AUSTRALIAN Survivor contestant Lee Carseldine was a front runner for another reality show - The Bachelor.

Carseldine, 40, was considered to be The Bachelor back in 2013, the year Tim Robards fronted the show.

The former professional cricketer explained the call from casting directors came out of the blue.

“My mates applied on my behalf without me knowing as a bit of a joke, and I found out probably about a month later when I got a call from the casting agent,” he said.

“I thought it must have been a joke.

“So technically I did apply, but it was my mates that did it.

“I think I’m going to retire now on top in regard to doing one of the best reality TV shows in Survivor, that’s not knocking The Bachelor or MasterChef or anything like that, but there was a choice to do reality TV, it would be Survivor.”

Carseldine may not be a bachelor no longer, he has been linked with fellow Australian Survivor El Rowland.

Without denying they are together, he did confirm he has caught up with Brisbane based Rowland after the show.

“We all keep in touch,” he said.

“El and formed a great bond on the island (Samoa), but everyone has that connection.

“It’s good to get to know people outside of the island, instead of that bubble that we lived in.”

Carseldine went into Australian Survivor promising to play an honest game with integrity, and he hasn’t disappointed.

Physically already fit, he dropped kilos fast after hardly any food and tough conditions.

“You don’t have any mirrors but you feel yourself just getting weaker by the day,” he said.

“You literally can’t see yourselves out there.

“So when you look back and you are watching it on TV, you don’t realise how much weight you are losing.

“You feel it more physically.

“You just feel weak from when you first start, and everyday you lose strength.”