“I was thrilled,” says Phil of his half marathon win. “I trained so hard, really from the time I got there I eyed off the 21km as my target to win.”

The now legendary Biggest Loser runner even adds he enjoyed running 21km in “such a beautiful place too, the Royal National Park.”

Of course Phil winning the 21km race is only half the story. He could be forgiven for thinking something pleasant would mark such a win but this Biggest Loser contestant was in for another kind of surprise.

“After I won, we were lined up and Hayley said to us that I’d won and I thought I was in for some sort of prize,” recalls Phil. “I thought I might be going on a holiday after the show and all of a sudden she was saying it was a confronting challenge and I had to select someone. I got a minute to do it and I looked at the seven remaining contestants and straight away I thought of Joe.”

“All of a sudden the ole Commando rocked up in an old army truck over this bridge, it looked like The Bridge on the River Kwai,” says Phil in amazement. “Then he yells out - Sylvester Stallone, eat your heart out – pulls the brake up and gets out, ‘Surprise, surprise.” He just whizzed us away - we got in his army truck and the next thing you know, we’re up in the territory for five weeks.”

By the sounds of it, Phil is still coming to grips with how the game has changed for him – and Joe, as they tackle training with the Commando in the Northern Territory. “It really is a shock,” says Phil. “They did this last year but we just didn’t think they’d do it again. They did it differently last year, it was at an elimination where someone had to pick someone and none of the other contestants knew. This time the Commando rocked up, they knew we were going with him, they didn’t know where we’ve gone, and I had to choose someone as well.”

The fact that Phil chose Joe - his best friend in the house - for a challenge which will end with the two weighing in against each other for a final four spot is not something he’s taking lightly. “I’ve changed Joey’s path here and I’m just hoping it ends up good for him as well because it’s a decision I made,” states Phil.