A WRITER and health guru from Blackburn is set to star on Bear Grylls' survival show Treasure Island.

Former Westholme pupil Elissa Corrigan will be on screens from next month and will battle it out with 11 other contestants for a £100,000 prize.

The survival contest has already been filmed – but Elissa is sworn to secrecy on how she got on.

The team had to compete – or work together – to find the cash prize, which was dropped onto the island – if contestants quit the gruelling contest, they get nothing.

It is not the first time former-journalist Elissa, 33, has been on our screens.

She starred in the reality TV show Desperate Scousewives, which followed the loves and lives of a group of glamorous women in Liverpool.

Now living in Liverpool, Elissa now spends her time writing celebrity autobiographies and running The Life Lab retreat, both in the UK and abroad.

She said: “It was an absolute dream come true to be picked for Treasure Island, Bear Grylls.

“I applied on an absolute whim on the very day they were closing the applications.

“Out of 40,000 applicants I was picked to be in the final 12 – which was an achievement in itself.

“I know it sounds arrogant, but I just knew I would be picked, call it sixth sense or manifesting my desires or whatever, but my confidence never wavered for a second.

“Everyone keeps asking me why I would want to put myself through this hellish experience, but I’m no stranger to physical endeavours.

“I believe true growth and development only happen as a result of suffering.

“There's a saying – the sharpest sword is the one that’s been in the fire and hammered the most.

“On my health retreats I speak a lot about having a positive mindset, resilience, determination and grit.

“I didn’t just want to be another ten-a-penny fitness bod talking about having all those qualities.

“I wanted to prove to myself and everyone else, I was willing to put my mental and physical strength to the test.

“What better way than on the most hardcore, authentic, tough, unforgiving reality TV show in the world.

“It was a life-changing and life enriching experience.

“I would recommend every person do something similar in their lifetime."