Destination Xseason 1 lost one of its most exciting competitors in the most recent episode, andJaNa Craig chatted with Screen Rant about her short but impactful time on the show. JaNa, who many recognized fromLove Island USAseason 6, joinedDestination Xseason 1alongside former Bachelor and Traitors star Peter Weber. As a mid-season replacement, JaNa made waves.
While she was used to the reality TV environment from herLove Island USAseason 6appearance and her upcoming turn onLove Island: Beyond The Villa, JaNa’s first foray into reality TV competition wasn’t easy. DespiteJaNa enjoying the fast pace ofDestination Xand the travel element of the game, it was tough for her to connect with the rest of the cast.
Coming into the game late,JaNa and Peter were at an immediate disadvantage, and it didn’t lessen for JaNa as she moved through the competition. After a particularly bad stretch of challenges,JaNa was left in a difficult position. While her time onDestination Xcame to an end, she was ready to rehash her great time on the show.
Screen Rant: It has been really fun seeing you in a whole new setting onDestination X.What drew you to the show?
JaNa: Oh my gosh. Thank you. What drew me to the show? If I’m being very honest, I will never turn down a free trip around Europe [laughs]. That part alone was just so exciting, and then people can’t tell, but I’m actually very very competitive. So I love when people underestimate me. Let’s go to show where I can, you know, potentially win, but most importantly have a blast just driving around Europe.
JaNa Brought Her Transparent Nature From Love Island USA Into Destination X
She Wanted To Play The Game As Her True Self
Screen Rant: I love that. It’s very exciting to see you be more competitive, I really get the vibe that you enjoy that competition. So, coming fromLove Island, it’s a very very different situation. Did you take anything from that experience intoDestination Xwith you?
JaNa: Yeah, I guess like on Love Island one of my biggest accomplishments was like, being there for the girls, especially when they need me the most and just like always being very transparent and everything.
So on this new show, on Destination X, I think people thought like the lies and deceit is what gets you far, but really being transparent and certain situations really helped you build stronger connections to help you get to the next level. So I think being transparent to certain players helped me build a bond that got me further than I expected.
JaNa Didn’t Know Who Her Close Ally Peter Weber Was Pre-Show
She Went Back To Watch His Season Of The Bachelor
Screen Rant: That’s really interesting. Okay. I want to get back to that in a minute, but I am curious aboutPeter. You came in with Peter. Were you familiar with him prior to the show?
JaNa: No. I felt so bad. I didn’t know he was onTraitors,I didn’t know he was aBachelor. The other girls had to tell me. Mind you, I learned like a 30-second dance outside of the bus with him before even really knowing him. So I was like, oh good to know that you’re, you know, Mr. Bachelor. He’s like, no, no, it’s not like, you know, he doesn’t identify as that.
He just identifies like Pilot Pete, you know, no idea who he was [laughs]. I was like, I need to watch more reality TV. I felt really bad. But since then I watched this season. I was like, oh my gosh, yeah, when I got home, I was like, dude, I gotta binge your show.
Screen Rant: What a wild season ofThe Bachelor to go back and watch.
JaNa: No, I know [laughs I was like, wow, you are that guy.
Screen Rant: What made you want to work with him? If you weren’t really familiar with him, obviously you came in with him, so you had that bond, but what pushed you to work with him?
JaNa: Yeah. So for starters, because we came in together people automatically kind of canceled me and him out. No one really wanted to work with us because we came in so late into the game. So I was like, okay, we’re both like, you know, odd men out. That’s fine. But learning that he was a pilot really in my eyes.
I thought that’d be very beneficial especially because his route was to Europe and back. So I’m like, okay, I think, you know, a decent lay of the land. So I think that could have been very beneficial.
Screen Rant: I spoke with him a few weeks back and just listening to him talk about like the sun had me shocked [laughs].
JaNa: I was like, oh, you’re so much smarter than I thought [laughs] I know that the wun sets in the West, but I never even think to use that well in a blacked out bus. It’s like little things like that makes me like, wow, Peter, you are you’re the smartest man alive good choice to put him on your side good choice. Oh, yeah, we did the damn thing.
Screen Rant: Were you intimidated going into the competition with those pre-existing relationships already happening?
JaNa: No, not really only because my original goal was really just to go have fun and just drive around Europe. So knowing that there’s teams already made and like they’re very solid. The good thing is I’m good at observing my surroundings when necessary. So even though nobody wanted to be my team player as long as I was very attentive during each challenge. I was like, that’s fine.
I think I had a rough idea of where I was most of the time and I just kind of played stupid so that people would underestimate me which I love so it was totally fun. I didn’t have a team player or like a solid like group, but I had Peter and that’s all I really needed.
Screen Rant: I love watching you guys just navigate through the difficulty of it all. In your opinion, who is playing the best game thus far?
JaNa: Um, who’s playing the best game? I would say Biggie [Bailey]. Biggie’s playing the best game because he’s like a very like a neutral player. Nobody hates him. No one sees him as a target. Everyone really loves him.
He’s very funny, you know, he’s very confident, but most importantly, he’s just very honest like he’ll say something straight up like, you know, I’m not going to tell you that I’m really sorry or you know, you think he’s being honest for the most part, but it seems like everyone really loves and adores him and I could see why.
Screen Rant: That makes sense. Obviously coming fromLove Island, you’re well-versed in reality TV relationships. What’s your take on Ally [Bross] and Shayne [Cureton]?
JaNa: Ally and Shayne. Well, the thing is it’s a competition. It’s a competition show. So I think, you know, having a dating relationship vibe in a competition show could either help you or hurt you. As of now, it seems like it’s very beneficial. They have this cute little thing going and I just came off a love show. If anyone’s going to support, you know, finding love on reality TV, it’s probably going to be me.
