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Original poster

Kevin Mcleods escape to the wild

102 replies

RaaRaaNoiseyLittleLion · 05/07/2015 20:02

Anyone just watched it and gone grrrrrr!

The useless bloke on there is being patted on the back for being adventurous and living his dream with his doey eyed wife at his side and all I'm thinking is what a deadbeat dad!

For those who haven't seen it its about a couple who live in very rural Scandinavia and 'brave' the wilderness frontier with their huskies.

So basically he F'd off to another country leaving two kids in the uk so he could follow his dream. He skypes them twice a week and he and his wife bang on about how his kids are his world and how much he misses them! I'm sitting here thinking not enough to contribute to their upbringing or regularly see them though!

If I was Kevin I'd be asking questions about honouring your responsibilies and not putting your own dream first but then I guess I'll never be a tv presenter!!

OP posts:
TealFanClub · 06/07/2015 11:04

Please you know twatty boris

SquirrelledAway · 06/07/2015 11:06

Oh, and dig a bit deeper and you'll find that Richard and Claire Rees have a UK business based in Wales that also offers a Swedish experience for people wanting to try an arctic adventure.

bushcraftcourses.co.uk/bushcraft.htm

Claire Harris (Rees) also has a Linked In profile that lists her as an owner of an outdoor company, Milestone Activities.

All very corporate.

I am getting the impression that this series is completely disingenuous and little more than free advertising ....

TealFanClub · 06/07/2015 11:08

Ooh I love an expose

netty7070 · 06/07/2015 11:09

The family living close to an active volcano REALLY annoyed me. There are plenty of stunningly beautiful places to live where you don't expose your children to such danger.

The family in the very dangerous country (Belize?) irritated me too. If you need to patrol your property with a gun to keep your family safe - MOVE.

TealFanClub · 06/07/2015 11:09

He was weird. Belize guy.

SquirrelledAway · 06/07/2015 11:12

Here's a link to a puff piece from the Telegraph too.

Teabagbeforemilk · 06/07/2015 11:13

This is such bollocks. Especially since I found alot of them had the attitude that any one can do it if they are brave enough.

You mean brave enough and wads of cash to fall back on if it doesn't work.

The guy who left his kids - I can not think of one situation where its ok for a man to leave his children permanently and still profess 'they are my world'.

LeChien · 06/07/2015 11:22

DH and I found he Belize one difficult to watch for some reason! we both had quite strong reactions to the man and found him very creepy.

anon33 · 06/07/2015 12:24

The bushcraft guy charges £1,400 for two nights accommodation/food etc. So why did they say they only have £200 per month to live on if their businesses are as successful as the article states?

Belize man was definitely dodgy. I would not want to be stuck out there with him with no money and no escape contingency.

SocietyClowns · 06/07/2015 12:40

All good entertainment I guess but I have spent a lot of time during the episodes ranting. The volcano family annoyed me the most for appearing utterly clueless. There was no mention of any type of education for the children for a start. And the younger children wore very strong glasses- that's something I would want to keep an eye on as a responsible parent, with regular eye tests etc.

SquirrelledAway · 06/07/2015 12:44

Belize man isn't all he seems either: here

He advertises on workaway.com for people to come and work on his farm and help build this earthship thing. Looks like it's going to be tourist accommodation for the adjacent Mayan ruins.

nuttybananas · 06/07/2015 12:52

Loving that mumsnet have found all these links - we just need one now about the south american family!

anon33 · 06/07/2015 12:56

Well that link states that the Earthship was constructed by an architect and his crew....but I think in the program it was stated that the family "with no building experience" have come up with this themselves?

TealFanClub · 06/07/2015 13:26

yup
TOTALLY lied there

needhelptobuytolet · 06/07/2015 13:33

It was all a con, just adverts to help these people start their businesses. The Belize family obviously lied when they said they weren't sure what the earth ship was for and said they had built it themselves.

Also don't believe that the guy in the island build all that himself without any building experience. Shady show, very misleading. Of com hello

Weebirdie · 06/07/2015 13:36

DH and I found he Belize one difficult to watch for some reason! we both had quite strong reactions to the man and found him very creepy.

I agree with you. I even started a thread about it not realising this one existed. I very much suspect he was a control freak and this was the ultimate in control.

GirlWhoWearsGlasses · 06/07/2015 13:40

Does anyone remember a similar programme from the early 2000s? It had this couple who went to Nicaragua and to live on an island. The wife was an ex-bunny girl and incredibly determined, and the husband seemed lovely. He had really bad asthma though. They were continually negotiating the questionable locals and local drug smuggling and general lawlessness. They had kids too. I think they were way out of their depth.

It really affected me because they went back over a few months as I recall, and the guy looked iller and iller. Then at the end they said he had now died (I think from an asthma attack)

TealFanClub · 06/07/2015 13:44

oh i strted a thread reminiscing about that ?last week..

hold on

GirlWhoWearsGlasses · 06/07/2015 13:47

Yes teal ! I missed your thread.

I think a film needed making on that. tragic.

(goes off to other thread)

TealFanClub · 06/07/2015 13:48

i seriously dont get why a film was never made of it. Everyone who ever saw it said it was the best tv they hae EVER seen

GirlWhoWearsGlasses · 06/07/2015 13:52

Well, perhaps just as well - its all there on the TV prog

SquirrelledAway · 06/07/2015 13:53

Have done a bit more digging on Belize man. Formerly a director in dad's company, a couple of dissolved companies of his own, posh mates, glamorous mum and a family home in Belgravia. Seems like a nice safety net if it all goes tits up in the jungle.

Weebirdie · 06/07/2015 13:56

I recall that programme. It was very upsetting.