Mulleted star: Kambalda cult figure John Eastoe reflects on Survivor: All Stars series

Plumped up after a few too many Mexican chicken parmies, John Eastoe is back on TV screens for another season of Survivor.

The Kambalda underground miner was dubbed “the ultimate Aussie larrikin” who “looks like he’s fresh off the set of a VB commercial” by the show in last year’s season.

Producers were clearly impressed by his curly mullet and bushy moustache, as John said he was asked to return for Survivor: All Stars just six weeks after being back in the red dirt.

“I just sort of got back and then before I even knew it, I was hitting my foreman up for time off work,” he said.

“He just shook his head — but he generally isn’t very happy with me anyway.”

Eastoe earned a “sex symbol” status last season after he showcased his good bloke persona and his butt in a nude run on national TV. He said he was not sure if the same response would be seen this season.

“I’ve come in about six kilos heavier around the gut, so I don’t know if I am quite the heartthrob I was last time,” he said.

But the mulleted miner said the Mexican parmis were off the menu now, after the Kambalda Hotel closed its doors.

“Look, the Judd’s ones are good, but the Kambalda ones were the OG (original),” he said.

“Sixty kilometres is a bit further than across the road to go and get a parmi, so I’ve cut down on them a bit.”

Eastoe told the Kalgoorlie Miner last year he was “taking the p...” when he applied for the show in 2019 and had only watched a few episodes.

He said he did not have much of a chance to watch the first season before being shipped back off to a desert island.

“I didn’t really take much out of the first season because I had no idea what was going on,” he said.

“The next thing I know, I have gone on to the next level up with all the All Stars, who just bamboozled me the whole time I was there.

“I was no less confused the second time around as I was the first.”

The Goldfielder said it was nice to be back home in Kambalda but had copped heat at work, which he was not around to experience last time.

“I made an absolute goose of myself by freaking out under water (on Wednesday), so to go into work (the next morning) and face everyone was a bit of a pain in the a...,” he said.

“But I am always getting a rev-up, whether I am on the telly or not because I leave myself well and truly open to it. Can’t take yourself too seriously — can’t take life too seriously, you won’t get out alive.”

The next episode airs on Monday.