Meryl
Age: 26
Occupation: Call Centre Agent
Living: Edinburgh

How do you feel to have made it this far in the competition?

Ecstatic. I never expected it in a million years. When I first went onto the show I just wanted to try and get through. I kept just thinking one more day, one more day. I never ever thought I was going to get this far, for sure. It feels surreal. It’s a very ‘pinch me’ moment.

What has been the best moment of the experience so far?

Just being in the castle and meeting everyone. I can’t even list one thing. It’s been everything. It’s been all the challenges, all the missions, it’s being with everyone, it’s being at breakfast, it’s being with Claudia! The whole overall experience has all been surreal.

What were your expectations coming into the show?

I just wanted to try my best. I wanted to be myself. That’s all I wanted, and I can happily say that I have been myself. I am exactly how you see me on camera. I just wanted to try my absolute best and do everything I could. I also went on the show because I wanted to change people’s perceptions and the stereotypes that come with my condition. I wanted people to see me and educate themselves a bit that I can do everything they can do.

Did you think you would make it the final five in the competition?

I didn’t think I’d get past day three! Even at the start I put myself as least likely to win. I was right at the end of the line before Amos and Kieran came and stood after me. I literally put myself as least likely to win. I certainly never thought I’d get this far. I never came in with a game plan or a strategy or thought of things to do or not to do. I came in, decided to just be myself, to be friends with everyone, to just have a good time and enjoy every experience, to do everything I can do and just see what happens.

What would winning the show mean to you?

Winning the show would actually be life changing. The money would be amazing. I’m thinking of changing my career and I’d love to do that so the money would give me the flexibility to explore that. I’d love to travel too. And talk about a once-in-a-lifetime experience – winning a BBC One reality game show!

What has been the funniest thing you’ve seen on social media about yourself?

So many things! When I said to Wilf I’d got the shield there were so many funny memes and people asking why would Meryl do that?! I was like oh my god! And my friends watched it and said oh that is just so you, you don’t think before you speak! I was like I know! Also, with one of the missions I remember pictures of me being posted and people saying ‘I want to be as happy as Meryl with her wheelbarrow!’