WRITER, television presenter and adventurer Ben Fogle has become the latest celebrity to join a former Malvern College student in starting a new life on an exotic island.

Ben Keene, 26, wants 5,000 volunteers to join him on Fijian island after setting up a website where people can sign up earlier this year.

The first 25 islanders arrived at the start of the month and it has been revealed that Mr Fogle, who volunteered to be marooned on a remote island in the Outer Hebrides for the BBC's Castaway 2000 project, has signed up.

He is no stranger to adventure, having written three books on his travels and also rowed across the Atlantic Ocean with double Olympic oarsman James Cracknell.

He is due to head out in November and will join other islanders including American actor Corbin Bernsen, of LA Law fame, who signed up earlier this year.

The news comes as Mr Keene revealed he was, hopefully, about to sign a deal with a British television company for a documentary following the exploits of the islanders.

An American publisher has also expressed an interest in doing a book on the project and both US television network NBC and National Geographic are busy filming programmes on the island.

Mr Keene said: "There was a lot of scepticism at first but now it's actually happening more and more people are looking and thinking, Wow, this is actually really cool'.

"Everyone out here seems to be loving it and doesn't want to come back.

"This is something we've been working on for a year so to see it come to fruition is fabulous."

On their arrival, the first islanders were greeted by Fijian dignitaries and had a welcoming ceremony where they gave books to schools.

Since then they have been busy building environmentally-friendly toilets and accommodation in preparation for the next people to arrive.

More than 1,000 people from 25 different countries have signed up. Once 5,000 members have joined, democracy will swing into action to decide how the island is run.

Ben has made a deal with Fijian chief Tai Mali for the tribe to use the uninhabited island for a year. How long individuals spend there depends on the amount of money they hand over.

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