Rush: meet the cast

Nine’s new adventure travel series, Rush, premieres on Sunday.

The competition takes place in nine different countries, as three teams are dropped -blindfolded and with headphones- in the middle of chaotic cultural festivals.

A smart watch ping gives them directions to host David Genat, who will give them their mission to the Escape Zone.

The last team to arrive at the Escape Zone will need to eliminate one of their team.

The series prize is $100,000 plus two first-class around-the-world tickets.

Format:

The Drop
At each Drop Zone, contestants will be delivered into some of the world’s most chaotic and exciting festivals or locations with noise-cancelling headphones and blackout goggles. They’ll remove their headgear and feel the “Rush” of the environment around them, where they will need to gather themselves and start the race.

Watches
As they emerge from the initial shock of their locations, each team will receive a ping on their watches from host David with a cryptic clue to find where he is.

Host Brief
Each team will race from the Drop Zone to find David. On arrival, David will give them information about the country they’re in, and pass over a dossier containing everything they need to know to find the Escape Zone. All they have is their clothes and some local currency. The last team to arrive at the Escape Zone will have to send one of their team members home.

Missions
Teams must complete missions before finding their way to the Escape Zone. They will have to immerse themselves in the local cultures to successfully complete the missions.

Check-Ins
The teams will need to find their way each night to specified accommodation in their dossier. Once they check in, they will receive a ping on their watch to state which order their team has arrived in, and based on their times they’ll be advised what order and time they can leave the next morning. The first team to check in will be the first team to check out the next morning and continue on the race.

Escape Zone
Teams will race to get to the Escape Zone first, where they will meet David. The last team there has to eliminate someone. They will be given a couple of minutes to discuss this before choosing a team member to vote off. The one with the most votes will leave the competition. If the vote is a tie, team members will have to leave it to chance in a game of “Rush Roulette”.

Locations

Brazil
Drop Zone – Carnivale, Rio de Janeiro
Host Location – Christ The Redeemer
Mission – Rocinha Favela, Rio
Escape Zone – Paca Beach, Mamangua

Turkey
Drop Zone – Suleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul
Host Location – Basilica Cistern
Mission – Bursa
Escape Zone – Trojan Horse Statue, Canakkale

Jordan
Drop Zone – Wadi Rum Desert
Host Location – Pyramid Rock, Wadi Rum
Mission – High Place of Sacrifice, Petra
Escape Zone – The Monastery, Petra

India
Drop Zone – Holi Festival, Pushkar
Host Location – Palace of the Winds, Jaipur
Mission 1 – Samode Palace, Samode
Mission 2 – Karni Mata Temple, Deshnoke
Escape Zone – Gajner Palace, Bikaner

Thailand
Drop Zone – Khao San Road, Bangkok
Host Location – Vertigo Rooftop, Banyan Tree, Bangkok
Mission – Khamin Cave, Tai Rom Yen National Park, Surat Thani
Escape Zone – Koh Kai (Chicken Island)

Ireland
Drop Zone – St Patrick’s Day Parade, Dublin
Host Location – Molly Malone Statue, Dublin
Mission – Blarney Stone, Blarney Castle, Blarney
Escape Zone – Cliffs of Moher, County Clare

France
Drop Zone – Tomorrowland Festival, Alpe D’Huez
Host Location – Patinoire, Alpe D’Huez (Ice Rink)
Mission 1 – Lyon
Mission 2 – Château De Maintenon, Maintenon
Escape Zone – Pont de Bir-Hakeim, Paris

Kenya
Drop Zone – Maasai Village (Nassaroni Village)
Host Location – Acacia Tree, Kimana Sanctuary
Mission 1 – Kimana/Nassaroni Village
Mission 2 – Suntai’s Maasai Villages
Escape Zone – Amboseli Airstrip, Amboseli National Park

South Africa
Drop Zone – Bloukrans Bridge Bungy, Western Cape
Host Location – Redberry Farm (Hedge Maze), Blanco, George
Mission 1 – Skydive Cape Town, Cape Farms
Mission 2 – Platteklip Gorge Hike, Table Mountain
Escape Zone – AGA Black River Helistop, Cape Town

Cast:

Host: David Genat
One of the world’s top male models, David Genat has become a familiar face on TV from his appearances on Australian Survivor and Celebrity Apprentice. Following a $50 bet back in 2002, David saw an ad for a modelling TV series and won. He went on to become a successful international model and has appeared in magazines like Vogue and Vanity Fair, shot by some of the world’s biggest photographers. He has also been the face of luxury brands including Hugo Boss, Ralph Lauren and Mont Blanc. As a fan of Australian Survivor, David was convinced by a friend to take part in the show. After appearing on the Champions v Contenders series in 2019 where he quickly became a fan favourite, David returned for Australian Survivor: All Stars, taking home the $500,000 winning prize and becoming the self-proclaimed “Golden God”, which fans of the show still call him. He has gone down as one of the greatest and most popular players in Survivor history. In 2020, David appeared as a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice to raise money for the Garvan Institute, a charity close to his heart. He is also a successful actor and recently appeared in the 2022 AACTA nominated film, Pieces. Outside of his successful career, David loves adventure. He is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, an ambassador for Harley-Davidson, and splits his time between New York and Australia.

Team Navy

Tylen
21 Qld
As the youngest traveller, Tylen hasn’t seen a lot of the world, but thinks his country boy charm will take him to the end, saying: “I’m here to prove that the old country boy goes alright! I’m ready to hook in!” Born into a cattle farming family, Tylen works with his Dad in the family beef business and spends his days mustering on horseback and doing long hours on the land. He says: “I try and get up around 4am, have brekky with Dad, and get moving, sometimes not getting home till late in the night. Working on the land is so diverse. You go out with Plan A when you’re mustering and come back with Plan Z because everything has changed. You have to roll with it.” Tylen isn’t fazed by the competitive nature of the show because he is used to succeeding under pressure, having represented Queensland in footy, playing in Rockhampton and the Sunshine Coast for the Falcons. He’s looking forward to the excitement of visiting so many incredible locations, and if he wins he wants to spend the money on more land and a house.

Tommy
46, Vic.
Ex-rock star and now yoga teacher and greatness coach, Tommy has seen a lot of the world and wants to use his travel experience to help him get his team to the Escape Zones first. Being a greatness coach is a calling for Tommy, who says: “A lot of people ask me what a greatness coach is. Basically I believe everyone has an incredible amount of magic within them which they haven’t put to use yet. So my job is to literally do some digging and pull that magic out in people.” Not one to follow the status quo, Tommy worked a corporate job before leaving it behind to become a musician, living in the US for six years before turning his life into one that gives something back. Naturally inquisitive, he hopes his intuition for people and situations will help with whatever Rush throws at him.

Sofia
26, ACT.
Sofia is a content creator and a nomad with no permanent address, calling Australia her backyard while travelling around the country and living in her campervan for the last 10 months. While she shocked friends and family by leaving her corporate job and selling her house to live this lifestyle, Sofia does not regret it at all. She says: “I started my career in real estate at 18 and climbed the ladder, winning awards and loving it. I bought a house really young and was having a successful career. I hit 25 and realised it wasn’t what I wanted, so I took a leap of faith and decided to travel around Australia.” Sofia says being a content creator is the reason she gets up every day and loves sharing her adventures with the people who follow her. With over 600,000 followers on TikTok, she calls them her besties and loves the connections she makes with them.

Madeline
33 NSW
A fitter/welder from Western Sydney, Madeline is a mother of three who loves an adventure and healthy competition. Believing that honesty is the best policy, Madeline works in a male-dominated industry and uses it as a tool to teach her children to look outside the square when it comes to careers and prove that gender doesn’t define their role. Spontaneous and not one to be told what to do, she says the best way to get her to do something is to tell her she can’t and she’ll prove you wrong. Madeline says: “I think we’re on this planet for such a short amount of time so why would you waste a minute of it not adventuring or seeing as much as you can see? If not now, when?” She grew up on a dairy farm in New Zealand and has seen a lot of the world, living in America before settling in Australia. Leaving her family behind for this adventure is the toughest part for her, and while her dream would be to take them with her, Madeline knows it’ll make her a better mum, inspiring themby pushing herself to do hard things.

Team Scarlet

Adam
22, NSW
Outgoing, loyal and competitive, Adam from Sydney’s western suburbs loves to rip it up on the dance floor and make music with his mates. Growing up he didn’t get many chances to travel the world, so having this opportunity is something Adam couldn’t turn down. He says: “I love meeting new people, I love seeing new things. Those things don’t leave you. You always remember it, but to go somewhere new in the world, that would be a lifetime thing for me. I’ve only been to Bali.” While a dream holiday for Adam sounds more like cocktails in Greece, he’s excited by the adventure of the unknown and putting himself out of his comfort zone. But he admits that camping and roughing it is not his idea of a good time. He says: “I need a shower, my bed, I need to feel comfy and I’m not that guy who likes fending for myself. I’ll stay in a hotel by myself or a cabin when my mates pitch a tent camping. Have fun boys, have fun!”

Hamish
29, SA
A Christmas tree farmer, Hamish spends his time mountain biking, surfing, snowboarding and looking for adventure, saying: “I like to push myself out of the comfort zone and am a thrillseeker, but I’m also a bit of a nerd. I love to study and read, go to museums. I’ve been a tour guide in a few different places and love to talk to people, learn about cultures and history.” As well as running the Christmas tree business with his family, Hamish has a Masters in Business Administration and has worked in countries like Panama, Columbia, Canada and the Amazon. Travelling is a huge passion for him and he loves to immerse himself in different cultures and environments. He says seeing so much of the world has evoked a passion for sustainability which he hopes he can make a career out of by doing something that makes a difference. Competitive and a natural leader, Hamish tries not to let stress get to him, but knows how far this adventure could push him and is excited by the unknown.

Najmah
26, Vic.
Not one to be bored, Najmah likes to try new things. She takes up a new hobby on a weekly basis and has learnt everything from jiu-jitsu to painting and kayaking. Born in Kenya, raised in New Zealand and living in Australia since she was 12, Najmah says moving around as a kid helped her adapt to different environments and hopes these skills will get her team to the end. Najmah, the youngest of five, says she gets underestimated a lot, but it’s a mistake that people discover quickly when they get to know. “I’m pretty ambitious when it comes to getting things done and I’m competitive,” she says. “I work as a psychiatric nurse, I’m used to dealing with sensitive situations and people, so I think that will work well for me out here.” She also reckons she is good at persuading people to come around to her plans.

Fiona
57, WA.
A bookkeeper from Perth, Fiona knows how to run a tight ship, especially when it comes to travelling. This mother of two boys loves to see the world, but admits the organiser in her might be thrown when she’s dropped into unknown territory. Not one to shy away from confrontation, Fiona says loyalty is very important to her, so finding the right teammates who will be up for the adventure will be key in her getting to the end. Though she has travelled around the world, she wouldn’t want her teammates to know there are a few things that will scare her. “I wouldn’t want people to know that I can be a bit of a scaredy cat, like I don’t want to jump off a big cliff or out of a plane.” Fiona is coming into this adventure to prove to herself that she can compete with the young kids and have a good time.

Team Gold

CK
28, VIC.
CK is a strategy manager from Melbourne who has worked hard straight out of university to achieve his work goals. Now he says: “I look at my friends who have gone travelling and think that would’ve been nice, but I think this might be my opportunity to come back around and do everything.” Hoping to use his strategy skills to help him get his team through all the missions, CK is competitive, driven and determined. Although he learnt Mandarin and French in school, he’s not sure his memory of languages will serve him well in this instance. Describing himself as very direct, CK says: “I guess I could be a little savage when I need to drop hard truths and get it done, but I don’t enjoy it. I like to be diplomatic when I can. But you won’t believe how competitive I am, and it’s more the sense of proving people wrong rather than winning. I like to break stereotypes that people might have when they first meet me.”

Priscilla
38 Qld
As CEO of a disability organisation, Priscilla admits to being a hustler and says people often tell her she reminds them of Sofia Vergara from the TV show Modern Family, who isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. While she thrives under pressure she says her confidence wasn’t always there, but is proud of how far she has come and now says: “I’m a confident person at work and can be very loud, but the people that I love and who love me get to see the weaker vulnerable side of me.” Priscilla loves to travel and says she hopes to bring happiness to this adventure. She’ll be leaving her family behind and playing for them, and if she wins she wants to use the prizemoney to buy a house.

Lola
25, Qld
From her first flight when she was three weeks old, Lola has grown up with the travel bug. The daughter of surfers, snowboarders, mountain bikers and kite surfers, her life is surrounded by adventure. She was even home-schooled for two years as the family travelled on a boat in the Pacific. Influenced by her parents and the way they lived their life, it has given Lola the strength to not worry about what others think of her and value her friends and family above all else. Lola runs a daycare centre, where she looks after kids from six months to nine, and she doesn’t like to be underestimated, saying: “I’ve got my head on my shoulders and I’m not dumb. You can underestimate me, that’s fine, but I’ll prove you wrong.” She says travelling is her favourite thing in the world and she doesn’t stress the small stuff, so is feeling confident heading into this adventure.

Saxon
32 Qld.
A creative director for an advertising agency on the Sunshine Coast, Saxon is a laidback guy who likes to go with the flow. A student of psychology, he fell into marketing at a surf company and says he has the dream job: “Getting beautiful people in beautiful places and shooting them doing beautiful things. I pinch myself every day, I’m the luckiest dude on Earth.” Saying there are two Saxons – work Saxon and surfer Saxon – he says he’s not super-competitive but likes the dynamics of playing games and reading people to work out what they want. He finds a strong work-life balance, and when he’s not working he loves surfing and making his own music. Hoping his relaxed demeanour will help him in the adventure, he says: “My go with the flow vibe works well when travelling and dealing with logistical stitch-ups and quick changes, but it can also distract me. I’ve never had an itinerary in my life, so being thrown into these situations hopefully won’t faze me too much.”

Episode One:

Deprived of all sight and sound, three teams of four complete strangers are dropped into the heart of the world’s biggest festival – Rio Carnival, Brazil. Once their headphones and blindfolds are removed, they need to navigate their way through millions of party goers to find host, David Genat (“DG”), who is waiting for them by the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue. After finding DG they are handed a dossier containing mission instructions and the location of the Escape Zone.

The teams’ mission takes place in Brazil’s largest and arguably the most dangerous shanty town – Rocinha Favela where they must organise a soccer game against the locals and score a goal. The teams must then make their way to the seaside town of Paraty where a treacherous hike through the Brazilian jungle will lead them to the Escape Zone and DG. The last team to arrive must vote out one of their team members before moving on to the next country…and their next challenge.

Rush is a 9Network and Endemol Shine Australia original series, produced by Endemol Shine Australia.

7pm Sunday, 7:30pm Monday, Tuesday on Nine.