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Probst puts all the dry scepticism he can into his next statement. “Really?” Probst takes the cue to try to push Hayden into taking Kat’s spot at the Redemption Island duel. I accept that Probst has to do this as part of his job, but all Hayden needs to do to prove that his relationship with Kat is more important than the game is not break up with her. It's not like Kat said “Take my place or we’re through.” Hayden giving up his spot in the game would prove nothing except that he shouldn’t be playing Survivor.

After the break, it’s back-pedalling time for Hayden. Hayden asks Kat what she thinks, and she asks how he is placed. Hayden says he is in a good spot. Kat says she wants to switch, because she feels she can’t do well because “it’s a puzzle and I can’t spell”. But Hayden changes the subject to “what about us long-term?” and “who has the better shot to win the game?”, and Kat agrees that Hayden has a much better chance to win than she does because Hayden is so “genuine” and “honorable” and no one has ever said anything bad about him, ever. So Kat will play and Hayden will stay.

Poor Kat. It was obvious that is what had to happen game-wise. It would have been a terrible move for Hayden to switch places, as he would have to survive this challenge against two other strong competitors, and then win the pre-merge Redemption Island duel, while weakening his own alliance and having them decide they cannot trust him.

Let’s move onto the challenge. It’s exactly the same fire puzzle challenge that we saw last season, which was very similar to another puzzle we saw the season before that. In fact, I’d be surprised if they didn’t use exactly the same puzzle pieces, just painted in different colours. Way to cheap out, Mark Burnett Productions. The only difference is the competitors have to untie a machete and use it to chop a rope to release a bag with the puzzle pieces in it.

The challenge gets underway. John has his machete free first, followed by Kat, then Laura? Several returnees low-key cheer for Kat, probably because they just feel bad for her. At the puzzle stage, John takes a lead, and Laura? makes progress by copying John. Kat, who was last to get her pieces out of the bag, gets advice from the bench, who urge her to copy Laura?’s puzzle. Kat thinks that’s cheating, but even Probst is saying that “anything goes”. John finishes first, and shortly after Laura has three pieces to go, then two, then one, then done. Kat is gone.

Kat says goodbye to Hayden. “You’re not going to break up with me, are you?”. Well, not before the Reunion episode, at least. John gives the hidden immunity idol clue to Monica, who still doesn’t feel secure enough in her alliance to take it. “No disrespect, I am so flattered and honored... but I feel like it’s poison” she says. “It’s a gift, do whatever you want with it,” says John. “Well, thank you for the kind gesture”. Even when it’s insincere, I love Monica’s knee-jerk Southern politeness.

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