Benedict Allen

Described by the BBC’s Mark Thompson as being “Part of the history of television”, and by The Radio Times as “Britain’s most fearless man”, Benedict Allen is best known for being the first to record his arduous and treacherous exploits without a TV crew.

Benedict has been credited as the first TV adventurer. In 1992, Benedict began filming his expeditions through an innovation of the time, a hand-held video recorder. The novel idea allowed millions to finally witness the life of an explorer without the artifice of a larger crew, re-defining the landscape of TV itself.

His technique has been to sink into remote communities, placing himself in the hands and at the mercy of these people and their environment, learning to survive from them alone. By single-handedly capturing his experiences on film he has created groundbreaking, spontaneous and authentic programming. He now adapts his host of hair-raising tales to motivate and invigorate audiences.

“To me exploration isn’t about conquering natural obstacles, planting flags… It’s not about going where no one’s gone before in order to leave your mark, but about the opposite of that – about making yourself vulnerable, opening yourself up to whatever’s there and letting the place leave its mark on you.”

Contact Great British Speakers today to book explorer geographer TV broadcaster Benedict Allen for your next event.

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After Dinner Creativity, Change & Innovation Exploration & Military Leadership & Teamwork Motivational Nature & Wildlife Presenters Resilience Speaker Sustainability Sustainability Virtual Speakers

More About Benedict Allen

Benedict Allen attracted global media attention after his solo expedition to the heart of Papua New Guinea in 2017 encountered a string of devastating obstacles. Benedict’s aim had been to reach the remote Yaifo community, who befriended him when he made first “outside contact” with them as a very young man 30 years ago.

Having tackled the notorious Central Range, Benedict then found himself trapped in an area of forest where local communities were at war. Already suffering from both malaria and dengue fever, he then faced a series of freak storms. With no phone or GPS, it was only when he failed to attend a scheduled talk in Hong Kong that his disappearance sparked and international manhunt. Ultimately, he was extracted by helicopter.

Benedict is no stranger to touring UK theatres and sharing his exhilarating tales and his life as an explorer. He enjoys motivating audiences through his talks; he aspires to educate, entertain, and inspire through his personal anecdotes, comparing his own experiences of survival to the global ‘jungle’ we all inhabit in the office, marketplace, or global economy.

Themes Allen touches upon include how to respond in a crisis; the value of perseverance; the importance of adaptability; maintaining self-belief; creating an effective team; developing leadership capabilities; being able to listen to and learn from those around you.

In 2013 Benedict was included in the Daily Telegraph’s list of Britain’s “Great Explorers” – the only other living adventurer being Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

His presenting work includes the major eight-part reality epic Expedition Africa (2009) for the History Channel, Unbreakable (2008) for Channel Five, and Travellers’ Century (2008) for BBC4. His six BBC series include Skeleton Coast, Edge of Blue Heaven, Last of the Medicine Men and Ice Dogs. Recently, Benedict presented Adventures for Boys: The Lost World of Ryder Haggard and was an expert contributor for BBC2’s Extreme Dreams.

Benedict Allen Books

Benedict has written two bestsellers, his 10 books include The Faber Book of Exploration and Into the Abyss. He has written numerous articles for magazines and newspapers.

Benedict Allen Explorer adventurer motivational speaker at Great British Speakers

Benedict Allen Public Speaking

He is a hugely popular corporate motivational speaker.

Benedict inspires and invigorates a variety of audiences by skilfully translating his ‘against the odds’ survival for the global corporate ‘jungle’.

Benedict Allen has years of experience not just of facing adversity but around the world as a keynote speaker, team builder and motivator. Appearances might range from a light-hearted, after-dinner speech to a day of corporate team building, to a tailor-made workshop for chief executives.

Whether at a corporate event, in an educational setting, at a festival, or at a trade show, with key themes including endurance, self-belief, discipline and motivation, Benedict’s extensive knowledge, wide-ranging experiences and unwavering resolve are guaranteed to inspire and leave his audience thinking.

Benedict is a trustee and member of the council of the Royal Geographical Society.

See Benedict’s talk at Tedx Salford below: