“The only difference between ‘try’ and ‘triumph’ is varying degrees of ‘umph’”

I do see a lot of the hard end of ecology, and my feeling is that we live on a super-exciting planet but a super-fragile one.

Textbook survival says stay still, don’t take any chances, wait for rescue. That’s a boring TV show. My thing was always, “Listen, shoelace, dead squirrel and no other way down this rock face. You can do this!”

I grew up on survival shows and they were always just so…anoraky.

The truth is, I need 10 lifetimes to scratch the surface of the things I’d love to do.

Sometimes an ember is all we need.

Nothing inspires people more than reckless acts of courage.

Look, sometimes, no matter how hard you try, sometimes you need a bit of luck.

How you speak about others speaks loudest about yourself.

The hardest thing about my job isn’t the snake bites or the crocodiles, it’s being away from my children. I have a really religious satellite phone call every day back to the boys, wherever we are, whatever time zone, to say goodnight.

I said no to the Born Survivor producer three times because I’ve never aspired to be a TV man.

A wise man knows; learn from others, never get complacent and know where the classic old dangers come from.

Is your ego small enough, and your backbone strong enough, to raise others up high on your shoulders?

One thing I know for sure: it is only by doing what we fear that we can ever truly learn to be brave.

It is only when You really STEP OUT of Your comfort zone that You GROW.

My faith is an important part of my life and over the years I’ve learnt that it takes a proud man to say he doesn’t need anything. It has been a quiet strength and a backbone through a lot of difficult times.

The SAS Reserve tends to be made up of former paratroopers and commandos who still want a challenge, but it is open to civilians.