First Survivor to go

Blonde Essex girl Sarah McCombie is the first contestant to be voted off the new series of Survivor.

Flanked by a bodyguard from the show, she tottered home to Chingford after being dumped from the programme, which was shown last night.

The 22-year-old former City broker's inept attempts to survive the course on an island off Panama left her with no chance of winning the £1million prize.

In the end the snake-and-bug-infested jungles of South America were too much for Miss McCombie, who City insiders say is more used to nightclubbing, high heels, skimpy tops and microskirts.

Compared with the former Royal Marines, firefighters and professional rugby players who make up much of the rest of the cast, Miss McCombie was on a hiding to nothing. Her preparation for living rough on the subtropical island was to lounge on a sunbed to avoid sunburn. Other contestants prepared by working out and reading survival books.

Early on during filming her discomfort was clear when she sheltered from the rain looking miserable. As contestants tried to light a fire she moaned: "It wasn't like I thought. Everything is all wet. I don't have a clue about this. I wouldn't know how to light a fire if you held a gun to my head."

She was earmarked as a loser from the first day then excused heavy-duty tasks by the rest of the team as they struggled to overcome the show's numerous assault coursestyle obstacles. In the end she looked almost relieved to be voted off the ITV1 show.

Friends are unsurprised. One said: "She still lives with her mum and dad in Chingford. Her idea of adventure is going to the Costa del Sol."

Another friend said: "If she goes away for a week she misses her mum. She wouldn't have a clue how to get by. Of course she wouldn't be able to light fires or put up tents, far less sleep under a mosquito net. Lovely looking girl, though."

City insiders said today they had doubted that Miss McCombie would last the distance. One said: "She likes clubs, going to bars after work and is pretty happy-go-lucky about things. I doubt she even thought about what it was going to be like."