Survivor NZ reality TV stars eye $250,000 prize

The remaining Survivor New Zealand contestants: Tess Fahey, Dave Lipanovic and Lisa Stranger. Photo / Supplied

Donations to charities and paying off mortgages are among the spending priorities of the three Survivor New Zealand contestants battling it out for the show's $250,000 prize.

After 40 days holed up in the remote wilderness in Thailand, Tess Fahey, Lisa Stranger and Dave Lipanovic made it through to the final three who will feature in tonight's live grand finale.

Just who will win the $250,000 will be decided by a vote of the seven-strong jury who had earlier been ejected from the show at successive tribal councils.

The prize is the biggest guaranteed payment offered by a New Zealand reality TV show and giving to charities features in the plans of all three contenders.

"A huge chunk of the money will go to my family, who deserve more than I could put a price on," Fahey told the Herald on Sunday.

"Another portion will go to charitable organisations that help children in particular. And the rest will go towards my studies and help me to follow my heart and my dreams."

The 24-year-old Christchurch office manager – who has defied the odds and several alliances she was locked out of to make the final - added that "winning the money is second best to the immense pride of being titled the Sole Survivor".

Charity and helping family also features prominently in priorities of what Lipanovic – a 26-year-old pharmacist – intends to do with the winnings if he is crowned Survivor New Zealand champion.

"Donate $25,000 to Starship [children's hospital], help pay off my parents' mortgage, pay off my student loan and use whatever is left to go travelling," he said.

But Lipanovic looks set to face an uphill battle to earn enough votes from the show's jury.

He fell foul of several on the jury for his voting at tribal councils and also personality clashes during the show. And any ill-feelings are likely to be magnified after jury member Matt Hancock revealed to fellow jury members in last weekend's penultimate show that he and Lipanovic had kept their long friendship under wraps from contestants throughout the series.

Stranger – a 38-year-old Christchurch librarian – revealed that, if she won, the $250,000 would go on her mortage, travel with her son and much-needed library items.

"Trying to get up-to-date books about technology into school libraries," she said.

Stranger was the big mover of the final month of the show – including being instrumental in the blindside elimination of previous show favourite Hancock. And that could count against her.

Fahey arguably has the most supporters on the jury.

She avoided elimination at the final two tribal councils after winning individual immunity in successive weeks.

For the past two weeks Stranger, Lipanovic and Tara Thorowgood have operated in an alliance to make the top three, first voting off Adam O'Brien and then last Sunday intending to vote off Fahey.

But her immunity win led to Thorowgood exiting the show.

"The best experience was without doubt winning the last individual immunity challenge," Fahey said.

"I was in excruciating pain and knew that everyone wanted me to lose. With my back against the wall, and everything against me, I pulled through. It was a magical moment that I'll always cherish."

Matt Chisholm, Survivor New Zealand host. Photo / Supplied

Likewise, Fahey said the fact she knew that "everbody wants you gone" was the worst experience of her time on the arduous show.

"You're isolated from the rest, but I know that this has only made me stronger."

Stranger said her best Survivor New Zealand experience had been meeting her castmates.

Her worst experience was falling sick halfway through.

"I thought about quitting but stuck it out and then the next day I felt so much better and had one of my best days out there with the merge and feast," she said.

Lipanovic said his highlight was being shown a video of family back home, saying it "was such an incredible feeling to see my loved ones after being isolated in this crazy game".

His worst experience?

"Hunger. If you watched the show, I think my facials explain it all. I struggled without food."

• The live Survivor New Zealand final will air tonight on TVNZ 2 from 7pm