After suffering a small breakdown two years ago, Ben Fogle has warned that the UK is in danger of being ‘overwhelmed with noise, materialism and fear’.
Broadcaster and adventurer Ben Fogle has issued a stark warning as he considers leaving the UK behind. The 52-year-old, who shot to fame on the BBC reality programme Castaway 2000, said that “we’re all in danger of being overwhelmed”.
Since starring on the groundbreaking social experiment which placed 36 individuals on the isolated island of Taransay in the Western Isles as the new millennium dawned, Ben has presented numerous television programmes including Countryfile and Cash in the Attic.
After experiencing a “small breakdown” in 2023, Ben has reflected on the show – aimed to test whether participants could achieve self-sufficiency throughout the filming period – which thrust him into the limelight.
Two years ago, he become “overwhelmed” by the “noise and chaos” of social media platforms and he acknowledges feeling anxiety and nervousness for the “first time” in his life.
He now recognises that there is a “mental health epidemic” gripping the country but he also maintains that the “stigma” surrounding mental health remains, reports the Express.
Following the “wobble”, Ben will return to television screens as his documentary New Lives in the Wild continues. The programme demonstrates how “living off-grid” can assist individuals dealing with bereavement, financial difficulties, or their own mental wellbeing.
It was his work on the show which inspired Ben to sound the alarm about social media‘s impact. In conversation with Radio Times magazine, he warned: “We’re all in danger of being overwhelmed with noise, materialism and fear. Social media has become an avalanche of negativity, fuels hate, encourages constant comparison and adds to the cacophony.”
Despite being an early user of social media, Bed admits that he now spends much less time on online which has allowed him more opportunity to watch television or listen to podcasts.
He has even contemplated abandoning his life in Britain to pursue an off-grid existence.
He continued: “One day I’d like to find a little off-grid cabin of my own, perhaps somewhere in Norway or Sweden – an island in the Arctic Circle sounds nice – where I can disappear into nature.”
Ben envisions himself chopping and stacking firewood, taking bracing early-morning dips, and paddling in his Canadian canoe. He reckons this off-grid lifestyle would enable him to master new abilities such as “painting or boat-buidling”.
However, he acknowledges that his vision wouldn’t be complete without a canine companion. Ben’s cherished black Labrador Inca appeared alongside him on Castaway 2000, but the television personality faced the heartbreaking choice to have her euthanised in 2012.
He previously revealed he believes he “owes everything” to Inca. Writing in The Telegraph, Ben reflected: “Without Inca, I’m not sure how well I would have fared for the whole year. She was my reason – and excuse – to go off and explore the island; indeed, we rechristened one of the hills Inca Ra because she and I spent so much time there.
“Castaway thrust me into the public eye. Stripped of my anonymity, I suddenly became a household name, but not without Inca. While I never set out to create a career in the media, my time in the spotlight – and the addition of a cute puppy – undeniably helped cement my name in people’s minds. We were a team.”
Ben Fogle New Lives in the Wild returns tomorrow at 9pm on Channel 5.
