Being a Jew in the jungle? I loved it (and lost weight)

Speaking of the experience which was filmed in Honduras, central America, Ms Shurkin told the JC it was: “Challenging, exhilarating and slimming.

“You can never prepare yourself for something so extreme and out of the ordinary. I got on very well with the other contestants, but I am also very competitive.

“The hardest part was having to sleep on the bare jungle floor at night.

“I doubt that I would ever do it again, although I enjoyed every minute.”

Ms Shurkin said she had initially been approached by producers to take part in Israel’s Big Brother – but refused.

She said: “When [Survivor] was suggested, I loved the sporty beach element so decided to go ahead and take the audition.

“I then continued to be invited to the further rounds of auditions until I reached the end one, in which I got my vaccination shots.”

Ms Shurkin, the daughter of an English mother and Israeli father, has gone back to working in property since the show was filmed.

Now back home in Tel Aviv, she said of the spike in terrorist stabbing attacks: “It is great to be back in Israel, but the terror attacks are horrible.

“We stay alert and positive!”

Survivor 2015 – VIP Season will air on Sunday on Channel 2’s Reshet TV. It can be watched in the UK at 7pm on: www.reshet.tv