March 13th, 2007 by Lisa McGarry.
Castaway crew members were left a bit wet and soggy today when a boat they were traveling in capsized and ruined a load of expensive equipment. The crew had urged local people to stay away from the area they are using for the show, but were glad of their help when two local fishermen came to their aid.
“They were out in a dingy and it suddenly shot up in the air, flipped backwards and went upside-down,” one of the fishermen told New Zealand’s Sunday News.
“I notified marine radio and went to see if I could help. They were fine but I think they lost a lot of equipment,” he said.
“There were oars, cellphones and all sorts floating in the water.”
Oops!
March 12th, 2007 by Lisa McGarry.
Today on Danny’s TV Diary you can see Jonathan Shearer on the warpath.
He knows there is a traitor (or two) in their midst, and can’t believe that after the group agreed not to vote for the person who had contributed least, many cracked and many voted for Jason Ross. Jason has now been sent into isolation for a week and his mate is FURIOUS!
The first person to incur his wrath was Alister Cooling the fantasy writer. Alister stupidly admitted to Jonathan that he didn’t crack under pressure but simply wanted to nominate Jason as he believed it was the right thing to do.
Bad move. We have already seen how Jonathan can hold a grudge, and this is now escalating into a major grudge. Jonathan has now branded Al as group traitor, leaving all those who similarly voted for Jason quaking in their boots…..Makes great TV doesn’t it!
March 12th, 2007 by Lisa McGarry.
Last night saw Castaway, Erica Hurst boast to her companions about some of her steamy explouts, out in the real world.
She said: “I was in Brazil and my boyfriend wanted a threesome. He said to pick a woman.
“One came over and she was lovely. Then another one came over and she was lovely too so we took them both.”
Shy girl that Erica!
March 11th, 2007 by Lisa McGarry.
Richard Bacon presents this weekly TV show, following on from BBC One’s earlier visit to the castaways. A studio audience and guests discuss, and give their reactions to, what’s been happening on the island.
There are insights from a survival expert and an anthropologist’s viewpoint plus, exclusively, the castaways’ family members give their take on the week’s events and what might happen over the next few days.
Richard discusses Remote Control, the interactive game for viewers at bbc.co.uk/castaway. He also gives details of how one lucky person will win the opportunity to become a castaway themselves via the Cast Me competition on BBC Radio 1 and the series’ website.
March 11th, 2007 by Lisa McGarry.
Erica Hurst must really be a woman in love. Not only did she give up her lucrative career in lap dancing because her husband wasn’t happy with her job, but on tonights show we saw her pass up the opportunity to swim with dolphins as she had promised her husband she would keep herself covered up.
Erica was still officially on honeymoon when she packed her bags for the Castaway island. Her husband Matt admits:
“While she’s watching the sun set on an exotic island, I’ll be working on the door of a nightclub in Lancaster,” he smiles. “I already miss her like crazy. We only wed four weeks ago. To see her jet off for a quarter of a year on a TV reality show is a complete killer.
“But I know she won’t do anything – otherwise she wouldn’t have married me, would she? I trust her and she trusts me. And at least I can watch her on TV.”
March 10th, 2007 by Lisa McGarry.
Danny Wallace reveals the most recent events from the island and features exclusive footage of the castaways as they go about their daily lives.
Viewers might find out how the castaways are reacting to Sunday’s latest visit from Danny or what aspects of island life they’re finding the most challenging or the most rewarding.
Before the series started, most of the castaways said they were keen to get to know people from different walks of life to their own. Danny aims to find out whether this is creating interesting and unlikely friendships or proving to be a stumbling block for some of them. This show gets the low-down on whatever’s on their minds.
After each instalment, viewers can press their Red button to access Danny’s Diary, in which Danny reveals his own thoughts on what’s been happening. Viewers who visit bbc.co.uk/castaway can also access the latest news before it appears on screen, as well as lots of exclusive content, including a weekly video podcast.
Monday to Thursday
8.00-9.00pm BBC THREE
March 9th, 2007 by Lisa McGarry.
Well I just caught the first Castaway show on BBC1, and I can see it’s going to be a busy three months.
Well done BBC! A great mix of characters, a great situation, a great show! It’s as compelling as Big Brother before they started putting cartoon characters in the infamous house.
I can see that Jonathan is going to become an important character in the group. My husband hates him, but I actually think he will help to keep the show alive and vibrant. I would hate to have to live with Jonathan, but I predict that I’ll be quite happy to watch his antics a few nights a week from 18,000 miles away via the wonder of television.
Roll on Castaway 2007!
March 8th, 2007 by Lisa McGarry.
Remote Control
Remote Control is an interactive online game in which players get the chance to directly influence events on the island – for better or worse. To take part, they have to be eagle-eyed and spot a symbol hidden in the Castaway programme on BBC One.
Viewers who spot the secret symbol can visit the Castaway website at bbc.co.uk/castaway to identify the correct symbol out of a possible three options. If they choose correctly, they become eligible to vote on a dilemma, the outcome of which will affect the lives of the Castaways. There is a new hidden symbol and a new dilemma each week.
Viewers can also play Remote Control on a deeper level. Each symbol they collect from the BBC One shows provides a clue to the secret destination of a spectacular holiday prize.
Players must use their skills and knowledge to find the secret location to be in with a chance of winning. Along the way, they’ll find out more about the geography, history and culture that surrounds the castaways.
By week 10, the players will have all the clues they need to solve the riddle. From those who correctly identify the secret holiday destination, one randomly selected winner will be invited to attend the final episode of Castaway Exposed, where they will be proclaimed the winner of Castaway: Remote Control and be presented with details of the fantastic prize.
Cast Me competition
One lucky Castaway fan will have the chance to become a castaway themselves if they take part in the Cast Me competition via bbc.co.uk/castaway.
March 8th, 2007 by Lisa McGarry.
The castaways’ new home
The castaways will spend three months in a remote place, cut off from the world and forced to fend for themselves.
This location is a bay on Great Barrier Island in New Zealand. The setting is stunning: sandy beaches surrounded by the deep blue ocean, green hills and winding streams.
When the castaways arrive, it will be the end of summer, with the sun shining for 13 hours a day and temperatures ranging from 15 to 27 degrees C.
In terms of potential food sources, the area is rich in marine life, with an abundance of fish such as snapper, red moki and leatherjacket. The broken reefs provide an excellent habitat for crabs and crayfish, with the red rock lobster the most common. The clear waters are perfect for swimming and snorkelling, with temperatures around 21 degrees. There are many protected species in the water, including the small spotted black grouper, and there are moves to make the area a marine reserve in the future.
The location has several water sources, including a freshwater stream which runs through it and is filled with eels and mussels. There is a spring with drinking water several miles from where the castaways will be living.
Great Barrier is a haven for a vast array of wildlife found in few places on Earth. The endangered brown teal (pateke) and New Zealand dotterel can be seen on the beach, especially at dusk and in the evenings, and might also be spotted paddling in the sea.
The island is notorious for sudden weather changes and can often experience four seasons in one day. Pouring rain and driving winds can appear without warning, especially during the wet season from March until September, which can have up to 150mm of rain a month.
The castaways will have to get back to basics: build their shelter, grow and collect their own food, and use the land and ocean to feed themselves. It will not be a place for the squeamish, the lazy or the fussy.
March 8th, 2007 by Lisa McGarry.
Cast Me competition
One lucky Castaway fan will have the chance to become a castaway themselves if they take part in the Cast Me competition via bbc.co.uk/castaway.
Once the show has launched the BBC will be taking applications from members of the public and the one chosen man or woman will be joining the rest of the team in week 8 or 9 of the show! No food, bed and lots of creepy crawlies….I think I’ll give it a miss!
