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Ben Fogle has issued a stark warning that "we're all in danger of being overwhelmed" as he contemplates leaving the UK behind. The 52-year-old first shot to fame on the BBC reality programme Castaway 2000.

The groundbreaking show placed 36 individuals on the isolated Scottish island of Taransay as the new millennium dawned. The social experiment aimed to test whether participants could achieve self-sufficiency throughout the filming period.

Ben has subsequently presented numerous television programmes including Countryfile and Cash in the Attic.

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In 2023, he admits to experiencing a "small breakdown" after becoming "overwhelmed" by the "noise and chaos" of social media platforms. He acknowledges feeling anxiety and nervousness for the "first time" in his life.

This led Ben to declare there is a "mental health epidemic" gripping the country. Yet he maintains there remains a "stigma" surrounding conversations about mental health challenges, reports the Express.

Following his personal "wobble", Ben is now set to return to television screens with New Lives in the Wild. He explains the programme demonstrates how "living off-grid" can assist individuals dealing with bereavement, financial difficulties, or their own mental wellbeing.

This inspired Ben to sound the alarm about social media's impact. In conversation with Radio Times magazine, he warned: "We're all in danger of being overwhelmed with noise, materialism and fear. Social media has become an avalanche of negativity, fuels hate, encourages constant comparison and adds to the cacophony."

Ben admits that despite being an early user of social media, he now spends considerably less time on these platforms, allowing him more opportunity to watch television or listen to podcasts.

He even contemplates abandoning his life in Britain to pursue an off-grid existence.

He continued: "One day I'd like to find a little off-grid cabin of my own, perhaps somewhere in Norway or Sweden - an island in the Arctic Circle sounds nice - where I can disappear into nature."

Ben envisions himself chopping and stacking firewood, taking bracing early-morning dips, and paddling in his Canadian canoe. He reckons this off-grid lifestyle would enable him to master new abilities such as "painting or boat-buidling".

However, he acknowledges that his vision wouldn't be complete without a canine companion. Ben's cherished black Labrador Inca appeared alongside him on Castaway 2000, but the television personality faced the heartbreaking choice to have her euthanised in 2012.

He previously revealed he believes he "owes everything" to Inca. Writing in The Telegraph, Ben reflected: "Without Inca, I'm not sure how well I would have fared for the whole year. She was my reason - and excuse - to go off and explore the island; indeed, we rechristened one of the hills Inca Ra because she and I spent so much time there.

"Castaway thrust me into the public eye. Stripped of my anonymity, I suddenly became a household name, but not without Inca. While I never set out to create a career in the media, my time in the spotlight - and the addition of a cute puppy - undeniably helped cement my name in people's minds. We were a team."

Ben Fogle New Lives in the Wild returns tomorrow at 9pm on Channel 5