'I only had two hours!' Andrew 'ET' Ettingshausen defends himself for catching just one tiny fish on Survivor... despite hosting a show about catching seafood

By Nick Hadley For Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

Legendary Cronulla Sharks NRL star Andrew 'ET' Ettingshausen hosts the TV show Escape Fishing with ET.

So it is not surprising that the 53-year-old has come under fire for catching just one tiny fish during his recent stint on reality TV series Survivor.

And on Monday, fresh from his elimination from Survivor, ET appeared on The Project to defend himself.

Andrew 'ET' Ettingshausen (pictured left) defended himself for catching just one tiny fish on Survivor on The Project on Monday... despite hosting a show about catching seafood

Andrew 'ET' Ettingshausen (pictured left) defended himself for catching just one tiny fish on Survivor on The Project on Monday... despite hosting a show about catching seafood

When The Project host Carrie Bickmore asked ET why he could only catch one fish on Survivor, he replied: 'I had two hours fishing time. The whole time. So it makes it very difficult.'

The handsome TV presenter said he expected he would have more time to catch seafood on the program.

'I thought I'd have all this time, I'd be catching fish and everyone would be really happy with me but I didn't get the chance,' he added, smiling. 

When The Project host Carrie Bickmore asked ET why he could only catch one fish on Survivor, he replied: 'I had two hours fishing time. The whole time. So it makes it very difficult'

When The Project host Carrie Bickmore asked ET why he could only catch one fish on Survivor, he replied: 'I had two hours fishing time. The whole time. So it makes it very difficult'

But Carrie, 38, was having none of ET's excuses, quipping: 'It sounds like my uncle. I'm just hearing a lot of excuses for no fish here, ET.'

ET has admitted he lost sleep and was really upset after getting booted from Australian Survivor by his tribe. 

Speaking to The Courier-Mail on Monday, ET said he had a hard time coming back to reality after his stint in Fiji. 

But Carrie, 38, was having none of ET's excuses, quipping: 'It sounds like my uncle. I'm just hearing a lot of excuses for no fish here, ET'
Food for thought: ET said he just wasn't given enough time to hunt for a seafood dinner

But Carrie, 38, was having none of ET's excuses, quipping: 'It sounds like my uncle. I'm just hearing a lot of excuses for no fish here, ET'

'The game overtakes you': ET admitted he has had sleepless nights after getting the chop from Australian Survivor, while speaking to The Courier Mail on Sunday

'The game overtakes you': ET admitted he has had sleepless nights after getting the chop from Australian Survivor, while speaking to The Courier Mail on Sunday

'You come up with that many different options in your mind, the hindsight is insane,' he said of the experience adding, 'You definitely have sleepless nights over it.'

'[You're] rolling around going, "Oh, if I did that." I've talked to some of the other Champions who say the same thing — the game really overtakes you.' 

Despite his early exit due to the alliance, he said he would have stuck to his original game plan if he had his time over again. 

Original game plan: Andrew said he would have stuck to his initial game plan if he had his time on the show over again

Original game plan: Andrew said he would have stuck to his initial game plan if he had his time on the show over again 

He added he believed that a Champion would still be the eventual winner of the show, and would be tuning in to see the outcome. 

Sunday night's episode saw an emotional tribal council, with the Champions alliance giving Andrew his marching orders. 

Andrew was clearly trying to fight for a place in the competition, as The Champions tribe headed into tribal council for the fifth time.   

Solemn: It comes after the Champions have been forced to tribal council on Sunday yet again, after five consecutive losses on the series. Pictured: Champions

Solemn: It comes after the Champions have been forced to tribal council on Sunday yet again, after five consecutive losses on the series. Pictured: Champions

'If I look over all the challenges we've had, you know I haven't let the team down. I've always given my all. I've always supported the team incredibly,' he pleaded.

He continued: 'I haven't been lying to any of these people at all. They know they can rely on me. They know I can contribute.' 

The intensity became all too much for AFLW star Abbey Holmes, 28, who broke down in tears at the choice before her.      

Andrew got the maximum needed of five votes, before he was asked to leave tribal council with his flame extinguished by host Jonathan LaPaglia.

Gone: The former NRL star received five votes before host Jonathan LaPaglia ejected him from the reality program

Gone: The former NRL star received five votes before host Jonathan LaPaglia ejected him from the reality program

 

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