Bundaberg local Alice Litzow has risen to the top 10 of competitors on Seven Network’s reality TV survival show Million Dollar Island.
Set on a remote island in the Langkawi archipelago of the coast of Malaysia, the series filmed 100 Australians from all walks of life as they competed for the ultimate chance to win $1 million.
Contestants were dropped on the island with limited resources and a wristband representing $10,000, and then had to survive the best they could as they competed in games and challenges to gain more wristbands from their fellow competitors.
Alice described her experience on the show as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“It was a pretty crazy experience,” Alice said.
“The game aspect of it was really fun but the survival aspect was really hard, it was a next level experience.”
Alice had always wanted to be on a television show, describing herself as a “challenge beast” who loved games and high-adrenaline activities.
However, she said filming the show on the remote island was a wild experience.
“I was sleeping in the sand, you’d wake up with sand in your hair and a camera in your face,” Alice said.
“Every morning we would go down to the rocks and eat a few oysters, I would jump into the water and grab a few sea cucumbers.
“We had to do a lot of foraging, fishing, living off the land, and we definitely got better at it along the way.”
Part Survivor, part Big Brother, Alice said the mind game and social aspects were a big part of the challenge.
“It came down to a social game and making social connections on the island,” she said.
“The people actually get you through the game.”
The show’s competitors split into four camps, with Alice joining the Log Camp, with the group soon becoming close-knit.
“All us Log campers are like a family, we did everything together,” she said.
“In the initial food drop, our Log Camp didn’t get much food at all.
“That’s why we had to do a lot of living off the land.”
Log Camp group members have stayed in touch after the filming, with plans to meet up on their travels or catch-up when visiting each other’s hometowns.
Alice was born and raised in Bundaberg, and she still lives in the region, working at her family’s hydraulics and go-cart businesses.
“I love Bundaberg, it’s so good,” she said.
“Bundaberg is the place to be, everything at your fingertips, got the beach, got the go-karts, got the bushland.”
Following her success on the show, Alice and her family have been enjoying an extra level of local attention while walking around town.
“Even my family’s getting recognised now!” she laughed.
Back on home soil, Alice is able to enjoy the attention, and reflect on her time on the island.
“The experience from the show makes you appreciate all the little things in life, just like a pillow, a blanket,” she said.
“I would love to buy a house and start a future with my boyfriend in Bundaberg, but I haven’t thought that far ahead.
“Being top 10 at the moment, out of 100 people, it’s crazy.”
Million Dollar Island airs on 7 Network on Tuesday nights at 7.30 pm, and viewers who have missed the action so far can catch-up on Alice’s journey to the top 10 on 7+.
The finale will screen on Tuesday 25 July at 7.30 pm.
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