Alone UK

I watched it and enjoyed it, in a not really paying attention, Sunday evening TV way.

It does seem funny to me that a lot of the people doing this kind of show seem to have no idea about any kind of basic survival skills - light a fire, erm....? Build a shelter.....nope. Find/catch food.....hmmmmmm.

If it was me, I'd try to learn as much as possible beforehand to equip myself with the knowledge I need - perhaps do one of those outdoor survival courses, learn how to light fires, make shelter, set traps/snares.

Also, while there seemed to be a lot of bear based jeopardy, I can't believe that Channel 4 can just dump these people in the middle of nowhere & put them at risk of being eaten by bears so it's hard to worry too much about the rustling in the bushes.

Would it be entertaining telly if it were folk that were good at this stuff?

Would it be entertaining telly if it were folk that were good at this stuff?

Or if they actually did get eaten by bears - I'm A Celebrity meets The Revenant

Channel 4 can just dump these people in the middle of nowhere & put them at risk of being eaten by bears so it’s hard to worry too much about the rustling in the bushes.

Well they have the bear spray and horn, plus the sat phone, which is the same as the US show. Not sure how far away the shows crew are, but from the satellite maps show of their locations they all seem a lot closer than in the US version, so is assume they're not too far away. No one's been attacked yet in the US show

They said they'd had 9 days training before hand, which with the US show involves camera/filming training , but the US show contestants are all pretty experienced outdoors people to start off with unlike the majority of this bunch.

Just noticed episode two is up on 4od so will give that a watch later and see...

I can’t believe that Channel 4 can just dump these people in the middle of nowhere & put them at risk of being eaten by bears

The risk is very low, but you can't rule out bears in tne Canadian woods. Editing will make it seem more dramatic anyway.

And the rustling might not be bears, might be mountain lions....

Would it be entertaining telly if it were folk that were good at this stuff?

For me yeh. That's why I watch the US one. It's interesting to see how they manage both physically and mentally with the isolation and their skills.

There was a programme a while back where some guy tried to do this, and was dumped by a lake in the wilderness of Canada, he was trying to survive off the land, but the authorities had basically said, there's nothing that we will allow you to kill and eat apart from (essentially) critters which are incredibly hard to catch. Anyway he went a bit mad with the solitude, caught a porcupine which then attracted every bear for hundreds of miles to his camp, ran out of "emergency" rations and called for help. The last scene was him in a hotel room eating a pound block of cheese and staring wild eyed into the camera.

Great telly

I can think of quite a few tory politicians who would be great for this show.  Drop them far out in the wilds and forget where you left them...

Although to be fair, we might need a vet on hand to help support the bears when they get severe indigestion.

tjagain

Would it be entertaining telly if it were folk that were good at this stuff?

I suppose it depends on the definition of entertaining. But yes, it would be quite good to see a program where these people can effectively look after themselves.

As an aside, there is a short haired blonde woman on the show - Laura.
Co-incidentally, I follow her channel on YouTube and have been for the last couple of years. Her channel is Laura Try & she does fitness challenges & stuff. It was quite a surprise to see her doing this.

Funny you mention Laura Try, one of her videos came up in my YT feed the other day. She wason a survival training course on some tropical island. Had 'her' cameraman with her. I didn't actually watch it past the first minute or two,so can comment further

I've watched a fair few Laura Try YouTube videos over the past few years. Didn't watch alone last night tho. I might catch up with it at some point.

Just watched episode two and it's putting them across a lot better and more enjoyable to watch and see how they're managing rather than the drama. Another two tapped, so that's 3 in the first 8 days.

Not sure why you'd go on a long term bushcrafty survival challenge in rough woodland wearing lycra leggings? They're obviously not fairing to well 🤣

And the rustling might not be bears, might be mountain lions….

As a general rule predators don't stumble around in the undergrowth being noisy when they are stalking their dinner. My money is on it being a blackbird, which make more noise in the undergrowth than anything apart from a MTBer looking for a lost contact lens. 😀

They should get the Primitive Technology guy on there - he’d have reached the Industrial Revolution by tea time.

Just watching the 2nd one now. Much better than the first.

Are they really in bear country? Or are they just telling them that. It would be beyond irresponsible to dump someone without appropriate skills training and the necessary firearms alone in bear country and I can't believe for a second the local authorities would allow it if there was a real danger of being attacked.
I'll have to watch it.

People camp, hike, bike as well as live live in 'bear country' all the time in Canada and the US, as well as other countries, it's where they live 😁 Also wolves and mountain lion.

Talking of which, I see Hank the Tank and his mates have been causing upset again...
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/07/five-hundred-pound-bear-hank-tank-caught#Echobox=1691474578

Exactly!

First night in a BC backcountry campsite - "Did you see that grizzly and cub walk through last night?"

Surprised no mentions of that other feared predator up there - mozzies!

in bear country

That would be the whole of Canada, and most (if not all without looking) the lower 48 states.

Not only was I allowed to go mountain biking in an area that probably had more bears in it than humans, when I told a cop (and most locals) that I crossed paths with one, they pretty much collectively shrugged and said "Mleh, furry cows..."

I can’t believe for a second the local authorities would allow it if there was a real danger of being attacked.

There was a Flipboard article I looked at briefly earlier where a bloke was kipping in a hammock at a campsite and a bear bit his arm. They’re known for coming into people’s backyards, swimming pools, cars…

Not having wild predators bigger than a badger in this country, we’ve no idea just how blasé North American people are about these things. And as for trying to get close-up selfies with bears, moose, elk, etc, it’s a wonder the statistics for fatalities aren’t far higher than they are.

what a missed opportunity for loads of people with actual knowledge and skills

That's not what these shows are about.

I did find myself thinking I hope the bears do eat this bunch of numpties

This is what these shows are about.

what a missed opportunity for loads of people with actual knowledge and skills

That’s not what these shows are about.

But it is what the original Alone in the US is about, that's the reason I watch it.
It's not like Naked and Afraid or Bear Grylls stuff.

Lots of blurry camera work of animal tracks and moaning about bears... that won't come anyhwhere near due to all the moaning noises.

It's a no from me!

Bear attacks are not predictable…

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/grizzly-bear-attack-wyoming-shoshone-forest-split-second-reaction/

And the rustling might not be bears, might be mountain lions….

and as people like to say, “don’t worry about the bears, it’s the cougars that will kill you”

Are they really in bear country? Or are they just telling them that. It would be beyond irresponsible to dump someone without appropriate skills training and the necessary firearms alone in bear country

there’s a bear that wanders around my neighbourhood. they are everywhere in canada. once you reach the suburbs, at least.

And be aware of wolverines too.. I hear they can be quite uncouth.

I'm not belittling the risk of bears, I'm just kind of s****ing at the format of the TV show... I'm supprised one of them hasn't quit because they can't easily get a Starbucks or an Uber.

Well if the cliff hanger in episode two is to be believed one of them probably wishes they could call an Uber, or at least have a GPS app 🤣

"There was a Flipboard article I looked at briefly earlier where a bloke was kipping in a hammock at a campsite and a bear bit his arm. "

Yes. I seem to recall using a tent rather than just sleeping on the ground is one of the recommended precautions.

Sleeping in bear country always spooked me if I was on my own. Campsites have safety in numbers and often bear boxes.  In fact I would guess you are at greater risk of being killed by a car than a bear in the USA. This sort of thing posted by a guy on crazyguyonabike is luckily rare.

"At 1:30 AM I was awoken suddenly. I looked at my clock and wondered why I was wide awake. Squirrel was on alert. We soon heard a loud snort, an animal completely clearing it's lungs of air. I could tell it was at the top of the pit behind the tent, but I did not know what it was. I have heard deer make this sound before, just not this loud. Another loud snort and i could hear rocks falling down the pit and then the animal making its way down. I was still thinking this might be a moose until it was 10 feet from the tent, snorted, and gave two quick "woofs". Now I was scared! I gave my bear spray away to Stan and Sally thinking I would be OK the rest of the trip. The bear then charged the tent , came within a few feet and stopped. It continued to circle the tent and expel the air from its lungs. Eventually it wandered off, but I could still hear it snorting. Then it would run back and "woof". This went on for a good hour before it left. Needless to say Squirrel and I did not sleep the rest of the night."

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?page_id=81399

Currently watching episode 2 on 4⁷ and finding it interesting and funny.

Of all the entrants I know of Laura Try from her YouTube videos.

The young lad who quit because of the bear threat sums up inexperience and youth, I think?

The other entrants are also interesting, I don't know them.

I wonder how I would get on? I could probably build a shelter, use an ax and saw and I've watched Rambo and Predator a few times so hopefully I could recreate some of their accomplishments out in the field! 😉

I think going without sugary processed food for a day or 2 would be pretty difficult.

Well after typing that Laura just quit.

I didn't think she'd won from her recent YouTube videos. I thought she might of made it further tho.

Just watched Ep 3. Most of them have found something to eat beyond berries. I can imagine that the ones who haven't will be going home soon. I think my first priority would have been sorting out how to catch fish.

Ages ago there was a programme set in the UK with people trying to live off the land - what I remember thinking was that foraging is never going to be enough, and fishing is the only realistic option, given the lack of larger animals available for eating in these parts. A question did occur - if you catch a few fish, how do you save them for tomorrow's dinner? Bury them in an Icelandic stylee? Make a smoker? Or just guzzle them to store them in your tummy?

People often smoke the fish to keep, but there have been a couple in the US series who smoked and stored so much instead of eating it that they were removed for medical reasons due to being dangerously underweight despite having pounds of dried salmon hanging there. One guy in particular who's name I forget was seriously like some one from a ww11 concentration camp, it was shocking. They've been a lot stricter on that side of things since him I feel.

For me I think eat it while you've got it, as much as you can sensibly manage, and as soon as you get it. If you do get it lucky and get a real surplus then smoke it, or cache it in another way, though caches have a habit of being raided, even what seem like heavily fortified ones. One guy built a super high platform to store stuff and it still got raided by a wolverine iirc.

Anyway it's a lot more watchable after episode one which was dire.

Ages ago there was a programme set in the UK with people trying to live off the land

Surprised no mentions of that other feared predator up there – mozzies!

it's the black flies that got me very literally. Like unsporting mozzers, faster, meaner, bigger lumps and can bit you through wet fabric. Worst was when we were kipping in a shite lodge, only a 4 hr round trip from the nearest liquor shop so basically suburbia, with about a two mile walk up a track from where I had to park. Raining and no waterproof and trying to carry cans and bottles in disintegrating paper bags as the black flies feasted.

I lasted five minutes of episode one, which is about as long as I'd last in the actual wilds.

The original Alone is a great bit of Tv, these numpties and C4 have completely ruined the show.

Quite enjoying it four episodes in. Yes, it's all in the edit but at least there are no manufactured personality clashes between carefully selected narcissists. Curious about the lack of screen time for Javed so far - reckon he might be a dark horse. Never watched the US one but might give it a try.

Javed's turned out to be quite an accomplished ultra athlete eh?

Tom's had very little screen time too.

4OD has series 6-9 available to stream now. S6 is the first Arctic one.

@longdog , are all those on 4OD with UK contestants?

No, series 6-9 on 4OD is the US show. There was a UK experimental archeologist on one US series who was quite interesting, can't remember which series though.

The only one with all UK contestants is the current Ch4 one.

Surprised how long it took some of them to build a proper shelter. What were they doing for over a week before they got fed up of just tarp.

UK experimental archeologist on one US series who was quite interesting

Theresa?  I've met her a few times, she's quite entertaining in real life too, married to a cage fighter if I recall correctly.

She did Alone during the covid lockdowns when her other work dried up.  Also did a program called 'surviving the stone age'.  She has a few stories about the filming of both....

Yeh Theresa Kamper, was in season 8. IIRC she's from the SW, but living in the US now.

I've seen her in another experimental archeology programme in Europe, but can't remember what it was called.

Edit: must be the one you mentioned!

What's the longest anyone's lasted in the US version?

100 days but I think that was a season where the prize was for getting to 100days.

Normally it's last person standing, so as soon as the second to last taps out it's over. The winner doesn't have to stay longer than that. They don't know they've won until the crew show up and let them find out in a surprise. No one knows how many are left as the shows goes on, so they don't know that there are only Xno people left.

I know Javed through mutual friends but as an ultra-endurance athlete - gives you the mental capacity to deal with $hit happens, but not having to hunt and fish for food. I’m not sure many people could survive 15 days without substantial food.

Ok, 100 days really does require long term strategy, skills and stoicism - it isn't just a case of 'not starving for a bit longer than everybody else.'

Starving ability aside (most do deliberately fatten up in advance) it's clear that it's mental fortitude and ability to be totally alone and suffering that determines the winner, more so than bushcrafty/survival ability.

Plenty with fantastic skills and food in the belly just tap as they can't hack the isolation anymore.

Just listening to this:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0g8cjmj?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile
Excerpt: 'feeling around on the ground, first I felt my moustache and goatee, then I found one of my ears...'

Yeh, that was grim. Listened yesterday. No more spoilers!

If you liked that you'll love this one 🤣
https://podcasts.apple.com/ee/podcast/the-ballad-of-mount-doogie-dowler/id1583325095?i=1000543576821

Not sure which is worse/better in reality, but Doogie Dowler one is pretty bad!

Very good listen, wince inducing. I've been charged by a wild boar in NW China and also encountered wolves there but that's different level stuff... moral of both stories: never throw your mountain bike at a grizzly....

Today's episode (five) the best yet, great TV, but I do hope a certain contestant doesn't eventually win just by hanging out looking fey and doing bugger all, thereby expending fewer calories than <their> competitors....

I watched 20 minutes of tonight's episode, then had to go back to work. Did everyone get a huge folding saw in their kit?

They get to choose 10 items to aid their survival and most (if not all) choose a saw. From the US show:
https://theprepared.com/blog/alone-winner-gear-analysis/#:~:text=Water%20bottles%2C%20another%20popular%20item,1%25%20brought%20two%20additional%20tarps.

Just watched e5, as I said before it's the mental game that's gets most, as proved with the one doing best with food etc tapping. Plus another one who I thought had a much stronger reserve.

I know it's not good viewing, but you've got to give credit to anyone who can starve it out, it's not the easy way . I'm guessing who you mean by the fey one, but they've obviously put a lot of work into their home, which in itself makes staying easier and keeps them occupied.

That's unusual them being told how many are left. Doesn't happen in the US show. Some motivation for them others don't get.

So, who's applying for the next season?

Haha not me! To old, ill and injured for that fun.

Wasn't too bad in the end after a horrendous first episode, but very short compared to the US shows at only 32 days iirc. Only 6 episodes too as opposed to their 10.

I really wanted Alan or Louie to win. If Alan had Louie’s skills/luck on the food front, I think he would’ve won.

I was rooting for Alan and was surprised when Louie quit as he was the only seemingly managing to eat ok. But yeh if Alan had Louie's food...

Its not a  patch on Naked & Afraid

which is the funniest of all these shows

I wanted Alan to win purely because he was the only one who was honest and just said "I need the money to buy something nice for the kids."