By John Powell – GlobalTV.com

He was one of the biggest overall threats and challenge beasts this season but it is almost next to impossible to “win” your way to the end of the Big Brother game. Yash found himself on the block with nowhere to go but out when Melody, the Survivors and Drew teamed up to send him off to the jury house. Before he headed there, Yash gave us the lowdown on his Big Brother experience and gameplay.

John Powell: Who do you hope follows you into the jury house and why?

Yash Patel: This is a trick question because I definitely want Drew to get out next but I don’t know if I want to live with him in the jury house. (laughs) So this is a bit of a trick question but I would hope that Drew is eliminated next. If not Drew, then Melody, purely because I went home during her HOH.

John Powell: Why didn’t you align with the Icons?

Yash Patel: I think the Icons were phenomenal game players, socially, competitively, strategically. They were phenomenal. They continue to be phenomenal to this day. I tried to align with them but I think they had previous alliances that they prioritized, which is all fair. I also think they never fully trusted me because I didn’t eat out of the palm of their hands the way many other houseguests did. I think they knew that and I knew that.

So naturally, there was always a little element of friction. Whereas they knew they could manipulate and control other people in a way they could never do with me.

John Powell: Why didn’t you take the first bribe but you took the second?

Yash Patel: Let me think on that one because that was a big, that was a big thing. I declined Dee’s bribe the first time because, to me, it was very easy and cut and dry.

With the three nominations that I had made, I made Haley, Angela, and Dee all sit on the block. It was clear one of them is going home, and I’m good with that. So I’m not going to take your bribe. What’s $5,000 to $750,000? I’m not going to do that. Not going to take $5,000.

So declining the bribe was easy because it was a better strategic move to nominate them as well at the time. Unbeknownst to me, Devens had the Diamond Power of Veto, which threw a wrench in it. Had I known that I would have taken the bribe and said, “Oh, fine, let someone else deal with that.”

But the second time I took the bribe, the second time she offered it, I took the bribe because that is when Kamu was evicted. So a part of me felt like, who do I really have in this game? Who can I trust? And then I also thought, this is an opportunity for an alliance where, if we’re all agreeing to not put each other up, and I literally can’t because of this bribe, then now maybe let’s all work together.\

And I tried to save the other side of the house by saying to keep Conlu. I tried. So after they decided to vote him out, I was like, “Listen, I’m not a savior. I’m not gonna just keep declining the money to keep you guys safe. I tried. You declined me. I’m trying to help you. So now, cool. I’m gonna take the bribe and I’m going to save myself.

John Powell: Who did you fear more in the game? Devens or Dee?

Yash Patel: Fear is a strong word because I didn’t fear anybody in the house. I thought I can outcompete and out-navigate anybody in that house.

However, I one thousand percent believe that Devens is the biggest threat in that house. Arguably, out of all 17 houseguests, he is the biggest threat because he is a social wizard. His strategy, his social tactics, all season have been a masterclass. He has a way with words, and not only that, he is a sneaky good competitor for a 40-year-old man. That man has pickup; he can move.

So, shout out to Devens because I give him a lot of respect. I think he is head and shoulders the number one threat in that house.

John Powell: At what time did you feel the Icons couldn’t be your shields any more?

Yash Patel: The way I viewed the Icons, if they’re in the house, good because they are a shield but if there is an opportunity to get them out, which meant either me nominating them, or if I could socially influence people to nominate them, that is when I take my opportunity.

Because clearly, there were not many opportunities to get out Icons because people were afraid of them. So I knew if that opportunity was there, it was important to seize it and take them out. But that’s easier said than done because two of them are still there.

Big Brother airs Wednesdays (8:00-9:30 PM, ET/PT), Thursdays (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) live eviction show hosted by Julie Chen Moonves, and Sundays (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT). Big Brother: Unlocked airs Fridays (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on July 24, Aug. 7, Sept. 4, Sept. 18 and Sept. 25 on Global TV.