It’s episode four of Rush Australia 2023 and tonight, there’s rat worshipping, a game of chance and a team favourite is sent packing.

After the first four eliminations, Team Gold, Team Scarlet and Team Navy are neck-a-neck when it comes to Travellers and now, they’re being smacked in the face with colourful powder at Holi Festival in Pushkar, India.

Among the absolute joyful chaos, Lola and Saxon are confused as to where CK is, who is nowhere to be found. But before they can stress about it any longer, a message comes through on everyone’s watch.

“In the city of the pink lies a palace so breezy, windows aplenty, catch a train to make it easy,” it read.

Catching all different modes of transport to get to David Genat (DG), the three teams all arrive at the same time and it’s here that CK’s absence is explained.

“Unfortunately due to personal reasons, CK wasn’t able to join you in India. He’s devastated obviously,” DG said.

While not there for this leg, he will still be in the competition, meaning that the elimination this time round will be up to chance and not a vote.

Lola and Saxon, who are pretty freaking cute, use the alone time to work on their budding romance

The first two missions

Each team must attend a traditional Indian wedding at Samode Palace and take a photo with the bride and groom, while also dressing the part in traditional Indian attire.

Then, they must take a journey west to the Karni Mata Temple, where they are to walk into the centre of the temple and make an offering to the locals who live there.

While it seems pretty straightforward, it’s not what it seems as the “locals” are in fact RATS.

Karni Mata Temple (in the Indian state of Rajasthan) has over 20,000 black rats, who live within the temple’s walls. It turns out rats are a symbol of the Goddess Durga.

In another twist, a local (the human kind and not the rat kind) tells Hamish from Team Scarlet that they will so need to drink from the same milk bowl as the animal, as the milk is thought to be blessed and will protect them from harm and disease.

The Escape Zone

After completing their missions, lovebirds Saxon and Lola are the last contestants to reach DG at the Escape Zone at the Gajner Palace.

DG says that a game of chance, Rush Roulette, will determine who goes home.

With three smoke flares in his hands, two green and one red, the pair must choose one each and the other will be representing CK. Whoever chooses the red one, will be sent home.

Lola’s turns green, while Saxon’s — who swapped his flare at the last second — turns red, meaning his journey was over.

“I’m devastated but I’m so happy to have been afforded the opportunity,” he said.

“I’ve had such a groovy ride, it’s been awesome to have been placed in Team Gold and I hope one of them wins.”

Rush airs on Monday and Tuesday at 7:30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.

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