CASTAWAY 2000 - BEN FOGLE

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Daily Record April 15, 2000 FORGET ROMANCE-WE'RE ALL TOO BUSY SURVIVING LOVERBOY LOST: HE MIGHT BE ONE OF BRITAIN'S MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELORS, BUT AS A BBC CASTAWAY, BEN FOGLE IS HAVING A BIT OF A HARD TIME FINDING LOVE IF you had to be stranded on a remote island for a year, handsome Ben Fogle is the sort of Man Friday who could help while away lonely nights. With his year-round tan, blond locks and shining white smile, Ben usually has women falling at his feet. But the windswept Hebridean island of Taransay is hardly the most romantic of settings. And being one of the 35 volunteers stranded on the island for the BBC documentary Castaway is wreaking havoc on Ben's love life. In fact, he says he's been celibate for the four months he's spent on Taransay so far. He says: "I really miss having a girlfriend. I spent all of the 12 months before coming on to the island in London hoping to meet a girl - and failing." While Ben, 26, hasn't found a girl on Taransay, he's certainly proving a hit with the viewers tuning into the warts-and-all documentary. The suave picture editor for posh Tatler magazine has received scores of romantic propositions by mail from the mainland. He says: "I hear from the Press that I'm meant to be some kind of hunk and I'm receiving all these letters and photographs from girls. "I haven't received any knickers or anything, just stuff like chocolate and pictures. But I'm here and the women are on the mainland. It's all a bit ironic." As Ben and his 34 castaway comrades welcomed the British media to Taransay for the first time yesterday, it seems the only one of their number who has enjoyed any kind of love affair is Border collie bitch Fran, who recently gave birth to six healthy pups. Four of them will be offered for adoption to Castaway viewers. Despite rumours connecting Ben with two of the most eligible single women on the island, Ben is adamant he has remained celibate so far. And he laughed at rumours that he had been spotted walking hand-in-hand with a girl on the white sands of the tiny island by a tourist peering through a long-range telescope. One report linked him with Scot Tricia Cannell, 37, who dumped her husband Juan at their home on the Isle of Man to take her two children to the island hideaway. Tricia yesterday laughed off reports that she'd canoodled with hunky Ben. She said: "That's a load of rubbish and I don't know where it's coming from." Another alleged sighting led to reports of similar tender moments being spent between Ben and secretary Tammy Huff, the 26-year-old blonde who admitted packing sexy lingerie along with her wellies and thermals. But one of Tammy's friends revealed her duties as a milkmaid meant she had no time for passion. The Castaway friend said: "Tammy has been too busy milking cows for romance. She's kept her silky lingerie packed away for the time being." Ben said any amorous feelings were blown away by the 100mph winds and driving rain which have lashed the island, off Harris in the Western Isles, during one of the worst winters in recent memory. He said: "I don't think we have been thinking too much about romance and, to be honest, I don't think there's much chance of anything happening later. "I know everyone as friends now. If anything was going to happen, it would have happened by now." He added: "I don't mind. I'm having a wonderful time. I feel so healthy with all the sea, air and exercise." Ben has spent his time mucking in with the other inhabitants drawn together by the production team of Lion TV, who selected them from 4000 applicants to spend 12 months as castaways on the island. Despite teething problems - which included many of the castaways initially refusing to live on the island because of building delays and flu - Ben insists everyone is now pulling together as a team. The Castaways met reporters with open arms yesterday and offered to answer all questions about life on the island. And they were happy to back up Ben's story of the island being a no-go zone for new romance. But they also seemed keen to pour cold water on anything colourful or controversial - leaving the suspicion that programme makers are trying to keep a few aces up their sleeves for the next edition of the pounds 2.4million show, which begins a new run of four programmes on Easter Sunday. Lion TV's director Jeremy Mill claimed the Castaways could talk freely to the Press. Yet Ben admitted he had been asked not to give any interviews. Gay psychotherapist Ron Copsey, who walked out on the production before making a dramatic return, revealed he was also banned from talking to the Press. Ron is thought to have been warned off after becoming involved in a furious row because he didn't want all of Fran's puppies to be given away. The official, almost too-good-to-be-true line was that all the islanders were friends and any rows were sorted out swiftly and sweetly. Tricia Cannell said: "We are truly very happy here, I feel sad as each day goes past as it means we are one day closer to leaving. "We have every-day problems and rows like any other group of people, but we get on very well. Life is wonderful here." Tricia has not been deterred even after being haunted by ghosts on Taransay. She told how she spotted a ghostly female figure walking through her room one night. She said: "I saw the figure of a woman dressed in white, a wedding dress or a nightdress. She moved straight towards me and walked right through me. "I felt a chill run through my body." Tricia, originally from Larkhall, Lanarkshire, said other Castaways had also seen spooks, including three kids spotted waving on a boat. Other clues to the ghostly visitations lie on the Peible Beach where human bones can be seen protruding from the sand as an island graveyard subsides into the sea. Legend says islanders were slaughtered by the Morrison clan before vengeance was wrought by the people of nearby Berneray. But dealing with ghouls and gossips is only a small part of life on Taransay. Each morning the Castaways rise to take on various duties ranging from tending animals to cooking to maintaining repairs to their compound. Other special duties include teaching the island's eight children, duties carried out by teachers Julie Lowe and Monica Cooney in a makeshift schoolhouse. Originally the design and finishing of the living "pods" caused a row with some islanders refusing to stay in them. But now all seem happy with the snug, wooden, arched constructions, which are heated by temperamental stoves. Each person or couple has their own room with sleeping quarters and a bookcase. Peter Jowers, 50, who gave up his job as a university lecturer, said the saddest moment so far was the departure of boozy Ray Bowyer, who was chucked off the island after a series of bust-ups with other Castaways. He said: "Ray was a very good man, a very funny personality, but he was rather volatile. If he wanted to come back, I would welcome him, but I don't think that's possible." The islanders have come close to nature and the original count of two vegetarians has been boosted to eight. Many are squeamish about killing the chickens and pigs brought over, even giving them pet names. Peter's wife, Sheila, told how the first slaughter was carried out by Castaway Colin Corrigan, a professional butcher. She said: "It was a very tough decision, but the animals were brought to the island for food and we voted for the slaughter." The unlucky beast was 15st Heathcliff, who was led away expecting a feed, then zapped with a stun gun before being turned into pork chops. His cousin Hector doesn't know it, but he's next for the pot. There's no doubt many of the Castaways have become genuinely close friends. When insurance analyst Mike Laird, 30, heard his foster father had died, he was supported at the funeral by his Castaway pal Trevor Kearon, a Scouse driving instructor. Mike said: "Trevor came with me to the funeral and was a massive help." The Castaways are aware there could be problems as they hear what each other have to say about their relationships. They have no televisions and don't want to know the content of individual video diaries, designed for spilling the beans on rivalries and reflections on the group progress. Each Castaway was allowed to bring one luxury on to the island. Many brought provisions such as coffee, or chocolate, which were rapidly used up. Trevor, however, still has his full ration of condoms which, like Ben, he can't see an obvious use for. He said: "I have tried everything, but nothing has worked with the girls so far. I think these condoms will run by their sell-by date. "I think I'll give them to the butcher. Maybe he can rustle up some pork sausages."

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