Jerry Freeman was one of a group of contestants who agreed to live for a year on a desert island, with cameras following their attempts to survive together. He left the island after five months, and later accused the producers of the show of misrepresenting him, claiming they had edited the film to make it look as if he was throwing a chair in face of one of the women. “I am not 5 an argumentative, aggressive, a nasty piece of work. It was shocking, he told a journalist later. The producers led the public to believe that the other contestants were glad to see the back of me but It wasn’t true. After returning home from the island. Mr Freeman said he was unable to continue with his college course as other students wouldn’t’ talk to him, and he had to take antidepressant pills. The Tv company has agreed to pay him £16,000 compensation.

Francis Blenk was the winner of one of the first reality TV programmes to be shown in England some years ago. Blenk was originally a builder, and comes from Liverpool. After the series ended he admitted: “ I don’t know why I won. You’ll have to ask all those people that voted for me”.

Blenk donated £70,000 prize money to teenager friend Jo Harris, to help pay for a heart and lung operation in America : ”She is a unique young lady and it is wonderful to be in the position to help her “ he said at the time. Blenk later had a five-album deal with a record company but he was dropped after his first single. However he has continued to raise money for charities as well as appearing regularly on daytime television shows.

Jennifer Grant was joint first prize in a TV contest called Operatunity, in which ordinary people had the chance to be transformed into opera singers. But there is nothing ordinary about Jennifer. She is a blind woman of amazing determination who has succeeded against all the odds. She has always dreamed of a musical career, but this was prevented by the birth of her children. Being a blind mother of three is a challange.” It’s the hardest job in the world” she says.”Keeping them safe is definitely more worrying than anything that cab happen to you on stage” Now the children are all at school, she is free to pursue her dreams, and after Operatunity she is better placed than she had ever hoped for.”Now I have sung on stage at the London Coliseum I am a different person” She said the morning after her triumph .”Winning the contest has changed my life”.