''Unbreakable'' is a 2008

reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s ...

series presented by explorer

Benedict Allen Benedict Colin Allen FRGS (born 1 March 1960) is an English writer, explorer, traveller and filmmaker known for his technique of immersion among indigenous peoples from whom he acquires survival skills for hazardous journeys through unfamiliar ...

on UK's Channel 5, where eight volunteers undergo an onslaught of physical and mental pressure in a bid to be declared unbreakable. Filmed across four continents, Unbreakables takes eight super-fit members of the public on a punishing global trail to undergo a series of brutal challenges. In settings ranging from the Norwegian arctic to the Sahara Desert, the volunteers learned to survive in the world's harshest environments and endured difficult military training. They were bossed and cajoled by physical trainers and survival experts as they bid to outdo and outlast each other.

Contestants

{, class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! Name ! Occupation ! Hometown ! Unbreakable? , - , Frazer Herald , Ironman ,

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

, style="background:#7FFF00; color:#000000" , Unbreakable , - , Angus Morrison , Professional

Skier Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow for basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International ...

Lesmahagow Lesmahagow ( ; or ''Lesmahagae'', ) is a small town in the historic county of Lanarkshire on the edge of moorland, near Lanark in the central belt of Scotland. Lesmahagow was also a civil parish. It lies west of the M74 motorway, M74, and sout ...

, style="background:#7FFF00; color:#000000" , Unbreakable , - , Matthew Taylor , Gym instructor / Rugby player ,

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( , ; abbreviated Glos.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire ...

, style="background:#7FFF00; color:#000000" , Unbreakable , - , Barnaby Race , Musician / Long distance runner ,

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...

, style="background:#808080; color:#000000" , Broken (Week 8) , - , David Bain , Ex-professional boxer ,

Wolverhampton Wolverhampton ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands of England. Located around 12 miles (20 km) north of Birmingham, it forms the northwestern part of the West Midlands conurbation, with the towns of ...

, style="background:#808080; color:#000000" , Broken (Week 8) , - , Carla Terry , Personal Trainer ,

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

, style="background:#808080; color:#000000" , Broken (Week 5) , - , Heather Lyons , Bouncer / Martial arts champion ,

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

, style="background:#808080; color:#000000" , Broken (Week 2) , - , Nathan Roberts , Bodybuilder ,

Folkestone Folkestone ( ) is a coastal town on the English Channel, in Kent, south-east England. The town lies on the southern edge of the North Downs at a valley between two cliffs. It was an important harbour, shipping port, and fashionable coastal res ...

, style="background:#808080; color:#000000" , Broken (Week 1)

Episodes

Episode 1

The jungle of Guyana. They're spurred on by Mark Billingham, a jungle warfare instructor who served with the British SAS for 27 years. They also face challenges inspired by a tribe of former cannibals.

Episode 2

Norwegian School of Winter Warfare
in Norway. They are placed in the vicinity of a TNT explosion and forced to jump into an ice hole while still wearing their skis. During the nights they were required to dig a snow holes and sleep in them.

Episode 3

The Royal Navy. After a week's training in Portsmouth, they go aboard HMS Belfast on nearby Whale Island and face simulations of both a sinking under heavy gunfire and a terrifying helicopter crash. After disorientation and freezing temperatures, their final challenge is a two assault course challenge including the disassembling of a 1,250lb gun.

Episode 4

Sahara Desert. They find themselves at the mercy of The French Foreign Legion. Taking them into the Sahara, they subject them to a series of gruelling challenges, including being buried alive, a 10-kilometre camel race, and an exhausting run over the sand dunes while wearing stifling gas masks.

Episode 5

US Navy SEALs. They travel to Virginia to carry out "simulated" Navy SEAL training with some former US Navy SEALs, whose beach-based challenges from long beach runs to "surf torture" leave them physically and emotionally drained. After the first day, Carla suffers from dehydration and exhaustion, but must face her fear of water in a ''drownproofing'' challenge where the volunteers repeatedly sink in a pool with their ankles and wrists bound.

Episode 6

Everglades. They will be sharing the territory with two million alligators and 60 species of venomous snake, and perhaps most formidable of all, their Native American guide. “My name is not important to you,” he sneers. “But you will call me Teacher.” They have to cut open an alligator and remove its entrails with their bare hands. They canoe across alligator infested waters and wrestle alligators, and play a game of lacrosse.

Episode 7

South Africa. They are required to take on the might of highly trained Zulu warriors in a series of stick-fighting contests. However, before they are deemed worthy of battle, the contenders must first prove themselves by stealing honey from wild bees, and participate in a body cleansing ritual.

Episode 8

The unbreakables are handed over to The South African Elite Fighting Force, ex-special forces instructors who teach African armies the reality of warfare. The unbreakables are woken before dawn to find that Barnaby has vanished, but the unbreakables along with the South African elite forces find him, and he is told that he is broken. After David Bain has proven himself the strongest boxer among those remaining, he breaks while being buried alive, blaming it on his claustrophobia. Against all odds, the 3 remaining, Frasier, Angus and Matt manage to reach the finish and are considered 'Unbreakable'. Episode 8 was not available on Channel 5's Player due to copyright and contractual reasons.

External links

Series Director Leo McCrea's siteFi Ramsden's site
The doc.
Facebook page for David BainFacebook group for Unbreakable
2000s British reality television series 2008 British television series debuts 2008 British television series endings Channel 5 (British TV channel) original programming Television series by Warner Bros. Television Studios