Benedict Allen
Explorer & Anthropologist
Ben Fogle
The Accidental Adventurer
Since he first appeared on our screens in Castaway, Ben has rowed an ocean with James Cracknell, lived in Scott's hut and joined Prince William in Botswana. He has also driven in Peru with a tense Hugh Dennis. The self-styled Accidental Adventurer has one big ambition remaining - to swim the Atlantic.
Speaking Topics
- Energy & Sustainability
- High Performance
- Resilience
- Risk & Risk Management
JLA Agent - Andrew StoneyIt's hard to imagine that Ben fell into being an adventurer by accident. As he talks about his projects, what becomes clear is his passion and determination - as well as his boundless natural charm. He leaves you thinking that one day you might be able to row across the Atlantic yourself!
Biography
Ben first captured viewers’ hearts on the groundbreaking BBC millennium project Castaway, in which a very diverse group of volunteers spent a year marooned on the island of Taransay in the Outer Hebrides.
Ben has since led teams of would-be explorers on the journey of a lifetime for Extreme Dreams and Extreme Andes, testing each to the limit in some of the world’s harshest environments. His other TV credits range from Countryfile and Animal Park to films recording Prince William’s visit to Botswana, and a month spent in Scott’s hut in the Antarctic.
Ever one to take on a challenge, Ben famously teamed up with the double Olympic oarsman James Cracknell for the Woodvale Atlantic Rowing Race - crossing 2935 miles of dangerous water between San Sebastien and Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua. The film and book chronicling the adventure showed the pair’s physical and psychological trials as they battled hurricanes, the loss of their water maker, a capsize and sheer loneliness. They fought, wept, hallucinated, grew beards and nursed each others’ blisters, and still managed to set a British record.
The pair have since raced to the South Pole and ridden a rickshaw non-stop from Edinburgh to London. Despite James’s appalling accident in training for the duo’s attempt to cycle the length of the US, they undertook a trek across the so-called Empty Quarter, the world’s largest sand desert.
As well as newspaper and magazine columns, Ben has written 9 Sunday Times Best selling books and is the United Nations Patron of the Wilderness.
“Ben was the consummate professional.”
Ben was excellent at mixing and mingling with the guests especially as we did not accompany him. His speech to the audience was very good and very well received.
I would say that he did not necessarily follow the brief completely however he did do an excellent job on this.
Ben was very tired from just coming back from New York and this came across in a one to one situation with the committee pre press interviews and at times he was quite hard work at the table which did surprise me. Although when in media situations or on stage he was excellent.
Excellent. He was very positive and struck a good balance between storytelling and humour. Ben worked well for a global audience.
Thank you very much for attending this CIPS Annual Dinner, and giving a fantastic after-dinner speech. The feedback I've had has been superb. In fact, over the last 10 years my guests have always given me feedback, and I can – without exception – say I think you have outshone all previous speakers.
The feedback thus far received indicates the day was a huge success and this was overwhelmingly due to your participation.
Thank you once again for delivering not only an inspiring speech, but one that helps our managers recognise the value of perseverance and believing they can achieve difficult things. My sincerest thanks for this stimulating thinking.
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