Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild

- Season 2

(2014)

Ben spends a week with US former businessman Colbert in his home state Georgia swampland 'jungle hut'. It's an austere life after he left finance and his marriage behind to live from the land and water. Ben couldn't get used to his vile diet and living conditions among dangerous critters and bugs, yet admires his spirit, zeal, dexterity and ingenious solutions. Colbert' sunny side shows fully when he gets a rare visit from his two teenage grandsons, as doting and adored, who prefer his pristine paradise over theme park holidays.

Ben journeys deep into the foothills of the Himalayas in India to meet Steve Lall and his family. Steve, a former fighter pilot, decided he could not live in an organised society, and turned his back on his privileged upbringing. In the remote mountain property Ben helps Steve chase off intruders, and finds out about the tough subsistence lifestyle in the mountain wilderness. Ben also helps plough the fields with a team of buffalo, tends to Steve's future grave plot, and meditates naked with him, enjoying the stunning vista.

Ben travels to a remote part of the Philippines to meet Neil, originally from the States. Here he meets Neil's family, living in a bamboo house on a hillside, where he helps kill a chicken and a pig, and learns about the school run - native transport style. Ben is intrigued to find out more about this complex man who gave up on the American Dream to live with his adopted family in a very alien culture.

Ben travels to Panama where he meets fellow Brits Ian Usher and Vanessa Anderson, his first British 'new lifers'. Vanessa and Ian recently met, and Vanessa moved from London to Bocas del Toro to join Ian in his small, off-grid Caribbean island home. Ben wants to know more about why Vanessa made this huge leap of faith. Ben also helps the new couple with projects around the island, and finds out more about how Ian came to be here. In 2008, following a difficult divorce, Ian listed his 'whole life' for sale on eBay, then set off on a two-year journey to achieve his ...