Described by the former Director General of the BBC Mark Thompson as being ‘part of the history of television,’ Benedict Allen pioneered the technique of filming expeditions without a TV crew. He is perhaps best well known for his arduous solo expeditions through the jungle, desert and Arctic - journeys achieved not with a satellite phone, GPS or any of the usual 'backup', but after months training with remote indigenous communities. These, and other ventures, are depicted in his thirteen books - including two Sunday Times bestsellers - and numerous television series for BBC 2, National Geographic, Channel 5 and The History Channel. Few people alive have spent so long isolated in so many different potentially hostile environments.
Benedict's latest book for children, Nine Times I Nearly Died, was published by Walker Books in June 2026.