He had a bad time. Maxime was eliminated from the red team after a trial-style council meeting. In the episode of “Koh-Lanta, the immunity hunters”, broadcast Tuesday on TF1, we saw the 43-year-old electrical engineer confide in Jean about his intention to join the yellows once reunification comes because he felt like he was excluded from the majority alliance. However, Jean was quick to relay this project to the rest of the team, sealing the fate of the quadra Rhone. “I knew then that my only options for staying were to find a necklace or win the immunity test. When I joined the council, I knew that I only had a 1% chance of staying,” Maxime confides to 20 minutes.
During the council, you were a little alone against everyone…
We must qualify. I moved forward with Julie and Léa. We had talked quite a bit together. It is obvious, when there is a witch hunt, to vote against this person. They had no interest in going my way or even voting, as I did, for David. Rather, they had to show that they were with the others so that my outing would help them move forward.
Jean called you “deceitful”. Did you find this justified?
In all transparency, the council did me a lot of harm, even if it’s a game. Jean, I lived with him for twenty days. We did a lot of things together, we built the cabin, we went to get wood, he learned from what I could give him. He told others that I was a good guy, an incredible adventurer. I understood that I had disappointed him in this part. I suggested that he join forces with the yellows to bring out the group of four [David, Ricky, Mégane et Cécile] which was unbreakable. Maybe he was very close to this group? Nothing made me think so. The words he used hurt me. But it remains in the game. The most painful thing is that I haven’t had the chance to reconnect with Jean since. That’s what hurts me.
He revealed that he had “preached the false in order to know the truth”…
Honestly, I think that’s wrong. More than once, he told me that he voted on merit, that he was disappointed with certain others. But it’s true that if he wants to stay in the adventure and show his credentials, that’s the best thing to say. Moreover, it was Denis Brogniart who first used the expression “preaching the false to know the true”, then Jean took up the term. It made a great pitch. I say hats off Denis! Everyone said “Well yes Maxime, we preached the false so that you could reveal your game and now we are taking you out”. It’s a hell of a trap.
David voted not against you but against Léa. Does this comfort you?
No, it’s strategy. Julie and Léa were my allies. Julie annoys a lot of people at the camp and Léa is not in the mood of sanctity with the boys who would like her to be more polite. There were votes against Léa in case I took out a necklace to immunize myself. The “split” of votes allows the majority group to protect its rear.
You have not had contact with Jean since the contact but have you reconnected with other members of the team?
We exchange, we discuss. I would really like to see David, take the time to speak with him the day I pass through his region. I talk quite a bit with Mégane, and with members of the yellow team. We operate by affinities. We have a group where we all chat together, I would be very curious to see them all again.
What is your best memory of the adventure?
I have plenty of them. I don’t think I missed out on my “Koh-Lanta”. I’m really happy to have made the raft, that it was a success, I think there will be a before and after in terms of design. I’m glad I got to face Sarah [dans la construction d’une tour lors de l’épreuve de confort de l’épisode précédent] and then hearing Denis say that no adventurer had gone so fast in this game. It was a source of pride. I’m also happy that I managed to make the fire after six days. This shows that we must persevere. This is a great example of patience.