Arkan Survivor is facing a grueling stretch on the island, with food shortages taking a heavy toll on his physical condition. A stark moment of vulnerability surfaced when he nearly fainted on the shore. Javier Ungría intercepted the fall to prevent it from hitting the ground, while on a recent episode with Jorge Javier Vázquez, Arkano opened up about the incident and its impact.
The footage showing Arkano’s faint left viewers stunned. The Alicante native appeared pale and disoriented, seeming barely present in the moment. “There was a time when I stepped away from reality,” he recalled. “Everything went dark, I was walking back, I didn’t know where I was. It was terrifying, but part of the experience,” he shared, describing the harsh conditions on the island.
Back at the palapa, Arkano admitted that the experience had left him feeling discouraged. “I’m a bit down, you can see the weather here, energy is low, and I’m saddened that Rocío was nominated,” he explained. Jorge Javier encouraged him to persevere, noting the emotional weight of adapting to a new reality. “The images give you goosebumps, but you must keep going and endure it,” he advised.
Arkano was not the only contestant to faint during the competition. Aurah Ruiz and Carmen Borrego also experienced faint spells, a consequence of limited sustenance and exhausting days on the island.
Another setback for the Alicante competitor: the departure of his strong ally
Despite the challenges, Arkano remains hopeful about recovery and aims to return to full strength. However, a significant blow came when one of his most devoted supporters left the island. Rocío Madrid, an actress who had shown steadfast backing, was dismissed from the broadcast and departed the program, or so it seemed, as she later paused her participation. The cast then faced a new dynamic, with the cast splitting into evolving groups at the Purgatory Beach setting alongside Kiko Jiménez, Laura Matamoros, and Lorena Morlote. After the Sunday plebiscite, a third of the players would eventually travel back to Spain.
Rocío Madrid could not handle the ongoing tension with another nominated contestant, Miri, and her departure marked a decisive moment in the competition. Arkano’s tears showed the emotional weight of the moment as Rocío prepared to leave the island. The moment was punctuated by a hug between the two friends, a reminder of the bonds formed under pressure. “I will carry him with me for the rest of my life, and meeting him here is a treasure,” the former Survivor participant shared, emphasizing the lasting value of their connection.
During the emotional exit, host Jorge Javier highlighted Arkano’s visible emotion, acknowledging the depth of friendship on display. The farewell left Arkano with a renewed focus on the road ahead and the importance of resilience in this high-stakes environment.
New alignments and hopeful candidates
In Thursday’s episode, the Survivors decided to reshuffle teams to address perceived imbalances and uneven strengths. The process was simple and tactile: contestants drew sticks to determine new groupings. When the reshuffling settled, the teams looked like this:
- Residents of Playa Condena: Rubén Torres, Arantxa del Sol, Pedro García Aguado, Aurah Ruiz, Mario González, Claudia Martínez, Arkano, and Carmen Borrego.
- Residents of Playa Olimpo: Gorka Ibarguren, Ángel Cristo, Kike Calleja, Miri Pérez-Cabrero, Javier Ungría, Rocío Madrid, and Blanca Machón.
Commentary on the reshuffle suggested that the changes were meant to balance the teams more fairly rather than merely shuffle personalities. Among the new arrangements, Aurah Ruiz, Arantxa del Sol, Ángel Jesús, and Kike Calleja stood out as noteworthy candidates for specific beach assignments.
Arkano later nominated Aurah Ruiz, explaining, “It’s driving me crazy, I’m really trying, but I can’t go on like this.” In a twist, Aurah returned the nomination to Arkano, signaling the pressure cooker environment. The dynamic suggested a difficult decision lay ahead for Jesé’s wife, who found herself torn between two contestants before ultimately siding with the rapper.
Citations note: This summary reflects events as depicted on the broadcast and subsequent recaps, with ongoing coverage from the survival reality format.