British news and television audiences will quickly recognize Ben Fogle for his tremendous contribution as a broadcaster, writer, and adventurer. Fogle has been a presenter on several top British channels, including ITV, BBC, Discovery, Channel 5, National Geographic, and Sky. His contributions have not gone unnoticed, having received several honors in the UK and overseas.
In the past decade, Ben Fogle has had an increased following on social media, following his work as an adventurer and environmentalist. Fogle’s career spans over two decades, with no signs of the presenter and writer stopping soon. For admirers of his works and projects, these are 10 things you probably didn’t know about Ben Fogle.
1. Ben Fogle Is The Son Of Actress Julia Foster
Fogle was born Benjamin Myer Fogle in Westminster, London, England, on November 3, 1973. He was born to former actress Julia Foster, known for her works from the early 1960s to 1980s. Foster also appeared in several productions in her later years. Ben Fogle’s father is Canadian veterinarian Bruce Fogle. Although a Canadian by birth, Bruce Fogle has lived and worked in London for most of his life. Bruce Fogle is Julia Foster’s second husband, having divorced English former musician and television presenter Lionel Morton.
2. He Began His Life As An Adventurer At An Early Age
While most people pick up exploration and adventure later in life, people like Ben Fogle have always had an innate fascination with the world. When he was younger, Fogle took a gap year to travel to Ecuador in South America. He spent the year teaching English in a local orphanage. Unsurprisingly, he fell in love with the continent and chose to take an additional year touring Central America. Before returning to London, Ben Fogle worked on a turtle conservation project in Honduras and Nicaragua.
3. Ben Fogle Has A Degree In Latin America Studies
Ben Fogle is an alum of the University of Portsmouth and the University of Costa Rica. His love and fascination for Latin America led him to enroll and study the course at the University of Portsmouth. However, for an in-depth, practical appreciation of the discipline, Fogle transferred to the University of Costa Rica for a year.
4. He Served In The Royal Naval Reserve
Ben Fogle has always had a sense of pride as an Englishman and for his country. While at the university, Fogle was a University Royal Naval Unit (URNU) member. He later became a Midshipman (the lowest rank in the Royal Navy) in the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR). During his time with the RNR, Fogle helped deliver aid to war-torn Croatia and Bosnia at the time. Ben Fogle served on HMS Blazer, which was used by the Southampton University Royal Naval Unit (SURNU) and Portsmouth University Royal Naval Unit as an officer cadet training with Britannia Royal Naval College, VVIP visits, and security patrols.
5. Ben Fogle’s Television Debut Was In 2000
Ben Fogle’s first step into stardom began in 2000 when he was one of thirty-six participants on BBC One’s reality television show Castaway 2000. The show’s premise followed the participants, who were required to build a community on Taransay, a Scottish island. Castaway 2000 was an instant hit with viewers, helping to put Fogle in the spotlight. Although the series did not fare well in the end, it helped give Ben Fogle the needed fame that would act as a springboard for his television career.
6. He Has Participated In Several Sporting Events
Ben Fogle loves to lead an active life. This has seen him participate in several sporting tournaments for charity or as a competition. Fogle partnered with Olympic rower James Cracknell in the 2005–2006 Atlantic Rowing Race pairs division. The pair completed the 3,000-mile race in second place, with a crossing time of 49 days, 19 hours, 8 minutes. With teammates Ed Coats and James Cracknell, Fogle was part of the six teams participating in the inaugural Amundsen Omega 3 South Pole Race across the Antarctic Plateau.
Fogle has also participated in several marathon races in his lifetime. Fogle completed the six-day Marathon des Sables for the World Wide Fund for Nature 160-mile Sahara Desert cross. Ben Fogle also participated in and completed the London Marathon, Bupa Great North Run, and Royal Parks Half Marathon. He ran with Ryan Hockley, Longleat Safari Park keeper, for the Tusk Trust’s Safaricom Marathon in Kenya. Ben Fogle and James Cracknell have also cycled a rickshaw for 423 miles to help raise money and awareness for the SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association). Ben Fogle summited Mount Everest on May 16, 2018. His journey was documented in CNN’s film Our Mount Everest Challenge.
7. Ben Fogle Is A Published Author
Besides his work as a television presenter, Ben Fogle is famous as a writer. So far, Fogle has published ten books, with some bestsellers including The Teatime Islands (2004), Offshore (2006), The Race to the Pole (2009), and Labrador (2015). He also wrote Land Rover: The Story of the Car that Conquered the World (2016), English: A Story of Marmite, Queuing and Weather (2017), and Up (2018). Besides being a columnist for The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, Ben Fogle is a travel writer for The Independent, as well as a contributor to The New York Times, Glamour magazine, Evening Standard, and Sunday Times.
8. Ben Fogle Is A Renowned Activist
His passion as an environmentalist has not only brought him accolades but has also given him positions in several international environmental campaign organizations. Ben Fogle is a UN Patron of the Wilderness, an executive at the Campaign for National Parks, an ambassador for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Tusk, and a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Fogle is also a supporter and patron of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, the Royal Parks Foundation, the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, Prince’s Trust, Child Bereavement UK, and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.
9. He Was Modeled As A Waxwork By Madame Tussauds
In 2010, Madame Tussauds honored Ben Fogle with a modeled waxwork for his contribution to Earth’s conservation and preservation. Although his waxwork was ridiculed by many of his followers and family members, Fogle joins an exclusive list of personalities to be honored with modeled waxworks.
10. Ben Fogle Is A Husband And Father
Ben Fogle is married to Marina Hunt. The couple married on September 2, 2006, and have remained a couple ever since. His wife is the daughter of Monika and Jonathan Hunt. Her paternal grandfather is John Hunt, Baron Hunt of Fawley. Ben Fogle and Marina Hunt are parents to Ludovic Herbert Richard Fogle (born in 2009) and Iona Fogle (born in 2011). If you enjoyed reading about Ben Fogle, read here’s everything to know about Keir Starmer, the UK’s new Orime Minister.
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