had shown my commitment to them. I thought they understood I had no intention of working with Genevieve or Rome, but maybe my assurances were misconstrued as keeping my options open.

When Kishan and Teeny suggested voting out Sol, why did you resist, or was that not how it played out?

Aysha Welch Reflects on Her Heartbreaking Elimination from Survivor 47

That’s how it happened. They pitched the idea, saying Rome had an idol and we didn’t know if he would use it on himself or Genevieve, so they suggested voting out Sol. I was hesitant because if they were willing to get rid of Sol, they could easily turn on me next. Sol had been crucial in our challenges, so letting him go seemed unwise. I wanted to explore other options and was reassured when they mentioned voting Genevieve instead. That’s why I didn’t use my Shot in the Dark; I felt I needed my vote in case they sided with me.

I also didn’t know if Rome’s advantage was an extra vote or a Steal a Vote. Voting out Sol didn’t make sense for my position in the game. If they were voting for Sol, it implied they were with Rome and Genevieve, which didn’t make sense strategically.

Before voting, you mentioned, “I don’t want to call anybody out, but I hope the person that agreed to vote with me sticks with that.” Who were you referring to?

That was directed at Rome. I wanted to make sure he played the idol on himself. I was hoping to instill enough fear in him to ensure he wouldn’t risk his safety. I even told Genevieve before Tribal that Sol and I had a third vote to eliminate Rome. I hoped she would share that information with him, which would make him feel unsafe and validate my commitment to Kishan and Teeny.

What have the past four months been like, knowing this episode was airing and you’d have to relive your elimination?

It’s been really tough. Nothing can truly prepare you for the experience. Survivor has always seemed like an impossible challenge to me. When I finally applied, I felt ready to give it a shot. As I got closer to being on the show, my confidence grew, and I genuinely believed I could win. When you go in with that mindset and then face the first Tribal Council only to be voted out, it’s heart-wrenching. I felt completely defeated.

Aysha Welch Reflects on Her Heartbreaking Elimination from Survivor 47

The first few months after returning home were challenging because I couldn’t share my experience with anyone. While I had support from my family, processing my disappointment alone was hard. I had set a goal to win, and it felt like I hadn’t achieved it. But now, looking back, I realize my goal was also to prove to myself what I was capable of. Lasting even seven days was a feat I didn’t think I could accomplish, and I did build some meaningful connections.

You and TK went on the opening journey instead of building bonds with your tribe and were both voted out first. Do you regret that decision?

I don’t regret going on the journey. I felt that even though I missed some initial bonding time, it helped me connect with Genevieve and Rome to some extent. Even if I hadn’t gone, I think Rome would still have been distant. There were moments I questioned my choice to compete for camp supplies, but I realized that my presence there might not have changed anything. If I hadn’t gone, they could have easily grouped me and Sol together anyway. I felt confident in my social skills and believed I could build relationships later.

What was it like living with Rome?

[Laughs] Imagine someone who is determined to impress you but isn’t interested in getting to know you. That’s Rome. It felt like every evening I would hear him boasting about his life experiences while I tried to go to sleep. He would ask questions just to answer them himself. Our conversations often felt like interviews where I was the only one sharing and not receiving anything in return. It was surprising to see how much disdain he expressed for me in confessionals, given that he didn’t take the time to learn about me.

Did he ever try to fake his own death while on the island?

[Laughs] No, not that I know of. But I wouldn’t put it past him.

So, did he really spit fish guts on you?

While he was eating, I felt something hit my back. I’m 99% sure it was from him, considering how he behaved. Knowing what I know about Rome, I doubt he cared if he got anything on me.

What’s something that didn’t make it to air that you wish viewers could have seen?

The dynamics between our group were clear, with three duos forming. Kishan and Teeny had the choice to side with either group, but there was significant friction between Genevieve and Rome and Sol and me, so we never worked together. It wasn’t a surprise when Kishan chose to vote me out; I was prepared for that outcome. I didn’t understand why they felt the need to test my loyalty when it seemed obvious that they would have never done the same.

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