Jay: We knew her during Scrapheap as Anne Saunders but she is here today as Anne Scrimshaw to talk to us and reminisce about the old days of Scrapheap. Anne, thanks for your time. I want to ask you about the pilot show. How did you get involved with it?

Anne: There aren't many women who started racing hovercraft at the age of 13, and have an Automotive Engineering degree...just me, I think, in England. So when  RDF approached the Hovercraft Club of Great Britain to see if they had any engineers in the club especially female ones, my name had to be on the list.

J:  Well, that would make total sense, indeed. Now, in the pilot, you wouldn't allow the hovercraft to operate. What was wrong with it to make you feel so strongly?

A: The pilot was very steep learning curve for RDF. I don't want to knock them because they are a great bunch of people, but they had never done anything like this before and really didn't have much of an idea about Engineering, and even less about hovercraft. They thought they could just get a bunch of people in a scrap yard and say build this and they would and could. It might have worked better if it had have been a proper scrap yard not some recycling plant, if the teams were better, or if the preproduction people had have done their homework better. It would take way too long to explain all the major difficulties with that build. The main reason why it didn't work was I refused to stand within a mile of the machine if it was started up. The engine frame was like cardboard, the duct was way wobberly, the guard was chicken wire and would not have stopped anything traveling at near the speed of sound (which the blades should have been).

J: You certainly had a LOT of reason for concern then. Much potential for disaster. Aside from your compatriots in Series 1 (Bowser and Major Dick), you have been on many shows. What did you think of your two teammates from Series 1?

A: I think they thought it would be really funny, I know lets put this young girl in charge of these two six foot plus blokes she's never met before. Surprisingly it worked, very democratically, which was a good comparison to the dictatorship the other side of the screen. Everyone had a really good time doing the first series, and it was a very happy and bizarre period in my life.

J: Have you kept in touch with your teammates?

A: Unfortunately I haven't heard from any of the others in the last year or two. Oh, I saw you were wondering where Kali was from; I suspect she may have been from Hong Kong or another planet.

J: Anything go horribly wrong or, for that matter, surprisingly right during those contests?

A: Constantly. Good- the catapult which had been pathetic all day suddenly, with another half or quarter turn of the rope, developed phenomenal speed. Bad - the gear box blowing on the tractor pull after it had gone brilliantly all day.

J: Yes, those are two classic episodes for sure! Of all of the shows you were a participant in, does any stand out as being your favorite?

A: The best build was the tractor puller; it just went really well. The best test day was probably the diving equipment; we were filming in the London Aquarium with huge conger eels, and if you look, Robert has his hands firmly clenched all the way through so no eel mistakes his fingers for lunch.

J: You made a brief return in Series 2 as a substitute for Babs after she hurt herself in the Mileage Marathon. Any hesitations on your part?

A: No Way. I'd been traveling round the world whilst the auditions for the 2nd series had been on, other wise I might have been in the Bodgers any way. It felt good to be back, but I tried to be in the background more, 'cos it was really Bowsers' show.

J: I did notice your "shrinking violet" act in that show, too bad the team hadn't won. Anyway, you have returned AGAIN, this time in Series 5 as an expert. Oddly enough, it was a hovercraft episode. What ws that like?

A: It was weird being the Judge/expert. It was good fun the night before meeting the teams and winding them up about their "Hairdressing Challenge" they were going to face, and I didn't have to worry about building anything, which I used to, lots, but I didn't have much to do all day so it got a bit boring.

J: Yes, it is a long day as other experts/judges have mentioned. Would you consider forming a team and trying out for another series?

A: I was wondering about trying to enter an all woman team, but I'm having problems find suitable people. I'm quite competitive, so it has to be a good team.

J: One final thing Anne, and we'll let you go...what are you doing these days?

A: At the moment I'm working for a University, building a new hovercraft, painting portraits and generally enjoying life.