A friend once asked me what qualities were needed for SAS. I would say to be self-motivated and resilient; to be calm, yet have the ability to smile when it is grim; to be unflappable, be able to react fast and to have an ‘improvise, adapt and overcome’ mentality.

The difference between ordinary and extra-ordinary is so often just simply that little word - extra.

The appeal of the wild for me is its unpredictability. You have to develop an awareness, react fast, be resourceful and come up with a plan and act on it.

I've seen extreme bravery from the least likely of people. Life is about the moments when it's all gone wrong. That's when we define ourselves.

I don't like expeditions where it is a total lottery whether you live or die. You have to keep those sort of good luck cards for rare occasions!

I think viewers quite like it when I'm suffering or eating or drinking something horrible or really up against it in some quicksand or whatever.

The rules of survival never change, whether you're in a desert or in an arena.