Sands and Showdown: Unchartered Territory in the "Stars Under the Palms" Finale
- Underdog Wins Grand Finale
Ahoy, there! Gather 'round and let's talk about the hot, sandy drama unfolding in the final round of "Stars Under the Palms"! Six contenders still standing strong: Christo (38), Lisha Savage (37), Melody Haase (31), Menowin Fröhlich (37), Nikola Glumac (28), and Cosimo Citiolo (43). Only two will be sent home after this round.
Wearing swim fins, these stars leap through an obstacle course smack dab in the center of the sand. But it's not just about physical prowess—they've gotta show off their smarts, too! Test-your-knowledge questions stand between the stars and their next challenge: flinging a ball into plastic seashells from close range. A correct answer keeps their ball toss short, while an error makes 'em play it long. Talk about pressure! Menowin grapples with mammalia, while Lisha couldn't name a single German mountain.
Time to Say Goodbye
Skills and speed are key. Cosimo, deserving of praise, places his balls strategically on the sand, then hurls them into their respective targets. Menowin, hurt and demoralized, shows some gumption, but his time runs out. Sadly, the DSDS' star is eliminated. Nikola, the slowpoke, struggles to keep up and is sadly sent home as well.
Christo reigns supreme in the semifinals. His speed and Sheer determination have earned him the title of the top favorite. Cosimo wounds his feet but carries on, landing in second place. Melody heads for fourth, barely making the cut.
After a poolside shindig, the three remaining contestants enjoy swanky dinners. But the evening isn't over just yet! Knock, knock! A surprise final task awaits them before bedtime. They're asked to share their backstories, allowing viewers to relate and connect with the candidates before the last round.
Bedtime Tales Revealed
From painful pasts to amusing anecdotes, the stars bare their souls. Lisha tells sad tales of her tumultuous teenage years, while Cosimo describes his early days as a class clown. Melody opens up about experiencing sexual abuse at age 15, sharing details of a case involving deprivation of liberty. Christo, until now, seemed to have a squeaky-clean record, until the death of his grandfather, who was a father figure to him.
The next morning, the last battle commences. The finalists are tested at three different stations. First up: a puzzle that'll make you want to shake your head in disbelief. They must arrange scattered objects into a 3D Sudoku pattern, fitting five unique objects into five rows, with only one type of object per row.
Sudoku Shenanigans
Fan-favorite Christo stumbles here, losing precious time. But he recovers like a pro during the second task. Contestants must create the word "Paparazzi" by arranging lettered dice into a vertical shaft. Ironically, it's the Italian Cosimo who falters. Not because he spelled it wrong, but because he placed a die upside-down, forcing him to rebuild the entire tower.
Last, but certainly not least, the stars need to slide puzzle pieces to form the "Stars Under the Palms" logo. Lisha, struggling mightily, is the only finalist who doesn't manage to complete all three tasks within the time limit.
The winner is still shrouded in mystery, but the suspense is palpable! The eliminated contestants return for one last hurrah, with two notable absences: Chico, disqualified for threatening sexual violence against Lisha, and Janina Youssefian, ousted in the first episode.
Party Time: Love, Feuds, and Revelry
Romance blossoms when Nikola and Kim Virginia share a cute, affectionate kiss. Melody isn't jealous, duggin' it despite a raucous poolside display with Nikola.
Yvonne Woelke and Iris Klein reignite their old feud. Yvonne balks at Iris' apology on camera, calling her a vile, repulsive creature. Iris suggests Yvonne hit the streets of Thailand for some much-needed self-reflection. Yvonne hurls a drink in Iris' direction, who retaliates with her own drink.
And the Winner Is...
The time has come to crown the winner of season three! First, the stars learn what we already know: Lisha takes fourth place. The biggest shocker? Christo falls to third! His Sudoku mishap proves costly, leaving a stunned silence amongst the remaining contestants.
With a time advantage of a mere 20 seconds, Cosimo emerges victorious! Winning a whopping 44,200 euros, our unlikely champion can't resist joking, "I'll be spending some of it on phone sex with my wife, Natalia Gaus."
- Characters
- Lisha Savage
- Christo
- Melody Haase
- Stars Under the Palms
- Menowin Fröhlich
- DSDS
- Iris Klein
- Yvonne Woelke
- Paparazzi
- Germany
- Tantrums
- Final
- Celebrities
- Cosimo, despite his Italian heritage, encounters a challenge when arranging a vertical shaft of lettered dice to spell the word "Paparazzi" during the final task, ironically.
- In the semifinals, Christo demonstrated speed and determination, earning him the title of the top favorite, navigating through the various challenges with ease.
- Lisha, during the competition, shares her heart-wrenching past struggles with viewers, making a deep connection with the audience while competing in the "Stars Under the Palms" finale.
