CASTAWAY 2000 - WE WANT TO STAY!!!

WHAT ELSE IS AT GARDENCROFT??

IT has been four long, eventful and bleak months for the 35 castaways trying to carve a life for themselves on the inhospitable island of Taransay.
After a flu epidemic, gale force winds, a lack of accommodation, and one of their members being expelled from the remote Scottish isle, the remaining volunteers would be forgiven for thinking longingly of home.
But yesterday the remaining members of the beleaguered BBC fly-on-the wall documentary revealed they would like to stay on the island for longer than the planned year. Speaking for the first time since being marooned with just the bare essentials to keep them alive, the group said they hoped the infamous curse of Castaway 2000 had been broken.
Edinburgh-born Mike Laird, 31, said: "I love it here. It doesn't faze me at all and I am confident of making it - I have no intention of leaving."
Trish Prater, 37, said: "I dread every day going by because it means one day less on the island and I don't want to leave the place. It's enchanting and it's just wonderful to be here."
Rosemary Stephenson, who is on the island with her doctor husband Roger and their two children, said: "I think some people, when it comes to leaving, will find it a big wrench. In a way it's a shame it's just a year here because of effort we've put into getting all the accommodation ready and so on." Sheila Jowers, on the island with husband Peter, added: "The castaways have all now settled into their simply-furnished pod homes where each family or single person has their own room which they can decorate as they wish."
They all vowed to survive the year cut off from civilisation on the isolated Hebridean outpost. But they have faced a series of setbacks since filming began in January. Drunken arguments during a Burns night celebration led to rebel Castaway Ray Bower, from Little Hutton, Lancashire, being banished from the project.
The group were yesterday able to shed a glimmer of light on the events leading up to the expulsion of the retired builder. Mrs Jowers remembered how a party had turned to recriminations as Mr Bowyer, the oldest Castaway at 59, had argued with other members of the group. She said: "We had all had a bit to drink."
Mrs Jowers claimed many of the Castaway 2000 team had been threatened by Mr Bowyer's behaviour. "He was a real character and a great storyteller," she said. "But I think some people were frightened of him. He was quite big and very noisy." Mr Jowers added: "He was a complex guy who was used to living away and coming back to places. He had never lived in one place before."
The castaways admitted there had been low points during the experience. They missed their friends and luxuries such as a hot bath, but claimed the experience was worth it.
The docu-soap proved hugely popular when the first four programmes about the selection and training of the volunteers were shown earlier this year.Next time they be seen on television will be on Easter Sunday in the first of a new series of the programme.

(c) Express Newspapers, 2000
BY LOUISE JONES - Daily Express

[BACK TO TOP] [BACK TO MAIN PAGE]