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Diva and Vicky from Shipwrecked

The girls from Shipwrecked, Diva and Vicky, appeared live on a special Foxy Radio show on Thursday June 26th. You can listen again here.

Being washed up on a desert island and filmed 24/7 may not be everyone’s idea of heaven, but after ten weeks, Shipwrecked stars Vicky and Diva found far more than just their best camera angles.

What made you want to go on a reality TV show?

Diva

I had it pretty easy growing up. I’m not being funny but I really couldn’t do much for myself before. It was quite bad. I wasn’t spoilt, but my Mum and Dad did a lot for me. I wasn’t domesticated at all. I’ve always had things given to me, have never had to challenge myself. So, I just thought, "I’m going to go for this, I may never get the chance again."

Vicky

I’ve always been a fan of the show. And when I graduated I thought, “Oh to heck with it, I’ll audition”. I didn’t do it to be famous. I wanted to do something I’d remember forever.

What was the hardest part about living on a desert island for you?

Diva

The hardest part was having no contact with the outside world. We were on the islands for two-and-a-half months and you just don’t realise how bad it is to not speak to your family and friends for that long. Also the food situation was really hard, because on my island we had to source most of our food. We were constantly hungry. I don’t think I was ever full, not ever.

Vicky

Not having music was the worst thing for me. I’m a big rock music fan and not being able to listen to music or to go to gigs was tough. And the food was a nightmare. I’m so happy to have real food again.

What was the worst thing you had to eat?

Diva

Everyone else would say lamb’s tongue but we weren’t allowed protein on our island. Because we didn’t have much food we’d get really excited about different types of rice. Like when the rice got burnt we would be like, “Yeh, different texture!” The worst thing was when we tried to make spicy coconut rice. Even though we were starving it was so disgusting we couldn’t eat it.

Vicky

To start, the worst thing was the lamb’s tongue, but once you got used to that it was rice. I remember thinking if I have to see another bowl of rice I’m going to go insane. I still can’t eat it.

How do you think it’s changed you as a person?

Diva

Well our island was the real Shipwrecked; back to basics, with literally no luxuries at all. On the other island they had protein where as we had to hunt. I didn’t look in a mirror for two-and-a-half months. By the time I came home, I didn’t know what I looked like. There was no toilet paper, no matches, no mirrors, no soap. It was disgusting really.

Anyway after all that, my priorities changed. It made me appreciate things a lot more, especially my family, Not speaking to them for that long was the weirdest thing because you don’t know what’s happening at home at all. So it’s really made me appreciate my family life and things at home.

Vicky

Before I was the party girl, up for a laugh, up for a challenge and bit of adventure. The only thing that’s changed now is that I value things more. I don’t take anything for granted because we had so little to survive with. When you’re put in an environment where you haven’t got to pay bills, you focus on what’s important and do a lot of thinking.

The main thing for me was that my mum died a few years a go and I don’t think I had dealt with it. Out there, because I had time to think about it, I managed to close that chapter. It was really amazing for me because I had been really struggling to deal with it.

Did you fancy anyone on the show?

Diva

If anyone ever asks me, “Which of the boys did you like?” it actually makes me feel a bit sick. On our island, you saw each other at your absolute worst so you couldn’t really fancy anyone. Before I left I was usually quite groomed, I wore make up and took care of my appearance. My Mum’s first words when I got home were, “You look like a cave woman”. My eyebrows grew huge and my hair was in dreadlocks. It was so funny. And it wasn’t until we got home that I saw the boys and thought, “Wow they’re actually quite good looking”. But now they’re like family, like brothers.

Vicky

I fancied everyone. Apparently there’s actually footage of me going, “Oh my god I need a man”. When I first arrived I was very partial to Marvin. But you become like brothers and sisters so quickly out there it becomes wrong to fancy anyone. Although I must admit when new arrivals came off the boat I was going, ”Oh my god, everyone’s fit”. Nothing ever happened with me though. Jack and I would always joke about getting together, but never did. It’s a very weird environment because the guys see you with no make up, so there’s no chance of anyone fancying you unless you’re naturally really stunning.

Did you feel that it was all portrayed as it was?

Diva

Everyone was portrayed ok. They did exaggerate the segregation between the girls and the boys when it wasn’t really like that. Obviously girls will always be girls and you can’t really say to three girly girls, “Oh don’t put make up on or don’t do this”. There were a few people on the island that really enjoyed building and doing things like that. So when you compare them to girly girls it looks like there’s going to be issues. In fact there was nothing bad about it, we didn’t have a big argument or anything. It was just that we were kind of opposites. But everyone adapted and got on well, even though we were so different.

Vicky

I can’t obviously speak for Shark or Hawk Island, but on my island things were portrayed as they were. It’s very hard to be fake out there. If anything the show missed things out.

Was it hard not to argue?

Diva

No, there was bickering about who had more food and stuff, because you’re in each other’s pockets 24-hours-a-day. But there wasn’t anyone that I didn’t like, which was amazing. We could never believe that they could chuck 11 strangers on an island and we all managed to get on.

Vicky

I hate arguing - hate it. It’s not like I’ve never had one, but I either battle for the underdog or look at both sides and then make a reasoned judgement on a situation. I’m a wise cookie though. So when the rice pudding was stolen, the girls were going crazy and the guys were kind of going “Oh no, we pissed the girls off”. I was just sitting there going, “Oh my god, there’s worst things than rice pudding getting stolen”. I tried to put things into perspective and thought, “There are people a lot worse off than me - I’m in paradise.”

What survival skills did you come away with?

Diva

I had to kill a chicken, which is something I had never even dreamed of doing before and we had to kill a pig and completely gut it. We went fishing, had to light fires with flint. We learned how to build our own huts, to wash up with sand. It was hard, but I would definitely go back, because it was such a beautiful place.

Vicky

I learned to deal with situations better. Having a moment to yourself wasn’t easy on the island, but I look back on that now and I’m grateful that it taught me how to handle tough situations. It’s weird, the emotions that you go through. You learn to deal with who you are and who you’re becoming.

Would you do it again?

Diva

I don’t think I would apply for another reality TV show but if there was another Shipwrecked I would do it. Even with the torrential rain, where all your stuff gets soaking wet and it takes days to dry, I would definitely do it again.

Vicky

If I could have had all my friends there I would have happily stayed forever.