“Seemed threatened by me”— Survivor 47 star Anika Dhar breaks silence on Sam's betrayal

Survivor 47 episode 5 premiered on October 16 on CBS. Anika Dhar was one of the contestants stranded on the Mamanuca Islands, competing for the prize money. She was on team Gata, which was at the bottom in episode 5, and was sent to the Tribal Council for elimination.

The team of five had to choose one person to eliminate whom they thought was the weakest. Anika felt safe believing that most of her teammates were on her side. However, when Survivor 47 host Jeff Probst revealed that she was the one going home, she was shocked and turned to her teammates, awaiting a explanation.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly on October 17, Anika broke her silence after her elimination and shared what was going through her mind when her name was called for elimination.

She detailed the betrayal she felt from her teammates, especially Sam Phalen, whom she believed was threatened by her. She said:

"It seems that as closer he [Sam] got to me, and the more he got to know my intelligence and who I am as a person, the more he seemed threatened by me."

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Survivor 47 star Anika Dhar reacts to Sam's betrayal

Survivor 47 star Anika Dhar was shocked when host Jeff Probst announced at the end of Survivor season 47 episode 5 that her team voted her out. She looked at her Gata teammates in disbelief and questioned her trusting them.

Anika's ally, Rachel LaMont, denied knowing about their teammates turning on her when the 26-year-old marketing manager asked. Sam raised his hand when the eliminated Survivor 47 contestant inquired who was behind it.

Following Sam's admission, Andy awkwardly took the blame and revealed that there were three of them involved, including Sierra Wright.

In her interview with Entertainment Weekly, Anika shared her thoughts on Sam's betrayal and expressed that she was most mad at him after her elimination.

She cried while walking out of the Tribal Council, revealing it might be because she saw Sam smiling at her departure.

Reacting to that incident, Anika said Sam's betrayal hurt her the most because she had a brother-sister relationship with the Survivor 47 contestant. Elaborating on her relationship with Sam, she said:

"You see us running every single challenge together. You see us finding the idol together. Anytime we're having any discussions, whether it's him rapping and I'm right next to him, supporting him, or whether it's me asking him about the fruit. Even the rope cutting situation, it really felt brother and sister out there and I got to know him so well."

Anika further added that whenever they argued about any matter on the show or if Sam yelled at her during a challenge, they would "level set" and revert to their usual friendly dynamic.

The more she got to know him and the closer they grew, their connection grew. She was able to trust him more and saw him as someone she wanted to collaborate with in the game. The 26-year-old marketing manager appreciated his intelligence and viewed him as a valuable partner.

However, on the flip side, she believed that the closer Sam got to her, and the more he got to know her intelligence and who she was as a person, the more he seemed threatened by her. She added:

"I did not know that. I didn't feel that out there. So that's why I think when he was so happy to shoot up that, “Hey, I'm working against you” — that's the one that stung the most. And then obviously watching it back now, it stings with Sierra because we had that girl alliance."

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Survivor 47 episodes air every Wednesday on CBS.