“They’re both competitive — secretly very competitive,” he tells PEOPLE of 12-year-old son Jackson and 8-year-old daughter Juliet

NEED TO KNOW

• Survivor star Rick Devens revealed to PEOPLE that his two kids want to compete with him on a Blood vs. Water-themed season
• Blood vs. Water was the popular theme for seasons 27 and 29, involving contestants playing with and against loved ones
• Rick’s Survivor legacy includes finding a record-breaking four hidden immunity idols on season 38 and single-handedly participating in a Mr. Beast-infused coin-toss twist that doubled the final prize pot to $2 million on season 50

Rick Devens’ two kids can’t wait to become Survivor castaways. 

The two-time Survivor contestant, who most recently competed on the milestone 50th season, revealed in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE that son Jackson, 12, and daughter Juliet, 8, “want to get out and play.” 

“Oh, as soon as they turn 18, they’re going to be turning in [audition] tapes hoping for a Blood vs. Water season,” Rick, 42, told PEOPLE at the Newport Beach TV Fest in California on June 6.

Blood vs. Water was the popular theme for seasons 27 and 29, involving returning and new contestants playing with and against their loved ones.

“They’re little Survivors at heart,” the proud father added. “They’re both very funny. They both have very sunny dispositions even when things get tough, and they’re both competitive — secretly very competitive.”

Rick shares his two children with his wife, Becca Devens, who appeared on his original season — Survivor: Edge of Extinction (season 38 in 2019) — during an episode when loved ones visited the contestants.

“It’s so funny because [our kids] were so small when I went on the first time that all of their memories are of me being the guy who was on Survivor,” Rick explained at the event. “They don’t even know what it’s like to not have a dad who’s a reality TV person. They love it.”

“My daughter is my biggest publicist. She’s 8. She’ll go around and be like, ‘My dad was on Survivor,’ to everybody,” he continued. “They love meeting all these fellow Survivors who are so great with them. It’s been awesome.”

Rick — whose Survivor legacy includes finding a record-breaking four hidden immunity idols on season 38 and single-handedly participating in a Mr. Beast-infused coin-toss twist that doubled the prize pot to $2 million on season 50 — also discussed how the reality show changed his life.

“It’s given me a chance to very clearly show my young kids that you can do anything you want. Chase your dreams. Have fun with it,” Rick told PEOPLE. “The worst that can happen is you flop and you go back to a great life. That’s not a bad thing. So it’s been the gift that keeps on giving.”

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He continued of his two stints on Survivor, “I’m the luckiest dude in the world, literally and figuratively. I’ve got such an amazing wife and kids and life that everything that happens on Survivor is just extra.”

All 50 seasons of Survivor are available to stream on Paramount+.

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