Survival series Alone is airing now on Channel 4 – meet the contestants taking part!
In the remote wilderness of north-west Canada, eleven ordinary individuals will take on the ultimate test of survival in the first British version of the hit show.
They’ll be completely isolated and with no one else to rely on, each enduring the wilderness armed only with a few basic tools while recording their own adventure. The rules are clear-cut yet unyielding: the last person standing will claim the grand prize of £100,000.
Spanning from 19 to 58 years old, the contestants on Alone are not seasoned survivalists; they are everyday people seeking an extraordinary experience, each driven by unique motives that have led them to this pivotal moment.
Meet those taking part below…
Alone UK cast
Alan
Alan is a 43-year-old Forestry Manager and father of two from Birmingham. He is autistic and finds solace in nature through foraging and outdoor activities.
Alan says: “The only thing I’m worried about out there is procuring food. I’m not worried about the mental at all, maybe I should be.”
Elise
Elise is a 32-year-old PR Executive from London, is inspired by historical female explorers and embarks on expeditions following in their footsteps.
Elise says: “The competition for me is definitely with myself, because I don’t want to be in competition with the landscape and with nature. I want to be fully immersed in it, and I want to try and thrive and not just survive in it. For me it’s all about proving to myself that I can do it. So I’m not going to worry about what anyone else is doing, I’m not even thinking about the end because in my head there is so far to go until I even get there. Deep down I’d like to think that I do have what it takes to make it to the end.”
Eva
Eva is a 24-year-old (turned 25 during filming) NHS Project Manager from Leeds. She thrives in the outdoors and considers it her happy place, using outdoor pursuits to cope with stress and challenges.
Eva says: “I would definitely describe this as the maddest thing I’ve ever done. For me the exciting element is relying only on myself for absolutely everything and seeing how far my own resilience and my own skill set take me. Not being able to have instant contact with friends and families will be one of the biggest challenges mentally.”
Javed
Javed is a 58-year-old Business Coach and Mentor from Ripon who discovered his passion for outdoor adventure in adulthood. He now uses his love for extreme sports to mentor individuals from various backgrounds.
Javed says: “I am very happy in my own company a lot of the time but being alone for an hour is quite different to being alone for weeks. That’s part of the attraction of this kind of journey and this kind of experience. I am curious to see what that’s going to be like. And I am hoping with curiosity to know what day two and day five and day 70 feels like. That will in itself be a real motivator for me.”
Kian
19-year-old Kian from London, the youngest participant, is a War Studies student and a self-confessed survival nerd. His immense passion for wilderness drives him to constantly research and learn about survival.
Kian says: “I cannot describe how huge and how crazy this challenge is. I could go 30 years on this planet and this would be the most interesting and most amazing thing I ever do and I’m having to grapple with that now at the age of 19. It’s very, very exciting and very, very scary.”
Laura
Laura is a 40-year-old Entrepreneur from Lincolnshire who traded her lavish lifestyle for a life of outdoor adventures, including rowing across the Atlantic.
Laura says: “I’m desperate to get out and connect with nature, and be away from the noise of digital and other people and to go really, really deep and see what I’m capable of.”
Louie
Louie is a 28-year-old Builder from Wallasey who has dreamed of taking on this ultimate test of survival.
Louie says: “I think this challenge I’m about to do will test every ounce of grit, determination, intelligence, and common sense. This is the ultimate challenge for anyone, and I just hope I’m ready for it. For me, this is 100% a mind game. The physical bits can help me through it, but when push comes to shove, this is a mental challenge, and I’m really ready to see what I’m actually made of.”
Mike
Mike is a 49-year-old Joiner and master craftsman from Manchester, is a self-taught bushcraft expert who turned his life around after overcoming drug addiction in the 80s.
Mike says: “I think the time alone will be a good thing, just to evaluate life but I’m just going in with the thought that it’s going be extremely difficult and painful, and anything other than that is a bonus. When I think about the challenge, mostly I feel excited, a little bit nervous, a little bit anxious. But the overall feeling is excitement.”
Naomi
Naomi is a 26-year-old Clothing Designer from London who grew up in Coastal Wales, fostering a love for the outdoors and bushcraft. As a young mother, she is determined to infuse her family’s life with adventure.
Naomi says: “This challenge particularly is going to be huge for me. I am always with people, whether it be friends, partners, family. I’m surrounded by people every day. And so the main challenge for me is going to be the social aspect. To be completely on my own is not something I’m used to. It will be really interesting to see how I do, just completely alone. I’m terrified about being on my own. But having that feeling is exactly why I need to be doing it. If I was comfortable with being on my own, I wouldn’t be here. The fear is what’s pushing me to do it.”
Pip
Pip is a 47-year-old Wild Swimming Coach from Aberdeenshire, Scotland. She is a former Army Officer and the first female Army Commando. She now supports others through outdoor-based activities.
Pip says: “I’m curious about the environment, I love discovering things, so I go into everything with an open mind. I have a baseline of skills that will sustain me but I’m keen to explore them and develop them in any way possible. The immersive nature of the challenge is going to be something that’s not only super exciting but super scary too and we don’t normally put ourselves in those sorts of situations. We reach a point where we’re comfortable and life moseys along so to actually decide to put yourself into something like this is quite interesting. Hopefully my resilience levels will help me keep going.”
Tom
Tom is a 39-year-old Company Director from Portsmouth who has found solace in exploration and adventure, overcoming confidence issues from his difficult school experiences.
Tom says: “I’m not really in it for the prize money. It’s proving to myself that I do have the resilience that I think I perhaps do. I’ve a lot to prove to my family. I’m most looking forward to really slowing down, and feeling at one and at peace with my environment. It’s a unique opportunity to live simply, not worrying about bills, and organising work. My job will just simply be to shelter, water, fire, food and look after myself, and to live on that real kind of simplistic level is really exciting to me.”
Alone airs on Channel 4 on Sunday nights at 9PM.
