Kelowna, B.C.’s Dane Rupert was the big winner on Big Brother Canada’s season seven finale night on Thursday (May 9). The hockey jock turned civil engineer went won the show’s final HOH competition and chose to take alliance member Anthony Douglas (of Richmond Hill, ON) to the final two instead of Kyra Shenker (of Montreal, QC).
We had a chance to speak with all three finalists, in this wrap up with Anthony, we chat about if he had any doubts that alliance member Dane would take him to the final two, which moment from the game he’s looking forward to watching, and what he thinks was his biggest move.
Had you won that final HOH, who would you have taken to the end? Kyra or Dane?
I definitely would have taken the Great Dane! We had a final two deal from the beginning and I would have stuck with it!
When Dane won the final HOH, did you have any doubt he’d go back on his word with you and take Kyra to the final two?
I did, just because he did show me some disloyalty throughout the season. But at the end of the day, we looked at each other and he knows that I saved him in this game. I worked very hard to keep him in the game all season. I thought he would repay me, but those thoughts are still always in the back of your mind. It’s Big Brother!
He came through!
Yes, he came through. It was very respectful.
Which competition was the hardest or most difficult to compete in?
[Laughs] Okay, so we’ll put the mental comps in its own category… Besides those, I would say Pipe Dream. I’m almost 300 pounds and to hang upside down on a slippery surface is not easy for me. I definitely really struggled with that. There were several comps that were difficult, but that one will probably haunt me for a bit!
What was the hardest eviction vote to cast?
Definitely the eviction for Adam. He was one of the most kind and genuine people that I have ever met. He is my brother for life. There is just no beating him. When you think about who you want in the final three, if there’s no beating Adam and he’s not going to take me [to final two], then I can’t just keep him because I want him to win the game and take me out! At the end of the day, I had to make that decision for myself and that was to evict Adam. Even by watching a little clip of that moment brought me back… It brought tears to my eyes. It was one of the most difficult things that I had to do.
Speaking of those clips that you saw on finale night, is there a specific moment you’re looking forward to watching in full?
I would really like to see Adam and Dane’s faces when Kyra decided to put them on the block instead of me and Mark. I know how hard they pushed and they were following Kyra all around the house — being all sweet and kind, thinking they could outsmart me.
Speaking of kindness… Most men on reality TV are very tough, but you guys were very emotional. From when you moms came in or even when you were blowing up and fighting. You guys hugged it out and cried. What’s it like showing off a gentler side?
I’m a cancer. I’m emotional as it is! I grew up in a single parent household with my mother, who is also very emotional. I’m not afraid to cry or say how I feel. I’m not afraid to love. I love Adam. I love Dane. If you ever saw tears, those were real tears. I’m a human being and I love those guys. It was very difficult voting some of them out. I’m definitely going to watch back and it’s going to bring tears to my eyes again.
What was your best move in the game?
I had several! But I think that my biggest move was getting Cory to take her mind off of Mark within two days when she won HOH. I knew I had to work fast and be everything had to be smart and calculated. I had already been planting seeds about Sam. Sam and Kyra had basically blown up their own game and I just made sure to colour it in with Cory. I made a final deal with Cory and Mark and then made a final three with Dane. I knew Dane was going to win Broken Record and who he was probably going up against in the POV, so I had to try to go with my gut: rely on Dane to bring in that final three. Getting them out was probably my favourite, if not biggest move.
For The TV Watercooler’s full coverage of Big Brother Canada Season 7, click here.
