Jenna Doore Admits Her Biggest ‘Survivor 51’ Regret After Elimination: “I Just Needed to Cut Some Ties”
Jenna Doore is looking back on her Survivor 51 journey with one major regret: she may have spent too much time trying to repair relationships when she should have been making bigger moves against her rivals.
The wedding photographer was eliminated at the end of Episode 4, bringing her game to an early end. In an interview for the show’s “Behind the Buff” series, conducted the day after her exit, Jenna opened up about the decisions she wishes she had made differently — including her failure to target Devin Way and Jelly Loblack.
“I will fight to repair relationships, when in reality I just needed to cut some ties,” Jenna admitted while reflecting on her strategy.
She then revealed the moves she now wishes she had attempted: “I’m high-key regretting not…trying to take out Devin [Way] and Jelly [Loblack].”
Jenna Doore Wonders Whether She Missed Her Chance to Take Out Devin Way
Looking back, Jenna may have been better off working with Alexis Levine and Ori Jean-Charles rather than trying to mend fences with Devin and Jelly.
An alternative plan could have involved coordinating with Alexis and Jelly to target Devin or Ori, potentially setting a different chain of events in motion before Tribal Council.
However, the situation was more complicated than Jenna realized. Unknown to her at the time, Ori was more loyal to Devin and Jelly than to Alexis, making any potential alliance shift difficult to pull off.
Even so, Jenna believes she missed an opportunity by not seriously exploring other options.
The stakes were particularly high heading into her final Tribal Council. She knew there was a significant possibility that she was on the outside of the numbers, leaving her vulnerable to elimination. Given what had happened the previous time Devin had seen her in that position, she had reason to recognize the danger.
Without a Shot in the Dark to potentially save her, Jenna had limited room for error. A more aggressive approach might have given her a chance to change the vote, although there was no guarantee that a different strategy would have worked.
Ultimately, her reflection points to a familiar challenge in Survivor: knowing when to preserve relationships and when to recognize that those relationships are no longer serving your game.
Despite Her Elimination, Tribal Council Left a Lasting Impression
Although Jenna’s time in the competition ended sooner than she had hoped, she still appreciated the experience of attending Tribal Council.
The wedding photographer explained that the atmosphere was far more immersive than viewers might realize from watching at home.
“As I got to go to Tribal [Council] a little bit more, I was really trying to soak it in because there are so many things that you can’t see as a viewer at all that are just there to, like, really let the players feel so immersed and you feel that way,” she said.
“It is such a stunning thing to be a part of.”
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Her comments offered a glimpse into the experience of competing on the show, where the tension and surroundings can feel very different from what audiences see on television.
While Jenna will not make it to the Final Tribal Council as a member of the jury, her elimination has not stopped her from thinking about who deserves to win the title of Sole Survivor.
Jenna Reveals the ‘Survivor 51’ Contestant She Wants to Win
When asked which remaining contestant she is rooting for, Jenna enthusiastically named Lewis Kelly.
“I’m rooting for Lewis,” she said. “He’s a little chaotic and fun. That could be a hot take, but I feel like he’s out there ready to play. If he can get to the end, I think he’s got it.”
Lewis has shown potential in the game. He served as a swing vote at his first Tribal Council and, following the tribe swap, still had the opportunity to move between two possible alliances on the new Toka tribe.
That flexibility could prove valuable as the competition continues, provided he can maintain his position and avoid making decisions that damage his relationships with other players.
However, there is another concern that could complicate his journey: his stomach issues, which could potentially affect his ability to remain in the game.
For now, Lewis remains someone Jenna believes could make a serious run toward the title, even as the unpredictable nature of Survivor makes the outcome difficult to predict.
A Missed Move That Could Have Changed Everything?
Jenna’s elimination serves as a reminder of how quickly the balance of power can shift in Survivor. Her desire to repair relationships may have prevented her from pursuing the more aggressive strategy she now believes was necessary.
Whether targeting Devin or Jelly would actually have saved her remains uncertain. But her post-elimination reflections suggest she wishes she had spent less time trying to fix broken alliances and more time building a path to survival.
With her own game over, Jenna is now watching from the sidelines and backing Lewis as her potential Sole Survivor pick.
Her full “Behind the Buff” interview offers further insight into the decisions that shaped her short-lived Survivor 51 experience — and the moves she wishes she had made before it was too late.