Maryville's Sara Burkett took her experiences from camping in East Tennessee with her when she participated on an episode of "Naked and Afraid."

They didn't prepare her, however, for the first twist the Discovery show threw at her. Once Burkett stepped foot on the show, she realized she would be surviving on a deserted island in Panama with another woman, Kate Wentworth.

Normally, "Naked and Afraid" teams up a man and a woman, who are naked and have never met before, and puts them in a harsh environment where they must survive for 21 days.

Burkett said she and Wentworth were shocked when they first met each other on the show.

"Well you mentally prepare for a male, and so when you see the female ... you're shocked," said Burkett. "You're happy in one instance but at the same time, you're nervous, so I mean my partner was awesome. I loved her."

Burkett's episode will feature her and Wentworth along with a team of two men on the same island. The pairs are three miles apart at the start of the episode, and it's possible they could meet up at some point during its two-hour duration.

It will air at 8 p.m. Sunday, March 10, on Discovery.

Why take part in 'Naked and Afraid?'

"Naked and Afraid's" premise doesn't sound all that enticing to many, but Burkett had a reason in mind for applying for the show.

"I'm always up for a challenge, and I've wanted to show my children basically that no matter what life throws at you that you can persevere and get over it, so just take your challenge head on," she said.

Burkett has also spent much of her life outdoors. While growing up in Maryville, she often went camping with her mother and learned survival skills.

She now goes camping with her husband and two sons Austyn, 13, and Bentley, 8, at Foothills Parkway, Cades Cove, Tremont and other areas.

"I'm constantly doing things outdoors. Nature inspires me," she said.

She ran on gravel to prepare for show

Burkett and her family's style of camping involves no tents, blankets or pillows.

She said they camp at the primitive level, where they build their own shelter and go back to the basics.

"You have to rely on your skills to keep you warm and dry ... it's takes you back to your basic level," said Burkett. "You don't have to worry about special gear. You become one with nature."

That form of camping helped her get ready for "Naked and Afraid" along with other preparations.

Burkett practiced her trapping and fire making skills. She also worked to build up her feet's resistance since she wouldn't have shoes on the show.

"I stopped wearing shoes. I ran on gravel. I just prepared my feet mainly," said Burkett.

'You get over the naked part really quick'

While she had some nerves about being naked and surviving with someone new, Burkett said survival quickly outweighed those qualms.

"I was scared. Like I said, very nervous, but you get over the naked part really quick," said Burkett. "You start focusing on everything you need to do for survival. It really doesn't bother you once you're out there."

Burkett had never been out of the United States before traveling to Panama in June 2018 for "Naked and Afraid."

She said she was there during the country's rainy season, and the weather proved to be one of the most difficult parts of the experience. Constant rain and high humidity made it difficult to make fires.

"I think the most challenging (part) would be when it's raining," said Burkett. "You're completely naked. It's a sensory overload ... probably the weather. You can't do much to escape it. And your feet. You're constantly hurting your feet."

Burkett's experience on "Naked and Afraid" caused her to grow and learn, too. She said she learned skills from Wentworth and realized she could handle the situation better than she thought.

She also gained more self-confidence.

"Well it just puts you out there and I mean cameras everywhere ... It makes you stop judging yourself and focus on other things," said Burkett.