AFTER spending five months on a remote tropical island, most people would succumb to a serious case of post-holiday blues upon their return.But for Elisa McNally coming home to Woodbridge after being featured on the television series Shipwrecked has been something of a relief.

AFTER spending five months on a remote tropical island, most people would succumb to a serious case of post-holiday blues upon their return.

But for Elisa McNally coming home to Woodbridge after being featured on the television series Shipwrecked has been something of a relief.

While living on the Cook Islands was “absolutely amazing”, the 25-year-old model was beginning to miss the simple pleasures of life - a fridge, a comfy bed, chocolate and a chat with her mum.

She said: “It was a very bizarre experience but very amazing. I kept having to pinch myself in the morning when I woke up.

“It was strange. It's weird when you're out there and you miss all the luxuries like having a fridge and a roof over your head so if it rains you've got somewhere to go.

“You can walk around the islands in five minutes so you can't get far enough away from anyone - it does your head in a bit. I was counting down the days to see my family as you can't have any contact with them so I couldn't phone my mum.

“But on the way home I was already missing the island.”

The series sees “shipwrecked” contestants split between two uninhabited islands, with the Sharks team on Motorakau and the Tigers on Rapota, who battle it out to win new weekly arrivals and also make sure their own team mates do not defect to the rival island.

The team with the most members on the final day wins a £70,000 prize.

The contestants have to be self-sufficient, from building shelters to cooking on open fires.

Elisa was one of the new arrivals and at the moment the series sees her with the Sharks, the group she has picked to be with after trialling both islands.

A lot of the social groups had also already been formed when Elisa joined the series, but she has come away with some good friends.

She had just come out of a long-term relationship when she was asked if she would like to apply for a place. Only four days after the interviews and auditions, she was in the tropical paradise.

She said: “When you go along to the final audition you effectively sign your life away to the TV. It was just crazy.”

As the series continues to be broadcast on Channel 4, it remains to be seen whether she changes her preferred tribe and if she ends up on the winning team.