Australian Survivor: Blood Vs. Water has kicked off with a bang, and with a whole new cast of castaways to get to know, it can be hard to keep up! Don’t worry, we’ve got your back.
Today, let’s get to know Sophie Cachia, who’s playing on the Red tribe. She’s come into the competition with her sister K.J, who’s now on the Blue tribe.
Although K.J is the Survivor superfan of the duo, Sophie’s not exactly clueless, either.
“I’ve watched Survivor ever since I was eight-years-old when I used to sneak out when Mum thought I was in bed, so I’m a massive fan,” she says in her promo.
Sophie’s 31, suspects people are going to underestimate her physical capabilities in challenges.
“I think I’m going to be a lot stronger than what people might think I am when they look at me,” she says. “I don’t think I’m going to be a challenge beast, but I’m not naïve, either. I think I’m just going to be really even across the board.”
On her 10 Play profile, Sophie says that her plan is to try to fly under the radar to begin with, but doesn’t know how long that will last.
“My personality and persona is rarely one that can do that, even when I try,” she explains. “It will be a strategy of mine, but a difficult task for me.”
At the end of the day, though, Sophie just wants to be remembered as “a really good tribe mate”.
“I wanna be looked back at as someone who everyone loved to be around, they had a good time with, and that they could rely on in a challenge,” she says.
Although this is Sophie’s first stint on reality TV, she’s been a public figure and influencer for some time.
In her early 20s, Sophie launched her successful blog, The Young Mummy, after giving birth to her son Bobby in 2014.
Two years later, in 2016, Sophie tied the knot with Bobby’s dad, AFL player Jaryd Cachia. They also had another child, daughter Florence.
In 2019, Sophie and Jaryd announced on Instagram that they were splitting. Sophie wrote at the time that it hadn’t “always been easy navigating through co-parenting under the same roof”, but said that they still appreciated “how lucky [they were] to have each other”.
“We aim to continue to create our very own version of happiness together as a family and to bring our children up with the inspiration to continually do what makes you happy and live your life how you want to live it,” she said.
“We are merely a case of two kids who fell in love hard early and are now two adults who love and respect each other enough to part ways amicably,” she explained.
After splitting from Jaryd, Sophie came out, and identifies now as “sexually bisexual and emotionally gay”.
While Sophie and Jaryd remained on good terms, Sophie said that she struggled to maintain some of her longterm female friendships after coming out.
Speaking to Sean Szeps on the Come Out Wherever You Are podcast, Sophie explained that she found herself “sitting at the table wanting to share with these people my happiness”.
“[I wanted to say], ‘I slept with someone on the weekend!’ You know, girls’ conversations. Or, I’m dating, and I love this girl.’ No one asked,” she shared. “I was immediately ostracised from a group of friends I’d been friends with for 15-plus years, because of a choice in gender.”
Sophie is now dating basketball player Maddie Garrick, and the pair often share loved-up happy snap on IG.
Celebrating the end of 2021 with her “angel” Maddie, Sophie wrote on Instagram that the couple had “achieved so much together” and that “non of it [would be] possible” without Maddie “always working above and beyond”.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do half of what I did this year without you and I am so excited to keep growing in 2022 as a team,” she wrote.
Australian Survivor airs at 7.30pm, Sundays and Mondays, only on 10 and 10 Play on Demand.
Want more Australian Survivor? Read all of our stories here.
