'I was on BBC's new gameshow Destination X and this is what really happens'
A contestant on Destination X has spilled the beans on what the BBC One gameshow is really like behind the scenes.
Deborah became the first player booted out of the competition in last night's premiere, missing out on her shot at bagging £100,000.
The crime writer, 62, was amongst 13 strangers taking part in Rob Brydon's adventure series, which sees the players set off on the journey of a lifetime across Europe.
With the continent turned into a massive board game, the participants must try to work out where they are in the world after being deprived of their senses on a coach and given a mix of clues and red herrings, reports Wales Online.
Combining elements of The Traitors and Race Across The World, the contestants must navigate through the lies and deception they face, with each episode seeing whoever guesses furthest from the actual location getting sent packing.
Last night, Deborah became the first Destination X star to get the chop, after three had already been abandoned at the airport and one had thrown in the towel.
She's now spilled the beans in an exclusive interview about what the experience was truly like, and what viewers didn't witness.
"I had the best time," she reflected. "There's such a great bunch of guys on the bus, and a massive team that looks after you.
"It is all a bit surreal, but I would do it again in a heartbeat."
Discussing her tight-knit relationship with her fellow contestants, she continued: "The BBC has only got an hour, but we were on that bus for hours and hours, they showed clips of me looking discombobulated all the time.
"But in between those points, there were times I had to get off the bus and walk away because I was laughing so much."
Following host Rob's revelation of one backstage secret - that a convoy of portable toilets trailed behind the bus - Deborah then laid bare the harsh realities of coach life for days on end.
"You saw the loo on the bus, it's not even Harry Potter's cupboard under the stairs. And you're so close to people all the time."
She chuckled: "You come out of there and people ask, 'how did you get on?'"
In addition to sensory deprivation onboard the bus, in the first episode, the contestants were asked to wear goggles while flying in an aeroplane, where Deborah revealed she even had a little nap.
But being unable to see their surroundings while travelling did risk taking its toll when it came to travel sickness.
Deborah explained: "The medic came along and said, 'Does anybody get sea sickness, I've got some tablets,' so at that stage in the proceedings we said, 'Yeah, I'll have it,' but we didn't know [about the helicopter], we thought it was just because the bus was going to go around some wiggly, windy things.
"So I had a tablet, yeah, and we were on the helicopter for a long time, and you can't see anything, so I'm not going to lie, I had a bit of a sleep."
Despite feeling "gutted" about being the first to be eliminated from the competition, Deborah described it as a "once in a lifetime" opportunity.
She revealed that she chose to participate in Destination X after realising "there's more sand at the bottom of the egg timer than there is at the top".
"You need to start having some adventures and living your life, because to not do that is disrespectful to those people who didn't get to have a bit more life," she expressed, sharing tales of her other escapades, including near-death experiences while skiing and scuba diving.
Now, she's gearing up for an entirely different challenge, preparing for an Arctic expedition next year in collaboration with the Sue Ryder charity.
"I'm checking on my fitness because I've had both hips replaced and a stomach implant thing... but the guy in the Arctic thinks I'll be alright to do it," she shared.
"I did Tough Mudder over the weekend, last Saturday, and that was the hardest thing I'd done in my life, but I think the Arctic will be harder."
Reflecting her adventurous spirit, when asked about her plans for the prize money, she added: "We'd all like a bit more, but I did it for the adventure, money can't buy that adventure and those experiences."
Destination X continues tonight at 9pm on BBC One and is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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