Tom Westman has returned to work as a firefighter less than a fortnight after winning the $1 million top prize on Survivor.

The 41-year-old, who has already spent 20 years with the force, said he had intended to return to his former job whatever the outcome from his time on the reality show.

"I had butterflies in my stomach," he told The Early Show of his return, adding that his work colleagues would certainly keep him grounded. "They don't suffer prima donnas too well in a New York City firehouse."