en Fogle says reality shows are not worth the fame.
The 46-year-old broadcaster and adventurer - who starred in BBC reality show \'Castaway 2000\' - has urged kids to steer away from reality TV shows, as he admitted he struggled to show there was more to him than the reality show.
He told the Daily Star newspaper: "It has taken 20 years to prove there is more substance than just a posh boy who was in a reality show. You lose your anonymity.
Ben Fogle Opens Up About Sudden Mental Health Breakdown
"You have fame. Just because you have been on TV does not mean you were good at anything. I struggled with that."
Ben suffered from a breakdown after struggling to deal with his reality TV fame after appearing on the BBC show and now, he hopes his experience will make kids understand what happens behind the scenes after a study revealed they aspire to become famous.
Ben said: "They want to be famous but with nothing to back it up. You can be famous for being a great scientist or a singer. But there needs to be substance to it."
Ben has taken it upon himself to show the industry what he is really made of.
The \'Countryfile\' star has gone on to climb Mount Everest over a six-week period in 2018, rowed across the Atlantic landing on Antigua in 2006, and he ran through the Sahara desert as part of the six-day Marathon des Sables for the World Wide Fund for Nature.
And he thanks his family for the work ethic that has helped him to succeed in his adventurous career working across the BBC, ITV and Channel 5.
He added: "The family motto is \'Do not live your life through a screen. Live it for bikes and hikes, not likes and swipes.\' "
16 January 2026 - 3:48 AM
