The Island with Bear Grylls

For the US version, see The Island (U.S. TV series).
The Island with Bear Grylls
Starring Bear Grylls
Narrated by Bear Grylls
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of series Regular series: 3 (1 upcoming)
Celebrity series: 1 (upcoming)
No. of episodes Regular series: 20 (as of 28 March 2016)
Celebrity series: 4 (upcoming)
Production
Executive producer(s) Bear Grylls
Ben Mitchell
Delbert Shoopman
Tim Whitwell
Location(s) Isla Gibraleón and Isla San Telmo, Pearl Islands, Panama
Running time 60 minutes (inc. adverts)
Production company(s) Shine Television
Bear Grylls Ventures
Release
Original network Channel 4
Original release 5 May 2014 (2014-05-05) – present
External links
Website

The Island with Bear Grylls is a British reality television series which premiered on Channel 4 on 5 May 2014. Two series have aired, in 2014 and 2015, and a third is currently in progress.[1] Narrated by Bear Grylls, it features participants placed on remote uninhabited Pacific islands as a test of their survival skills. They are left completely alone, filming themselves, and with only the clothes they were wearing and some basic tools and training.[2] Pitched as an assessment of the capabilities of British men in the 21st Century, the first series featured thirteen male participants. Following accusations of sexism, the second series used two islands, with 14 men on one, and 14 women on the other.

On 28 March 2016 on the same day as the series three premiere, Channel 4 announced that they are looking for people to apply for series 4 of "The Island" which will air in 2017.[3] A celebrity version is also planned as part of a charity campaign to be broadcast in October 2016.[4]

Premise

In promoting the first series, the show was pitched as a challenge for modern men to see if they can survive when marooned on a Pacific Island armed only with minimal tools and their own initiative.[5] According to Bear Grylls, masculinity is in crisis, and he is interested to see if men can survive stripped of the luxuries of 21st century living, and the show is therefore also a social experiment to see if man can recapture his primeval instincts.[6]

In the second series, following complaints about the absence of women in the first series, two groups, 14 men and 14 women, were left on two separate islands.[7][8] In the third series, two groups of eight men and eight women were left at opposite ends of the same island, with neither group knowing of the other's presence.[9]

For the first series, the participants had to survive for one month. For the second series, this was extended to six weeks.

Production

History

On 23 May 2014, it was announced that The Island has been recommissioned for a second series to air in 2015.[10] In the second series, the men and women were featured on separate episodes on consecutive nights each week.

Location

The first series was filmed on an uninhabited Pacific island, Isla Gibraleón, which is one of the Pearl Islands off the coast of Panama.[11] The island has an 8-kilometre (5.0-mile) coastline, 5 beaches, a mangrove swamp, and is covered with jungle. The mangrove swamp is located on the east coast of the island where the men were dropped off, and the main sandy beach is on the west coast where the men set camp.

The second series used two islands in the same archipelago, the women reusing the island from the first series, Isla Gibraleón, while the men were allocated Isla San Telmo. This series was filmed in the rainy season which presented additional challenges. Isla San Telmo was used In the third series.

Resources and training

According to Channel 4, an island that has the natural resources necessary for the men to survive a month was chosen. Additional yuca plants were planted in order to supplement the existing supply, extra animals indigenous to the islands such as caiman were also added, and a freshwater source was topped up before filming. The participants were given training about animals native to the island that are on the protected species list, and each received one day's survival training, including advice on how to catch and humanely kill caiman. The men were given machetes and knives, head torches, an initial one-day water supply, and an emergency medical kit. In addition, the participants had GPS spot trackers, and access to radio and satellite phone in case of emergency.[12] The second series participants were given two days survival training.

Controversy

Allegations of fakery

The press made claims about fakery in the show, that the water was supplied in the island by adding a rubber-lined pool and two caiman crocodiles were released on the island, and that some of the trained crew had experience of surviving in extreme environments in the wild.[13][14] Grylls however rejected the claims, and said that it was necessary to make sure that there would be just enough resources to sustain the participants, and that caiman crocodiles were added to the island so that if the men were to kill them, the natural eco system would not be damaged.[15]

Use of wildlife

The killing of the caiman sparked a number of complaints to Ofcom.[16] A spokesman for PETA said that it showed "a deep ignorance of who animals are and a callous disregard for life", and that the ones who caught and tied up the animal "should be prosecuted". Ofcom however judged that the show did not break the rules.[17]

In the second series, there were further criticisms after it was revealed that crocodile killed by the men was not a caiman but a protected species American crocodile.[18] Channel 4 apologised for the error and said: "The relevant national environment agency are aware of the incident and have granted a licence to replace the animal which has now been done."[19] The second series elicited more than 600 complaints from viewers (450 to Channel 4, 185 to Ofcom), most of the complainants accused the show of "killing animals to boost ratings".[20]

Sexism claim

The first series was criticised as "sexist" by female survival experts for excluding women from the challenge. Lisa Fenton suggested that it was "sexism and it’s deeply rooted", and Ruth England expressed disappointment with Channel 4's decision as it "perpetuates the myth that women need to be taken care of", while Sarah Outen criticized the "male-oriented bias with adventure TV programmes".[21] In response, Bear Grylls denied that the show was sexist, and said that the series was intended as a study of masculinity of modern man and their struggles.[22] He then indicated an interest in doing an all-women version and that he "can't wait to do modern women's struggles."[23] In subsequent series women were chosen as participants.

Reception

Reviews

Grace Dent of The Independent thought the show is interesting television as it is "an attempt to form a show around utterly normal, non-fame hungry, not particularly pretty, non-celeb males", but found the first episode to be "an hour of rather plotless bumbling and twig friction."[24] Euan Ferguson of The Observer expressed concern about the "producer selection" of mollycoddled males who might fail to cope with the wilds of the island, but thought that the participants might "make a fist of surviving, and confound a few lazy stereotypes", and that he was "semi-hooked".[25] Christopher Stevens of the Daily Mail thought that the series showed that "survival is a tough business when you’ve only got your wits and a sharpened stick to depend on."[26]

In the second series, Charlotte Runcie of The Daily Telegraph thought that watching people learning to "cooperate in extreme situations is always strangely compelling",[27] although Rupert Hawksley of the same paper felt that the second series, despite the presence of women, was "every bit as sexist" as the first series.[28] The participants' struggle with survival prompted joking references to Lord of the Flies.[29][30]

Awards and nominations

The first series was nominated in the Reality & Constructed Factual category in the 2015 British Academy Television Awards and won.[31]

Year Award Category Recipient Results Ref.
2015 RTS Programme Awards Popular, Factual and Features The Island With Bear Grylls Won [32]
BAFTA TV Awards Reality & Constructed Factual The Island With Bear Grylls Won [31]

Ratings

The first series had an average figure of 3.1 million viewers per episode.[33] The average viewing figure for the second series was 2.9 million.[34]

Participants

For the first series, one of the participants was a fully qualified doctor, three were trained cameramen and one a sound recordist, but all would live in exactly the same conditions as the rest.

Within a day of the request for participants for the second series, almost 40,000 people applied,[35] and over 80,000 applied in total.[7] 135,000 people applied to be in the third series of the show.[36]

Participants on the show are as follows:[37]

Series Male participants Female participants
Name Age Occupation Name Age Occupation
1 Chris 60 Dental Business Consultant N/A
Craig 26 Leakage Engineer
Dan 36 Cameraman
Dean 25 Hairdresser
Joe 23 Carpenter
Kiff 53 Sound Recordist
Matt 43 Documentary Film Maker
Mike 37 IT Trainer
Rupert 43 TV Director
Ryan 21 Call Centre Operator
Sackie 28 Actor and Writer
Sam 33 Neurologist
Tony 70 Retired Police Chief Inspector
2 Andy 51 Builder Abby 48 Spa manager
Barney 30 Paramedic Beki 29 Camerawoman
Charlie 33 Farmer Belinda 32 Doctor
Daniel 29 Project Engineer Beth 30 Potter
Joe 22 Graphic Designer Chavala 29 Psychotherapist
Kyle 28 not stated Fi 58 Camerawoman
Paul 36 Building Contracts Manager Fran 24 PHD Student
Philip 58 Car Buyer Georgie 46 Camerawoman
Piers 28 Doctor Georgina 34 Camerawoman
Ross 34 Director and Producer Jaime 30 Beauty Salon Owner
Sam F 37 Reporter, Director and Producer Jayde 25 Hairdresser
Sam B 30 Director and Producer Julie 55 Retired Foster Carer
Vic 47 Cleaning Facilities Manager Kate 34 Furniture Maker
Will not stated Cameraman Lauren 25 Nurse
3 Ben 32 Cameraman Alice 26 Doctor
Chris 54 Entrepreneur Cassie 59 Camerawoman
Daniel Quemby[38] 41 Doctor Erika Roe[39] 57 Farmer
Elliot 26 Chef Hannah Campbell [40] 31 Former Corporal
Patrick 19 Student Roz 33 Plumber
Riz 26 Phone Shop Owner Sarah 30 Camerawoman
Rob 36 Cameraman Shaney 25 Accountant
Simon 35 Insurance Salesman Tilly 28 Barmaid
Zoe* Camerawoman

Episodes

Episode viewing figures below from BARB but do not include Channel 4 +1.[41]

Series 1

The first series was first broadcast on Monday nights.

Episode Airdate Total viewers
(millions) 		Weekly ranking
(for Channel 4)
1 5 May 2014 2.74 3
2 12 May 2014 2.69 2
3 19 May 2014 2.90 2
4 26 May 2014 2.36 1
5 2 June 2014 2.48 1
6 1.66 5

Series 2

For the second series, two episodes were broadcast each week - a Wednesday episode focused on the men's island, while the Thursday episode was for the women. Due to the United Kingdom general election on 7 May 2015, only the women's episode was shown that week, and the men's episode was pushed back a week. A final special episode, Surviving the Island, followed on 21 May.

Episode Airdate Total viewers
(millions) 		Weekly ranking
(for Channel 4)
1 8 April 2015 2.28 4
2 9 April 2015 2.67 3
3 15 April 2015 3.02 3
4 16 April 2015 3.18 2
5 22 April 2015 2.86 3
6 23 April 2015 3.11 2
7 29 April 2015 2.90 2
8 30 April 2015 2.68 3
9 6 May 2015 2.95 3
10 13 May 2015 3.08 1
11 14 May 2015 3.01 2
12 20 May 2015 2.80 1
Surviving
the Island 		21 May 2015 1.99 4

Series 3

The third series was broadcast on Monday nights, a return to the scheduling of the first series.

Episode Airdate Total viewers
(millions) 		Weekly ranking
(for Channel 4)
1 28 March 2016 3.33 2
2 4 April 2016 2.93 3
3 11 April 2016 2.90 2
4 18 April 2016 2.72 2
5 25 April 2016 TBC TBC
5 2 May 2016 TBC TBC
6 3 May 2016 TBC TBC

Series 4

Episode Airdate Total viewers
(millions) 		Weekly ranking
(for Channel 4)
1 2017

Celebrity The Island with Bear Grylls

At the end of the third series a celebrity series was confirmed and is set to air in October 2016 in aid of Cancer Research UK’s Stand Up to Cancer campaign. The first series will consist of four 60 minutes episodes, the series will see 10 celebrities live on the island for 2 weeks.

Episodes

Episode Airdate Total viewers
(millions) 		Weekly ranking
(for Channel 4)
1 October 2016
2 October 2016
3 October 2016
4 October 2016

Celebrities

The ten confirmed celebrities participating on the series are:[42]

Name Known for
Aston Merrygold
Dr. Dawn Harper
Dom Joly
Josie Long
Karen Danczuk
Lydia Bright
Mark Jenkins
Ollie Locke
Thom Evans
Zöe Salmon

US version

The American version of the show was announced on 28 January 2015,[43] and it premiered on 25 May 2015 on NBC.[44]

References

  1. ↑ Neela Debnath (14 May 2015). "The Island with Bear Grylls recommissioned for third series". Daily Express.
  2. ↑ "Bear Grylls: 'There's nothing fake about The Island'". Daily Telegraph. 19 May 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  3. ↑ http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/island-Bear-Grylls-apply-series/story-29007088-detail/story.html
  4. ↑ Emma Daly (3 May 2016). "Dom Joly, Zoe Salmon and Ollie Locke sign up for celebrity The Island with Bear Grylls". Radio Times.
  5. ↑ Tom Ward (12 May 2014). "Bear Grylls talks masculinity on The Island, flesh-eating killer crocodiles and Harry Styles’ survival skills". GQ.
  6. ↑ Sam Rowe (1 May 2014). "Bear Grylls: 'Men want to know if they have what it takes'". The Daily Telegraph.
  7. 1 2 Theo Merz (8 Apr 2015). "Bear Grylls’ island: are the women tougher than the men?". The Daily Telegraph.
  8. ↑ Tom Eames (1 September 2014). "The Island with Bear Grylls to feature men and women in two shows". Digital Sply.
  9. ↑ "The Island with Bear Grylls". All 4. Channel 4 Television. Archived from the original on 2016-03-21. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
  10. ↑ "Bear Grylls series The Island renewed by Channel 4". Digital Spy. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  11. ↑ "Mike Fletcher takes part in The Island with Bear Grylls reality TV show". York Press. 10 May 2014.
  12. ↑ "Terms of the Experiment". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 21 May 2014.
  13. ↑ Claire Carter (16 May 2014). "Bear Grylls survival show accused of 'fakery'". The Telegraph.
  14. ↑ "Bear Grylls and the survival show fakes: Four of his reality TV contestants are professionals". Daily Mail. 16 May 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  15. ↑ "The Island: Bear Grylls insists fake claims are untrue and says there is nothing set-up on survival series". Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  16. ↑ "Weekly Broadcast Report" (PDF). Ofcom.
  17. ↑ Dean Rousewell (2 June 2014). "The Island crocodile killing scene did not breach Ofcom rules - despite 93 complaints". Daily Mirror.
  18. ↑ Jess Denham (22 April 2015). "The Island with Bear Grylls under fire after male contestants kill and eat rare crocodile". The Independent.
  19. ↑ James Leyfield (22 April 2015). "Bear Grylls' The Island bosses apologise after hungry contestants hunt and eat PROTECTED American crocodile". Daily Mirror.
  20. ↑ Matilda Battersby (14 May 2015). "The Island with Bear Grylls: More than 600 complaints are made about animal killings". The Independent.
  21. ↑ Choloe Hamilton (21 April 2014). "Women take on Bear Grylls over 'sexist' male-only desert island show". The Independent.
  22. ↑ Catriona Wightman (3 May 2014). "The Island: Eight things we learned from Bear Grylls". Digital Spy.
  23. ↑ Jade Bremner (28 April 2014). "Bear Grylls: I want to do The Island with women". Radio Times.
  24. ↑ "Grace Dent on TV: The Island with Bear Grylls was full of plotless bumbling and twig friction". The Independent. 9 May 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  25. ↑ Euan Ferguson (10 May 2014). "The Island With Bear Grylls; Blurred Lines; Billy Connolly's Big Send Off; 24 – review". The Observer.
  26. ↑ "Oh no! Now even desert islands have elf 'n' safety jobsworths: Christopher Stevens reviews last night's TV". Daily Mail. 20 May 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  27. ↑ Charlotte Runcie (8 April 2015). "The Island with Bear Grylls, Channel 4, review: 'strangely compelling'". The Daily Telegraph.
  28. ↑ Rupert Hawksley (8 April 2015). "The Island with Bear Grylls is still sexist". The Daily Telegraph.
  29. ↑ Will Dean (8 April 2015). "The Island with Bear Grylls, TV review: They'd be better off with a spa weekend". The Independent.
  30. ↑ Sam Wollaston (9 April 2015). "The Island with Bear Grylls review – unlike the fire, the banter never dies". The Guardian.
  31. 1 2 Jess Denham (10 May 2015). "Baftas TV Awards 2015: Winners list in full - Marvellous and The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies win big as Cilla leaves empty-handed". The Independent.
  32. ↑ "Programme Awards 2013 - 2014: The Winners". Royal Television Society.
  33. ↑ Ed Frankl (5 June 2014). "Outrage over enema scene in Bear Grylls reality show". Evening Standard.
  34. ↑ Mayer Nissim (15 May 2015). "The Island with Bear Grylls will return for a third series". Digital Spy.
  35. ↑ Danny Walker (4 June 2014). "The Island With Bear Grylls: Channel 4 claim almost 40,000 people have applied for second series". Daily Mirror.
  36. ↑ Alasdair Glennie (2 July 2015). "135,000 people apply to be cast away on next series of The Island". Guardian.
  37. ↑ "The Island with Bear Grylls - Profiles - Channel 4". Channel 4. Retrieved 2016-01-04.
  38. ↑ http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/Torbay-doctor-faces-scorpions-starvation-star/story-29007531-detail/story.html
  39. ↑ http://www.whatsontv.co.uk/tv-news/news/1980s-streaker-erica-roe-resurfaces-in-bear-grylls-channel-4-survival-show-the-island
  40. ↑ http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/local/northampton-mum-explains-why-she-had-to-leave-the-island-after-massive-storm-triggered-iraq-flashbacks-1-7317935
  41. ↑ "Viewing data Top 30s [select appropriate week]". BARB. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  42. ↑ http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-05-03/dom-joly-zoe-salmon-and-ollie-locke-sign-up-for-celebrity-the-island-with-bear-grylls
  43. ↑ Peter White (28 January 2015). "NBC orders The Island with Bear Grylls remake". Broadcast.
  44. ↑ Sara Bibel (28 April 2015). "NBC Reveals the Cast of New Reality Series 'The Island'". TV by the Numbers.

External links

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