Shaynna Blaze: Restoring Hope – Who Magazine, June 5, 2023

The Block judge lends her project management skills to a film that gives voice to domestic violence survivors

Alexa Curtis, Tarek El Moussa, Foxtel June 2022

While Voice Kids Australia winner Alexa Curtis opens up about her lead role on Aussie Nickelodeon series Rock Island Mysteries, real estate expert Tarek El Moussa offers a window into his own home life on the eve of the second season of Flipping 101.

Deborah Hutton: Living for the Moment, Foxtel April 2022

After more than 40 years in front of the camera, Deborah Hutton reveals how new series Find Your Dream home inspired her own piece of paradise.

Contributing to Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now, March 2022

It’s not often you get invited to be a part of such a monumental project. Thank you, @originalspin @wongfuphil and @angryasianman for letting me write about Asian American representation on reality TV (shout out to @daniellueofficial and @williamhungofficial) and the Dance Crew Revolution. Order at @riseaabook! Rise will be out March 1 from @harpercollins. In Australia, you can buy it at Dymocks, Booktopia, and other outlets. Thank you also to artists @taktoyoshima and @jef.with.one.f for making the pieces come alive! #risereveal #riseaabook#asianamerican

Game of Thrones 10th anniversary review, Black Narcissus, Top Chef Portland and more in Foxtel Magazine's April 2021 issue

Having written so much about Game of Thrones, I enjoyed putting together a guide for the uninitiated to mark its 10th anniversary. In the April 2021 issue of Foxtel, I also review the mini-series version of Black Narcissus, capture the best Top Chef quotes, speak to Undercover Billionaire star Elaine Culotti, and compare Sanditon with Belgravia.

How a Survivor is surviving his bout with the coronavirus

After three months, two-time player Phillip “The Specialist” Sheppard bests COVID-19 and talks about experience

At home in Santa Monica, Phillip Sheppard celebrates his 62nd birthday with a special gift. Photo courtesy of Phillip Sheppard.

During two memorable turns on Survivor — 2011’s Redemption Island, where he finished second to “Boston” Rob Mariano, and 2013’s Caramoan — former federal agent Phillip Sheppard formed his “Stealth R Us” alliance to maneuver through the game.

Taking a page out of his own book, Sheppard is now calling upon his inner drive and “Health R Us,” a team of doctors, family and friends, to help him battle back from the debilitating effects of the coronavirus. “I think many people think it's like the flu, or they won't get it,” Sheppard says from his home in Santa Monica, California.  “The truth is it's nothing like the flu. At 62 years old, it was very scary for me as African Americans are most likely to die or be hospitalized from COVID-19.”

Sheppard traces his ordeal back to the week of February 20, when he met with a friend who had returned from a 10-day trip to France and Italy. Two days later, having fallen ill, he walked to the ER, which was less than four blocks from his house. After three hours to get all the necessary bloodwork done and samples taken, he was sent home thinking he had a urinary infection but not COVID-19, despite having many symptoms.

Taking no chances, Sheppard self-quarantined, but he became sicker and sicker. For a guy who was used to sleeping like an angel, he felt fits of pain in his heart if he rolled to the left or the right, or if he attempted to sleep on his back. He also sweated so much that his bed would be soaked. Yet things weren’t much better in the morning. “I noticed that my lungs would not allow me to take a deeper breath, and while I could hold my breath, I could not do it for very long,” he explains. “My heart bothered me, my lungs felt tight, and fatigue set in during the shortest of activities.”

Phillip at a more optimal level of health in his Instagram profile picture. Photo courtesy of Phillip Sheppard.

The virus, Sheppard surmises, seems to work like how a person appears to speed up at the end of solving a Rubik’s Cube — it finds a body’s weak spots and then converges on those points all at once. So in addition to a fever of more than 100 degrees, a sore throat, and a dry cough, his existing joint problems were exacerbated, too. But worst of all, “it impacted my heart, causing the arteries to swell, and leakage and pain for several days,” Sheppard says. “It hurt my lungs to breathe and it caused bronchial and urinary tract infections over a 22-day-period.”

Worried he may in fact have COVID-19, Sheppard wrote to his doctor, who said the protocol in place in March did not allow him to be tested. However, Sheppard was prescribed 500 milligrams of azithromycin for three days. “That lasted in my system for 10 days,” he says, “and it helped with my bronchial infection and cleared my left lung.” By April 3, he got more clarity when he returned to the hospital. “They did an X-ray and realized that my arteries were an issue and my heart appeared larger as they have records from my Survivor days and they compared images,” Sheppard says. 

A pulmonary doctor told him he had cardiomyopathy and a lung infection caused by either inflammation or disease. The doctor would need to see him again in a month, but in the meantime, he was to take prescribed antibiotics and pain meds.

“Saturday Vibe #Home 😎” Sheppard posted on April 5, 2020 to Instagram.

Back home, Sheppard read a great deal about COVID-19 and how it affected African Americans, poring over studies in the New England Journal of Medicine and many other publications. He opted to boost his daily diet with 29 different types of foods and decided to move more regardless of the pain, tips he took from The Coronavirus Prevention Handbook. “The Survivor in me said, ‘Move or die trying, eat right, stay positive, meditate,” he says. “It worked, but it was extremely difficult.”  

He consulted with a personal alliance for encouragement. “My sisters Theresa and Patricia spoke to me about meditation and staying positive,” he says, “and reminding me I survived on Survivor as I was on EKGs both times I played and hung in there! I had so many complications with this, I was not sure, but they comforted me, as did a few other people.” They included his son Marcus, who shopped and did chores for his dad while he spent a lot of time in bed, and Diane Hardy, the official whom Jeff Probst brought on the Redemption Island live reunion show to confirm that Sheppard was a former federal agent. “She called me and offered kind words as we have known each other since the ‘80s,” he says. 

Phillip’s son Marcus (in January 2020) helped his dad with shopping and chores while he recovered from the coronavirus. Photo via Instagram.

A month later, on May 5, Sheppard returned to the hospital. “The X-ray showed what I felt, that it was much, much better,” he says. “It was easier to breathe and I felt no pain from my heart, but still some discomfort in my lung.” The staff also drew his blood for an antibody test.

Doctors got in touch with Sheppard on May 12 to let him know the blood test had come back positive — he had indeed had COVID-19. Although they do not know if he could become sick again with the virus, they advised him to continue with his safety and health precautions. Among those precautions? For his heart health, he eats a diet low in salt and keeps his blood pressure under control. Overall, he exercises in moderation, meditates, speaks with friends and family, wears a mask when around other people and practices social distancing. “We have to own this moment. It’s what future generations will talk about, what we did,” Sheppard says.

To that end, he has also bought lunch for his doctor's office, given the homeless masks and money to certain individuals when he can afford it, wiped down doorknobs and all metal objects in his complex, and, at home, has enjoyed cleaning up with his son. 

Phillip in action as “The Specialist” in a Survivor: Caramoan reward challenge in 2013. Photo by Greg Gayne/CBS.

Also, “I would encourage Americans to follow the guidelines of medical professionals,” Sheppard says, and adds he is grateful to his doctors at UCLA Medical Center.

“My recovery went incredibly well thus far, and my doctors have said it's a good idea to let people know you can make a full recovery,” Sheppard says. “I do feel much better, and after seeing the images of people not taking precautions seriously, I thought I should share my story.”

Since being on Survivor, Sheppard has enjoyed writing novels including The Legend of Things Past, which has a plot involving a mysterious illness. Now he is grateful to have survived his biggest challenge yet. “'The Specialist’ within me could do it,” he says, “but I also spoke to the creative force in the universe and related I am not ready to go, that I had things to do. I pray that I have compassion and understanding and am grateful for what I have, in love from the Mother Earth and people everywhere.”

 To read more about Phillip Sheppard’s time on Survivor, look out for 40 Seasons of Survivor: The Official Collector’s Edition, out this summer.

Jeff Probst offers insight into Survivor Winners at War for TV Week, March 9, 2020

It’s been 14 years since I last went on location to cover Survivor, but it was worth all the water landings and achy knees to stand with Jeff Probst on a sandbar for the opening to Winners at War. Writer Thomas Mitchell highlights the key points of my interview in the March 9 issue of TV Week.

Australian Survivor Luke Toki remains the king of the jungle

Two-time Australian Survivor contestant Luke Toki ended up winning the hearts of Australian fans, and landed a surprising media gig in the process. Luke and his family and friends spoke to me for a profile in Who Magazine’s March 30, 2020 issue.

Julia Zemiro's Home Delivery, Mr Inbetween and more, TV WEEK Oct 5-11, 2019First

We start with my chats with Julia Zemiro on her latest season of Home Delivery and Alexander England on Secret Bridesmaids’ Business. Then I spoke with Lindsay Lohan and Dave Hughes for The Masked Singer Australia. Then Nash Edgerton for Mr Inbetween, and Callan McAuliffe for The Walking Dead. I know, it’s not the final TWD season —they announced a new one the week this came out! Then Harlots.

The Goldfinch, Nekrotronic, Glitch and US Survivor, TV WEEK Sep 21-27, 2019

I had fabulous chats with Ben O’Toole and Kiah Roache-Turner for Nekrotronic. For more with Ben, click here, and for more with Kiah on his casting Monica Belucci, click here. I also previewed The Goldfinch and this week’s episode of Glitch, and tease the arrival of Survivor: Island of the Idols. To read my interview with Sarah Snook for Succession, see her separate entry.

Gold Logie nominee interviews, Todd Sampson, TV WEEK June 29-July 5, 2019

The cover touts our Gold Logie nominee chats, of which I did three (see the Telling Stories section for those interviews with Tom Gleeson, Waleed Aly and Costa Georgiadis). Also, I was able to fit in more from my interview with Todd Sampson for the second episode of the 2019 season of Body Hack.

DWTS' Samuel Johnson, TV WEEK Feb 23-March 1, 2019

The first thing Samuel Johnson says when our call connects is, “Cynthia! Long time no speak!” He does so in a cheery, friendly voice, albeit a bit out of breath because he’s just been practicing for his Dancing With the Stars debut. Good luck to Sam, who works hard as an actor and a cancer awareness advocate.

My Kitchen Rules Season 10, TV WEEK Jan 12-18, 2019

Oh, why not—one more MKR story for the road!

Loved Up Commando, TV WEEK Sept 1-7, 2018

Reality is never far away. It’s nice when it’s Australian Survivor, though!

Back Chat Items in WHO, Aug 6 and Aug 13. 2018

My last sets of Back Chats! Check out my interviews with Rachael Blake, Todd McKenney, Steve Kilbey and Craig Reucassel, not to mention a shout-out to Vaaaanjie.

Items in WHO July 2 and 9, 2018: Glen Powell, reality stars, 'Nailed It' review

I had the pleasure of speaking with the very funny and yet simultaneously earnest Glen Powell, co-star with Zoey Deutch in the Netlix rom-com Set It Up. I also enjoyed writing a wacky paragraph on Bachelor Nick Cummins, because sometimes, it's just the little things. WhoNews dealt with reality stars Sam and Tara as well as Sophie, and the we end on a review of one of my favourite shows, Nailed It (look out for my chat with host Nicole Byer soon!)

Item in WHO June 4, 2018: Trent on 'The Voice', Annabel Crabb

Sam Perry isn't the only one with a sweet romance tale on The Voice. Meet Trent! Also, a fun chat with Back in Time for Dinner host Annabel Crabb.

Items from WHO May 28, 2018: Nigella Lawson, Eurovision, Lesley Manville, The Voice

It's Nigella Week on season 10 of MasterChef, and I was able to feature her as the Back Chat opener and in an online story (about how to poach the perfect egg). Mixing up, there is a quick interview with actress Lesley Manville on working with Daniel Day-Lewis in Phantom Thread, a look back at the now-concluded-but-already-missed Eurovision, and a personal take on top Voice contestant Sam Perry, a loop artist. 

Items from WHO April 23 and 30, 2018: Kym Johnson, Hana Mae Lee and more

It's been years since I covered Dancing with the Stars in the US, but Australian pro Kym Johnson, now Kym Johnson Herjavec, is still a great interview. We congratulate her on her babies-to-come (and sure enough, twins Hudson Robert and Haven Mae arrived healthy and well), and speak about My Kitchen Rules controversies, in the April 23 issue. I've combined two smaller items—the chats with Ryan Serhant in this issue and Hana Mae Lee in the next, into one image. 

Back Chat Q&A with Jackie Gillies, WHO April 16, 2018

One of the featured players on The Real Housewives of Melbourne, Jackie Gillies came off a rather good showing on I'm a Celebrity . . . Get Me Out of Here and gained a new set of fans. Here we talk about her next endeavour—taking her motivational talks on the road. For more about Jackie, I spoke to her after her Celebrity exit and in an online companion piece to this one.