‘Survivorman’ Les Stroud Giving Up Famed Discovery Channel Television Series
November 9, 2008
Les Stroud, the famous wilderness and hard-knock survivor, will be giving up his popular Discovery Channel series ‘Survivorman.’ The last episodes are currently being filmed in Papua, New Guinea, then Les will be off to bigger and brighter things.
Les Stroud is leaving the highly popular series because he says that a person can only go without eating for a week at a time, a limited number of times, before it begins to wear on you. I can understand that. At the same time, with the success of his latest Discovery Channel series, Les Stroud is working towards something even bigger than ‘Survivorman’.
From the Hiker Hell blog:
Stroud recently released the book, “Survive – Essential Skills and Tactics to Get You Out of Anywhere – Alive!.” Stroud is also planning a new TV series where he would follow in the footsteps of famous explorers.
Les Stroud is noted for being dumped in the middle of nowhere, coming up with an impromptu survivor plan, then finding his way out of harms way for a week at a time. This experience, teamed up with his vast knowledge of survival techniques, should allow Les Stroud to make any future expeditions an exiting adventure. It is not known if his new project will be made for Discovery Channel, or if another media outlet is on the horizon. Wherever it goes, it should bring more “Les Stroud” mania to the media.
For the past couple of years, Les Stroud’s ‘Survivorman” has been competing with another Discovery Channel reality-based survival program, Man vs. Wild, hosted by Bear Grylls. I have covered some of Bear’s exploits, including his famous outing by media for tricking the viewers into believing that everything he does is real. During this time, Les Stroud came out and said that his program is/was the real deal. This ignited some debate between the two survival aficianados. Even to this day, Les Stroud is vehement about saying that what he does is the real thing, while also getting one last smack down on Bear Grylls.
As quoted from a Reuters Newswire piece:
It takes a lot out of me as I really do what I do for real, with no camera crew, no nights in hotels like others do and it takes a toll on my body,
Of course Stroud is alluding to Bear Grylls.
It will be interesting to see what turns this takes in the months ahead. From the single line about him doing a new series involving folowing the fotsteps of famous explorers, you can bet that his newest program will be as exciting, or more so, than “Survivorman”.
Alright readers- Let the Bear Grylls vs. Les Stroud conversations begin. We have been through this before at The Adventurist and wouldn’t expect anything less. Which survivor is your favorite? Les Stroud or Bear Grylls? Will Les’ next series be as good as his first? What will you miss most about ‘Survivorman”? Any messages of encouragement to Les Stroud? Who knows, he may just read this site..
From The Adventurist Vault:
Written by Jason A. Hendricks · Filed Under Survivorman |
What a sad day it is! No doubt that Survivorman will be missed. Les is awesome, and will forever be the ultimate survival show. Bear is great to watch when I want a laugh, Les is great to watch when I want reality. Long live Les and Survivorman.
Sad to see him end Survivorman, but I’m sure his next series will be great. Outdoors mixed with history- right up my alley!
[...] ‘Survivorman’ Les Stroud Giving Up Famed Discovery Channel … [...]
I can appreciate Les’ desire to not suffer so much anymore. I will miss the show and wish him the best of luck. Thanks for the great run Les!
My friends and I were just discussing what Les should do next. The idea of doing shows on great wilderness/explorers came up with names like Will Steger and Dick Proenneke. I await with great expectations to the new show.
les, you are so freakin awesome. im goin to miss the show, dude you have been an inspiration to me and it sucks that you are leavin but you got to do what you gotta do. be safe and be carefull you hear
I will miss the show, I have watched all the far off places
Good Luck to Les in the future.
Les has been and then watch the repeats over again. I think Les is one great Canadian. If it means his health at steak,
well he has to give it up.
He has the best show on the tube…He Is Real….
I dig everything about Les.At a younger age I was an avid outdoors person.Not able to keep up with that lifestyle I live vicariously through these types of show.No disrespect to the other shows but I think that Les is the real deal.I’m also a lifetime musician and I would really like to jam with Les.You blow a mean harpoon brother!
i LIKE Les Stroud a lot too, I enjoy both shows, and have heard that Bear Grylls sometimes fakes it or has a crew standing by. But think about it? With his crew in tow, do you think THEY are going to eat fish eyeballs, maggots and berries? No, they obviously have Craft Service at the ready, while Les relies on himself. I have learned great techniques from both men, and it’s only meant to be training guide and things to learn to help you survive. It shouldn’t matter if one guy has a crew, it’s the lesson we are trying to learn. But I love Les’ charm and his harmonica playing, hands down, the guy is unique. I wish him well, and will miss his show.
I saw Les at a local venu, he talked for about 90 minutes
I will miss seeing new shows but he needs to do whats bestt for him.
So lets break out the dvd’s and keep on watching
I am sorry to see SURVIVORMAN going off TV. I look so forward to watching his adventures and view them over and over again. I hope he is going to start something new. Everyone I speak to about him giving up SURVIVORMAN is quite disappointed. Good Luck to you Les. I’ll be looking for your new show.
Thanks you.
I just watched the last show of survivor man , and I’m sad that it’s over for now.
But I have got so much good info from les.
And if he wants to do something new I’m all for it. I just hope he films it!!!
Some day I will be as good as Mr. Stroud!
The rumor is that Les Stroud will be filming a new series for Discovery Channel. The new series will focus on Les Stroud following famous explorer;s Expeditions. He will be throwing in some history, while also showing us what it was like when these explorers first began their adventures. I am looking forward to seeing how this will play out. I think it is an interesting concept.
we miss having you at discovery channel . however; we are looking forward for your new discovery .we can ‘t wait to see your new project !!!!!.you are real suvivorman. we injoyed so much your show. good luck to you. !!!!! we wish the best this coming year. we hope will you soon!!! next show.
having you at the show i learn so much you are the real thing . every friday at 9:00pm habit for me click my remote control just to watch suvivorman show. iam so dispointed not having the show.however; you got to do what best for you. good luck to you bud!!!!! YOU WILL BE MISS.AND IAM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE YOUR NEW ADVENTURE.
It’s funny that some commenters here think they’re actually writing to Les Stroud!
I’ll miss you too, Les! I love your work in the Spot personal locator beacon ads, though!
Believe me, Les knows what’s being said here and elsewhere. Discovery Channel and SPOT are both aware of what’s going on here, too. Never underestimate the power of the internet. Just because they are bigger than life on TV, doesn’t make them any less of a normal person in real life. This site is ranked really well in Google, so I know they are all aware.
I just wish him the best and hope that his latest project will be even better than Survivorman!
Jason A. Hendricks
The Adventurist
Les, as far as I am concerned. You are the real deal. If Bear had to do what you have done and tape his own shows, he wouldn’t last long. Les is heads and shoulders above Bear. Going to be sorry to see him go. But, I wish him and his family the best. One hell of an entertainer and adnebturist. You will be missed.
+1 I will miss Les’s show and will probably seek dvd’s of the past seasons to get my fix( avail on his blog site). Without getting involved in the teenage argument “my survivorman is better than your survivorman”: I much prefered Les and hand him kudos for “entrepenuering” his show. Hope to see him and his harmonica soon, back on Discovery.
Anyway goodluck Les! Enjoyed it : Get yourself a steak somewhere huh?
I will definetly miss Survivor Man but i understand how it would wear down on him. Its sad to see him go after seeing like every Survivor Man show. I know Les does work A LOT harder than bear filming his own show and climbing and hiking back to get his camaras. I hope to grow up to try to be a perfesional survivor just like les.
Good luck Les! And we will all miss u!!
I just love les stroud and will miss survivor man, i like man vs wild but it is no contest between the the two. les does it all. i would like to see bear go it alone butalone but then maybe then that is what makes les so entertaining , I hope he comes back with another show that will blow us away, your fans await you. Linda
It looks like Les has quite a few fans running around. It will be interesting to see how his new show will take shape. I have not heard any specific dates for a launch, so it may hold off till fall or even 2010. Anybody know?
I too love survivorman, I am deffinetly upset that the this was the last season. I didn’t even realize it till a week ago. I’m not really an outdoor person, but the info he has to share is deffinetly usefull because you never know when you’ll be in a survivor situation. But moreso I like Les for who he is, an individual, a visionary. He’s a self made man.
I recently watched his “Snowshoes and Solitude” with him an his wife on there honeymoon year of marriage lived in northern Canada for a year living off the land.
Which was made years ago before Discovery channel even heard the name Les stroud. This was made back when Les had a full head of hair LOL so it’s been awhile. Before the money, before it was a good idea, before anyone gave a crap about em. That why his show is so special because it is hard on em, he’s gettin up there in age, but he stays in the woods because he loves it. He’s not maple sap for blood, birch bark for skin and the heart of a Lion, (Because it takes guts to sleep in africa with no protection) He’s the man
A sad day to see the end of Survivor Man . I always had to get my fix . Les is awesome as many have stated here and his show will be sadly missed. But I too can understand where hes coming from about the shows taking their toll on him. Its alot to just survive in many of the places he went . But then to lug 50 pounds of camera stuff around too? Brutal is a mild word. A guy can only eat so many Witchetty grubs and Yabbys and keep going so awesome. You will be missed alot Les. I hope for you the best on any endeavor you pursue.
I totally agree with everyone that Survivor Man will be missed. I can hardly wait until the new show comes out! I can’t believe it hasn’t been said yet, but I’m going to go ahead and say it, lol, “If Les wasn’t married, I would totally go after him!” He’s the real thing, a REAL man, and there’s not a lot of them around. Anyway, I wish you the best on your new show Les, and I’m sure it will be my favorite just like Survivor Man has been! Whatever you do, be careful. Lots of love!
I must admit that in the begining I liked Bear more. He had a good TV persona, had all these good “what if this happened” scenarios, where Les seemed kind of bummed out. The more I learned about and watched Les (not to mention the fact Bear didn’t really do alot of the “tough stuff”) I saw Les was giving an average Joe means of survival. While I may never be in some of the actual locations (tropical rain forests, African deserts), the skills and materials at hand were very down to earth and I could very easily do. Even though I have played harmonica for years, I now take one with me when out and about…simply because of Les Stroud.
My hubby and I will miss Survivor Man . We have watched it from day one and love to even watch the reruns. Les is a fantastic man. Good luck to him in his next adventure.
As for the “other” guy I don’t like him. I do not feel that I can relate to him.
I want to say , my Wife and I were so disappointed to hear that Les is no longer doing the show. We understand how it must take a toll on the body. We just want you to know Les, our hats are off to you and we hope you come out with something simular real soon. Your show is much better than the other persons show. We cant wait to see you in your next adventure, God speed!
les i know that its been tough but id still love to learn from you .insted of surviving alone just teach us how to survive make a show that teaches those of us that love the wild how to survive what to do how to make a snare,a shelter.what to eat how to do emergency first aid but u dont have to suffer alone its not nessasary. i need to learn these things because i feel that there will come a time that i can call back on my memories of (survivorman) and it will mean the diffrence of life and death. loosing you is a tough thing to deal with i felt that your show was teaching me things that i lost in my heritige with no way to regain that knoledge. please find a way to teach again
Oscar
Les spoke of his experiences over 4 years of ‘Survivorman’ at the end of his Papua, New Guinea show. He spoke about people sitting on the couch watching his show as entertainment or even a learning experience…..and he was fine with that. But he felt actually getting out there and experiencing these events first-hand was the best learning experience a person could have. He admitted to being a better person for having gone there. I agree with him 100%. Good luck Les.
Fantatic show .. great camera presence .. My daughter use to laugh at me for lighting our campfires with one match ,, or Les .. Then she saw that there are other crazy guys like me in the world. Hope to see you in the geat outdoors !
I will miss Les & Survivor man………Not to put anyone down…..but I leave the room when that annoying over-the-top British guy comes on (sheesh). My husband watches the British fellow mostly to get grossed out. Les is real, likeable, and seems like he lives like the rest of us. The other guy is okay if you really think you CAN be “special services” or whatever have you…..but for the “normal” outdoorsy person……………good information and a realistic approach are what you get from Les. I understand why he doesn’t want to put himself through the physical punishment anymore & respect whatever he has coming our way next. I love to cheer on a wonderful Canadian & super cool guy.
I miss less I enjoyed his lezsonks in what if. His approch was realistic, and just to see him happy over small things was always fun I do watch bear but in a survival situation hurling yourself off of clifts jumping in raging water is not a good way of doing it. You will put yourself a deaths door more quickly. Plus Les spends a week a bear runs it in a day or two. I like bear but face it if you don’t have a crew don’t do what he does follow Les slow steady. Do not take un needed risks. That is how to live my wife watches Les not crazy about Bear. I’d like to go out there with Les. Les we will miss you God bless and I will see you new show count on that.
I can’t quit watching Survivorman. Even though Les won’t be doing any more shows, I still watch! I have season 1 and season 3 on DVD! I’m searching for season 2. I’ve always loved roughing it while camping, but can’t do that anymore. But, I can travel with Les any time I want! Can’t wait to see what new show comes his way!