Pip Delamere-Wright is used to taking on a challenge.
The mother-of-two from Tarland was in the forces for 17 years, climbing the ranks and becoming the first ever female Army commando.
After leaving the Army, she and her husband set up a wilderness retreat – even selling their home to make their dream a reality.
And now the 47-year-old is about to put all she’s learned to the test in the first ever UK series of Channel 4’s Alone – for the chance to win £100,000.
The programme features 11 ordinary people who will have to survive for as long as possible in separate locations. Filming took place in north-west Canada.
Ready for the next challenge
Mrs Delamere-Wright told The P&J why she wanted to take part in Alone, which begins on Sunday.
“I’m sort of at the stage of my life now where I could sit and be comfortable,” she said.
“But I think you get to a point where, if you want to discover more about yourself, you can make yourself uncomfortable and I was ready for my next challenge.”
After completing a gap year programme with the British Army, the 47-year-old served for 17 years.
Enjoying the “mental and physical challenge”, she quickly climbed the ranks before becoming the force’s first female Army commando.
She and her husband Stu then moved to Tarland and in 2021 founded wilderness retreats and workshop Operation Cairngorms.
The couple – who sold their house to start the venture – are keen to help support struggling soldiers and former personnel with outdoor natural therapies.
Kids worried about ‘mummy going to hang out with the bears’
During the six-part series, viewers will see contestants, aged 19 to 58, battling the elements, loneliness and starvation.
No camera crew, producers or experts can help them.
With only a handful of basic tools, competitors must film their adventure and experiences.
Although this is the first series featuring contestants from the UK, Alone is now in its 10th series – and is a hit in the US, Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
To prepare for the show, Mrs Delamere-Wright said she watched a few episodes and worked on her terrible fishing and other needed skills.
She said: “I did some willow weaving with friends of mine at Deeside Willow.
“I couldn’t tell anyone what I was going to do or where I was going so I was kind of asking people for a little bit of help without telling them.
“Hopefully, I can thank everybody that did help and support me without knowing.”
Although Mrs Delamere-Wright said her son and daughter were worried about “mummy going to hang out with the bears”, she said she had not been too concerned.
“I’m fiercely independent and prepared myself mentally,” she added.
“I knew I had a really strong group of family and friends supporting me I just felt very positive about going out there and just being able to have my own experience.
The six-part series begins at 9pm on Sunday on Channel 4.
Conversation