Survivor’s Marty Piombo Talks Elimination, Why He Got Voted Off

Marty Piombo, 48, a technology executive from Mill Valley, California, found himself the latest outcast to be eliminated on the last episode of Survivor: Nicaragua.

In a new interview with PEOPLE, Marty discusses why he never teamed up with Jane, his thoughts on Brenda and Sash‘s decision to vote him out, and whether or not he regrets being so outspoken.

Excerpts from Marty’s interview below –

Jane often said you didn’t give her the time of day. True? And if so, why not?

She says I never tried to work with her, which is simply not true. I made an attempt in the beginning to get to know her, but it was clear we were not going to mesh. She came up to me within the first few minutes of the game and said, “My husband died, I really need the money so please don’t vote me off.” I have suffered more hardships and loss in my life than her and Chase combined, but I would never have used it like that to try to get leverage. That conversation really soured me on her. And I wanted to play the game with strong, honest, smart, good people. That’s why I got along with Jill so well. And even Danny because he tries his hardest despite physical limitations and I knew I could trust him.

What one move or event contributed most to your downfall?

The tribal switch 100 percent. Jill and I were chosen solely for the purpose of elimination. We were not chosen with swing votes in mind or for what we would add to the team. From that switch on, it was an uphill battle for me and I felt I did a pretty good job lasting as long as I did. I had a decent chance of convincing them to side with me last night and a good shot at final five.

Did you believe you had changed Sash and Brenda’s vote to flush the idol and get Jane out?

I packed my bags because it was a little less than 50-50 that my plan would work. I was asking them to switch up their whole team and plan with that vote, so it was a long shot, but stranger things have happened. You can tell what I was saying was getting to them. Like the way Sash’s head moved right after my torch was snuffed.

Did you ever think, Maybe I should shut up, step back and stop playing so hard?

This is who I am. I couldn’t have played the game any differently than I did because of that. I was never going to be the guy who floated under the radar, didn’t make bold moves or didn’t strategize. Everyone says I talked too much at tribal but that’s the only time when you can air everything out to everyone all at once. I tried to use it to my advantage. When I went off on Jane and tried to explain why she was such a huge threat to take to the end, I started to make people realize that.

Anything you regret?

Not working with Holly more. In the beginning, she did a lot of things that everyone saw that made me write her off because she seemed unstable and not long for the game, like siding with Wendy Jo or taking Danny’s shoes. But she pulled it together and proved to be a smarter player and an honest trustworthy person. I wish I’d spent more time working on building a relationship with her.

On tonight’s episode, airing at 8/7c on CBS, the 10 remaining castaways return to the Libertad camp only to discover that it is in ashes because of a fire. Was the camp fire a deliberate sabotage or careless error? Who will join Alina and Marty as the third member of the jury? Find out tonight.

TELL US – WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON MARTY’S INTERVIEW AND TONIGHT’S EPISODE OF SURVIVOR?

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