Alone Archives - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

‘Alone’ Season 11: Each Cast Member’s 10 Survival Gear Items

Megan Elliott — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 20:04:00 +0000

What does it take to survive in the wild? On Alone, survivalists must rely on their wits, along with 10 carefully chosen tools, if they hope to outlast their competitors and win the show’s $500,000 grand prize.

Each contestant is dropped at their campsite with a mix of items chosen from a pre-approved list of survival gear. Every cast member is also allowed to bring a number of clothing and personal care items that don’t count toward their personal limit. They also have a first aid kit and, of course, camera gear so they can film their journey.

So, what tools did the Alone Season 11 cast decide to bring with them on their journey to the Arctic Circle? Some items were universal. Unsurprisingly, everyone selected a sleeping bag and a pot for cooking. Others were widely rejected — no contestant chose food rations. But there were also a few surprising choices.

Peter Albano

Peter Albano, 42, is a librarian from British Columbia. His 10 items are:

Sleeping Bag
2-Quart Pot
Ferro Rod
Bow and Arrows
Fishing Line and Hooks
Snare Wire
Multitool
Saw
Paracord
Shovel

Dusty Blake

Dusty Blake, 36, is a welder from Arkansas. His 10 items are:

Axe
Saw
Ferro Rod
Multitool
Fishing Line and Hooks
Paracord
Pot
Snare Wire
Bow and Arrows
Sleeping Bag

‘Alone’ Season 11 cast | History Channel

Michela Carriere

Michela Carriere, 34, is an adventure guide from Saskatchewan. Unlike other contestants, she opted not to bring a fishing line and hooks. Her 10 items are:

Sleeping Bag
Ferro Rod
Axe
Multitool
Paracord
Bow and Arrows
2-Quart Pot
Snare Wire
Fish Net
Saw

Timber Cleghorn

Timber Cleghorn, 35, is a humanitarian aid worker from Indiana. His 10 items are:

Sleeping Bag
2-Quart Pot
Ferro Rod
Axe
Saw
Multitool
Bow and Arrows
Paracord
Snare Wire
Fishing Line and Hooks

Cubby Hoover

Cubby Hoover, 33, is a bowyer and homesteader from Missouri. Unfortunately, he was eliminated in the Alone Season 11 premiere after an accident with an arrow. His 10 items were:

Sleeping Bag
2-Quart Pot
Ferro Rod
Paracord
Multitool
Bow and Arrows
Fishing Line and Hook
Snare Wire
Saw
Axe

William Larkham Jr.

William Larkham Jr., 49, is a commercial fisherman from Labrador. His 10 items are:

Sleeping Bag
Axe
Saw
Knife
2-Quart Pot
Ferro Rod
Snare Wire
Fishing Line and Hooks
Paracord
Fishing Net

Jake Messinger

Jake Messiner, 42, is a professional falconer from Idaho. Unlike his fellow season 11 competitors, he chose not to bring a ferro rod to help him with fire-starting. Instead, he fashioned a DIY tinderbox out of wood and charcoal after he arrived at his campsite. His 10 items are:

Axe
Saw
Shovel
Paracord
Multitool
Fishing Line and Hooks
2-Quart Pot
Snare Wire
Bow and Arrows
Sleeping Bag

Dub Paetz

Dub Paetz, 44, is a wilderness skills practitioner from Michigan. His 10 items are:

Swiss Army Knife
Saw
Axe
Ferro Rod
Fishing Line and Hooks
Snare Wire
2-Quart Pot
Paracord
Bow and Arrows
Sleeping Bag

Sarah Poynter

Sarah Poynter, 48, is a fishing lodge owner from Alaska. Her 10 items are:

Sleeping Bag
Paracord
2-Quart Pot
Ferro Rod
Snare Wire
Fishing Line and Hooks
Bow and Arrows
Hatchet
Saw
Multitool

Isaiah Tuck

Isaiah Tuck, 36, is a game warden from West Virginia. His 10 items are:

Sleeping Bag
Multitool
Pot
Ferro Rod
Bow and Arrows
Fishing Line and Hooks
Shovel
Paracord
Snare Wire
Saw

New episodes of Alone Season 11 air Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on History Channel.

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‘Alone’ Season 10 Victor Alan Tenta Predicts Who Will Win Season 11

Megan Elliott — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 16:48:00 +0000

Who will survive the Arctic Circle? Alone Season 11 is putting a new group of survivalists to the test in one of the toughest environments in the show’s history.

In the latest season of the History Channel reality show, 10 people will try to last as long as possible in Canada’s Mackenzie River Delta, a remote part of the Northwest Territories. The region is inhabited by wolves, grizzlies, and other wildlife. And as winter descends, daylight shrinks and temperatures plunge. In difficult conditions, only the strongest will be able to persevere in their quest to win the show’s life-changing $500,000 prize.

So, who will make it, and who will tap out? Predicting success on Alone is always a challenge. Sudden twists of fate can fell a strong contestant, while people who at first might not seem as strong as other competitors can show surprising resilience.

Alan Tenta thinks William Larkham Jr. will win ‘Alone’ Season 11

‘Alone’ Season 11 cast member William Larkham Jr. | History Channel

One person who has a better idea than most who might go the distance is Alone Season 10 winner Alan Tenta, who spent 66 days in the Reindeer Lake area of Northern Saskatchewan.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel Tenta Outdoors before the season 11 premiere, he shared his initial impressions of the Alone Season 11 cast, as well as his prediction for who will win.

“After reading everyone’s bio, it’s clear that season 11 has a lot of people with a lot of hunting and fishing experience,” Tenta said. “Which could lead to some interesting food procurement. Maybe there’ll be a big game kill?”

An Alone contestant hasn’t managed a big game kill since season 7, when Roland Welker took down a bull musk-ox. In season 11’s second episode, Timber Cleghorn took a shot at a moose, but missed, much to his disappointment.

Tenta admitted he had a few favorites among the current crop of Alone contenders, but he was only going to pick one winner.

“Of course, I need to pick a Canadian,” said Tenta, who is from British Columbia.

“I’m picking William, the 49-year-old from Labrador. The fishing boat captain … Let the old guy show them how it’s done again. Let’s go,” he said. (Tenta was 52 when he filmed his Alone season.)

Who is William Larkham Jr. from ‘Alone’?

Larkham grew up fishing and trapping in a small, isolated community in Labrador, learning skills passed down from his Inuit ancestors. He later became a professional fisherman and started sharing his survival skills knowledge on his YouTube channel, Bigland Trapper.

But thriving on Alone requires more than just survival skills, Larkham said in an interview with the CBC’s Labrador Morning.

“The mental [aspect] is just as important as the physical if you’re out there on the land,” he said. “Over time, we’ll see what happens to the different contestants.”

“A big part of the show is how people cope with being alone,” he added. “Not just surviving for food and the cold … but surviving your own mind. It can be your best friend or your worst enemy out there.”

Alone Season 11 airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on History Channel.

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‘Alone’ Season 11 Episode 2: One Survivalist Makes an ‘Embarrassing’ Mistake

Megan Elliott — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 01:40:00 +0000

Five more survivalists embark on the Alone journey in the latest episode of the History Channel reality series.

In last week’s season 11 premiere, five people were dropped in the remote Mackenzie River Delta, more than 100 miles north of the Arctic Circle. That episode ended in a nerve-wracking tap-out from a participant who appeared poised to do well in the competition, proving that anything can happen on Alone. This week, the season’s other five contestants start their Alone journey. They quickly come face to face with the harsh reality of life in the wild.

[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Alone Season 11 Episode 2.]

Five more survivalists begin their ‘Alone’ Season 11 journey

The premiere followed Michela, William, Dub, Cubby, and Isaiah as they set up camp and began constructing their shelters and searching for food. In episode 2, Peter, Dusty, Timber, Sarah, and Jake start their Alone experience.

Things get off to a rocky start for a couple of participants.

Peter, a 42-year-old librarian from British Columbia, experiences a serious case of “drop shock,” a feeling of disorientation that some people experience when they’re first dropped in the wild. He accomplishes little on his first day beyond setting up a basic shelter. By day 2, he’s thirsty, since he hasn’t had anything to drink since arriving at his camp. But due to soggy conditions and damp woods, he struggles to start the fire he needs to boil water. Eventually, he gets a blaze going, but it’s not an auspicious beginning. Fortunately, his dome-shaped shelter-building efforts go much more smoothly. But it raises the question of whether he’ll be able to put the skills he’s learned from books to use in the real world.

Jake, 42, also suffers a setback early on. He loses his fishing line – one of just 10 items he was permitted to bring with him – while scrambling in the woods. The loss of any survival item is a blow, but not having one that would help him get food is particularly devastating.

“Losing my fishing line is embarrassing,” he says. “This was the tool I was going to rely on the most to provide food for myself.”

But Jake isn’t going to wallow in regret. He quickly pivots, weaving a fishing net from paracord. And he proves crafty and adaptable in other ways as well. Unlike most Alone participants, he’s opted not to bring a ferro rod to help him start a fire. Instead, he fashions a DIY tinderbox that he can use to start a fire, along with his carbon steel belt buckle and charcoal.

Timber misses out on a moose, Sarah fails to harvest a beaver

Sarah Poynter of ‘Alone’ Season 11 | History Channel

Jake is not the only Alone cast member who shows off some creative problem-solving skills. Timber, 35, was raised in an off-the-grid anti-government group and now works in humanitarian aid in conflict zones. In other words, he has plenty of experience with both the outdoors and managing stressful situations.

Timber wants to use the quiver he brought with him to store water. So, he makes a replacement quiver using leather from his arm guard. He also demonstrates his skill as a hunter when he shoots and kills a squirrel, which he plans to use as both bood for himself and as bait for fishing. The latter strategy pays off, and he pulls in a 25-inch pike.

Sarah, 48, is one of just two women competing in this season of Alone. Her first focus is to forage for whatever food she can before the weather turns bitterly cold. “My plan is to graze like a moose,” she says. Unfortunately, her attempts to hunt aren’t quite as successful. She tries to harvest a beaver with her bow and arrow, but her shot misses the mark. She quickly realizes she made a “dumb” move out of “desperation.”

“I think I just got excited,” she says. “I need to make sure that I don’t make mistakes.”

Dusty, 36, is a self-described hillbilly from Arkansas who plans to rely on his skills as a trapper to survive. That approach doesn’t take long to pay off when a squirrel gets caught in his snare. He also manages to forage some berries. But Dusty admits that he doesn’t have any experience with extreme cold. Will his luck continue to hold as temperatures drop and the days turn dark?

The most dramatic moment in this installment of Alone comes late in the episode, when Timber gets an opportunity that could set him up for lasting success in the competition. He spots a moose, which he thinks he can take down with his bow and arrow. Killing the massive animal this early on would be a major coup. It would be a rich food source that could sustain him for a long time, provided he can preserve the meat. Unfortunately, Timber isn’t able to kill the moose, and he can’t hide his disappointment.

“I cannot describe how much I wanted that moose,” he says. “That was my golden ticket … I mucked it so bad. The feeling of defeat is deeper than I can tell you.”

Alone Season 11 airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on History Channel.

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‘Alone Australia’ Season 2: Meet the Cast

Megan Elliott — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 21:20:00 +0000

Another season of Alone Australia is coming to the History Channel. The Down Under spinoff of the hit survival series returns on June 20 with a new group of 10 survivalists fighting to be the last one standing and take home $250,000 AUD.

‘Alone Australia’ Season 2 takes place in New Zealand

The first season of Alone Australia aired in 2023 and challenged participants to survive in a remote part of Tasmania. Gina Chick won the competition after 67 days.

For season 2, the cast will confront the wild terrain of New Zealand’s South Island, also known as Aotearoa’s Te Waipounamu. They’ll be challenged by the harsh natural environment, in addition to dangerous wild animals, extreme hunger, and complete isolation. But unlike the first season, they’ll have more tools at their disposal in their fight for survival. This time, contestants will be permitted to hunt with a bow and arrow, introducing a new set of strategies and skills.

‘Alone Australia’ Season 2 cast

[L-R] Andreas, Chace, Jack, Jason, and Krzysztof of ‘Alone Australia’ | History Channel

So, who are the 10 survivalists competing on Alone Australia Season 2? Let’s meet the cast.

Andreas is a personal trainer and subsistence hunter. He grew up in Sweden and now resides in New South Wales, Australia. Though he lives in the city, he spent his childhood honing his outdoor and fishing skills. He began hunting after he moved to Australia and now hunts and fishes for 90% of the protein he consumes.

Chace is a defense force combat engineer from Queensland with strong bushcraft and survival skills. His work as a combat engineer has helped him develop skills in exploring and surveying unknown environments, as well as enhancing his ability to think tactically and pivot quickly. The youngest member of the Alone Australia cast, Chace is also an experienced big game hunter.

Jack is a tradesman and wild game hunter from New South Wales. He’s been hunting and fishing since his family moved from Chile to Australia when he was a child. Jack believes that his work as a self-employed tradesman has given him the necessary basket of skills that will help him improvise and innovate in the wild.

Jason, a proud Yanyuwa, Waanyi/Garawa man and Jungai, is a youth worker, former rugby player, and coach. He thinks his background gives him a key advantage when it comes to dealing with the mental aspects of the Alone challenge. But he also has practical skills, including the ability to hunt using both modern and traditional methods. He’s lived in different environments around Australia and has learned traditional methods of hunting, fishing, and foraging from elders and family members.

Krzysztof is a Polish-Australian aquaculturalist from Victoria. Raised in a refugee family, he considers himself a jack of all trades, from leatherwork to medieval combat. He and his partner live in a largely self-sufficient, DIY home, and he’s eager to flex his crafting skills, his understanding of fish behavior, and his recurve bow hunting abilities on Alone Australia.

[L-R] Leanne, Mike, Rick, Suzan, and Tamika | History Channel

Leanne is a World Heritage Aboriginal Programs officer from Victoria. She’s a proud Barkandji woman who grew up fishing and foraging with her family. After devoting the past decade to motherhood, Leanne is ready to find herself again on Alone Australia. But she honed her skills on the dry, open bush, and New Zealand’s dense wet rainforest is an entirely different environment from what she’s used to.

Mike is a resilience coach from New South Wales and the oldest member of the Alone Australia Season 2 cast. He makes his living running outdoor resilience coaching and mental toughness training workshops for boys, men, and elite sporting teams. He’s also a deer hunter who’s spent years dedicating himself to learning how to live off the land. He thinks his tenacity, combined with his hunting and fishing skills, will give him an edge in the competition.

Rick is a survival educator and former SAS soldier from Queensland. He joined the military at age 17 and spent over eight years learning all forms of extreme survival, including snow and ice mountain warfare in caves and blizzards, as a member of the SAS. Now, he’s an unlikely social media star, sharing his knowledge of bushcraft, ethnobotany, and survival with a loyal audience on TikTok.

Suzan is a wilderness adventure guide from Victoria who lives off-grid with her husband and two dogs. Her skills include hunting, gathering, scavenging, and shelter-making. She’s already opened up about her connection with nature in Suzy and The Simple Man, a documentary she directed. Now, she wants to prove that even though older women might not have the same physical strength as some other survivalists, they have the life experience, patience, and wisdom to thrive in difficult situations.

Tamika is an off-gridder and former police officer from Queensland. As the daughter of a bushman, she spent her childhood hunting, fishing, camping, and exploring. For the past decade, she’s lived sustainably, growing or foraging half of the food her family consumes. As a committed vegetarian, she thinks her toughest Alone challenge will be having to kill an animal that looks after its young in order to eat. But she’s committed to picking up her bow and arrow one more time for this experience. She hopes her journey will inspire others to connect with nature.

Alone Australia Season 2 premieres Thursday, June 20 at 9:30 p.m. ET on History Channel.

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‘Alone’ Season 11 Location: Everything You Need to Know

Megan Elliott — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 17:12:43 +0000

No season of Alone is going to be a walk in the park. But the show’s latest location poses challenges that could sink the toughest and most skilled survivalist.

In season 11, 10 participants are dropped north of the Arctic Circle, in a region of Canada known for its frigid temperatures, dangerous predators, and winter days that pass in almost total darkness. Who will be the last one standing? And how long will they be able to endure the harsh conditions?

‘Alone’ Season 11 heads 120 miles north of the Arctic Circle

Aerial view of the Mackenzie River Delta | DeAgostini/Getty Images

Past seasons of Alone have challenged participants to survive in locations such as British Columbia, Mongolia, Patagonia, Northern Saskatchewan, and Labrador. This time, contestants are heading to Inuvik in Canada’s Northwest Territories, 120 miles above the Arctic Circle and just south of the Arctic Ocean. It’s the coldest location in the show’s history.

Each cast member will set up camp somewhere in the Mackenzie River Delta on land that is the traditional home of the Gwich’in people. The 4,700-square-mile delta consists of mazes of channels, lakes, marshes, and ponds. In the Alone: Before the Drop special that aired on June 13, one participant describes it as an Arctic version of the Everglades.

This part of the world may not be home to many people, but it is far from empty. Roughly 5,000 grizzly bears and 4,000 wolves live in the region. Moose and wolverines are also present, as are beaver, caribou, and other animals. The abundant wildlife could help the participants survive, if their hunting, trapping, and fishing efforts are successful. But it’s also a very real threat, and everyone involved will have to respect the surrounding environment if they hope to have a chance at winning the show’s $500,000 prize.

Bitter cold may be the biggest challenge on this season of ‘Alone’

Given how far north this season’s location is, the biggest challenge facing the Alone Season 11 participants will likely be the cold and the challenges that come with it. Temperatures can drop to -40 F.

“What’s gonna drive people out from here is hunger and cold,” said cast member Isaiah Tuck, a game warden from West Virginia, in the Before the Drop special. “This is the coldest location possible. The progression of winter is very prominent. And it’s coming hard … This place is going to suck. There’s no illusion in my mind that this is going to be easy.”

Fellow contestant Dub Paetz, a wilderness skills instructor from Michigan, agreed. He called season 11 “tougher than any other” and predicted that multiple contestants would tap out early on in the challenge.

“I think this season might be one of the shorter ones just from our extreme location,” said Peter Albano, a librarian from British Columbia.

Even those with a lot of experience in tough environments realize that this season of Alone will test them in ways they don’t expect.

“I’ve hunted and fished and trapped all my life in Labrador,” said William Larkham Jr, who works as a commercial fisherman. “And Labrador’s a very tough environment. But up here, it’s like there’s a whole new ballgame.”

Alone Season 11 airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on History Channel.

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‘Alone’ Season 11 Premiere Recap: Welcome to the Arctic Circle

Megan Elliott — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 02:45:00 +0000

The toughest challenge in reality TV is back.

Alone Season 11 premiered June 13 on History Channel. The latest season of the survival series will follow participants as they try to survive as long as possible in a remote part of Canada’s Northwest Territories, more than 100 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Who will come out on top? The winner will need a combination of serious survival skills and, as we see in this episode, perhaps a generous dose of luck as well.

[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Alone Season 11 Episode 1.]

‘Alone’ participants set up camp in the Mackenzie River Delta

Ten survivalists have signed on for the latest season of Alone. The premiere follows five of them as they are dropped off by the show’s crew and begin to set up their camps in the Mackenzie River Delta.

For now, the remote environment is relatively forgiving, with long days, above-freezing temperatures, and food available for foraging. But winter will soon set in, along with bitter cold and days with virtually no daylight. Anyone who hopes to survive for any length of time will need a snug shelter, food, and the mental strength to handle the long stretches of solitary darkness.

Michela, 34. a Cree-Metis woman, plans to draw on her indigenous heritage in her Alone journey. That includes using grass to craft duck decoys, which should attract birds close to shore, where they’ll make easy prey.

Michela has made some unconventional choices when it comes to her survival gear, opting not to bring a fishing line and hooks. She’s only the fourth contestant in the show’s history to pass on those items. Instead, she’s brought a fishing net. But she’s unfamiliar with the area, which makes finding the right place to place the net a challenge. Will she come to regret her choice to forego the fishing line?

Like Michela, William, 49, also hopes to rely on passive fishing to catch food without burning calories. Unsurprisingly, given his background as a commercial fisherman from Labrador, he plans to fish as long as he can before switching to catching small game like squirrels.

Aside from Michela, who scavenges a fresh kidney left behind after another animal’s kill, William is the only contestant in this episode who gets much to eat in this episode. He clubs several small fish, which will provide a small meal. It’s a promising start, but early victories on Alone don’t always translate into lasting success.

Isaiah Tuck | History Channel

Isaiah, 26, a game warden from West Virginia, sees evidence of fresh grizzly tracks soon after he arrives at his campsite. He suspects there’s a female grizzly with her cub nearby, which could prove dangerous.

Isaiah is also beginning to realize exactly how isolated he is. “All I can think about is how much I miss my family,” he confesses. “I have these emotions I just wasn’t anticipating.” For now, he’s going to stick it out. But as days stretch into weeks, will he be able to last? Feelings of isolation and loneliness have caused plenty of other Alone participants to tap out earlier than they hoped.

Cubby, 33, a homesteader from Missouri, starts his Alone journey strong. He builds a simple open shelter with a tarp so that he can concentrate on finding food while constructing a more permanent living space.

On Cubby’s first day, he spots a squirrel on his first day at camp. But when he takes aim, not only does he miss the shot, but he also breaks one of his nine arrows. Unfortunately, it’s not the first problem with arrows that he’ll encounter in this episode.

Finally, there’s Dub, a 44-year-old wildlife instructor from Michigan who might be the most confident contestant in this group. He gets to work right away building an insulated shelter against a berm, which he thinks will protect him from the wind. But when a bear comes sniffing around on his first night in the wild, he rethinks his decision.

“There’s mega modifications that need to happen,” he declares. “This shelter sucks.” Dub’s plan is to make his shelter stronger to give him some protection in the event of a grizzly attack.

Did anyone tap out in the ‘Alone’ Season 11 premiere?

Cubby Hoover | History Channel

Several participants experience setbacks in the premiere, including Michela’s fishing struggles and Isaiah’s mysterious bloody nose. But all seem to be adapting well to their new environment. Then, disaster strikes.

While exploring the surrounding area in search of food, Cubby stumbles in the thick brush. One of his arrows slips from his quiver ends up embedded four inches deep in his thigh. It’s a painful and potentially devastating injury. Cubby is able to remove the arrow and apply a compression bandage. Fortunately, he doesn’t seem to be at risk of bleeding out immediately. But as he struggles back to his campsite, he realizes how debilitating the wound is. Tapping out is the only option.

“There’s no way I can stay,” he says. “Four days. That’s it.”

When the crew and medic arrive, they confirm that he made the right call. His injury is serious enough to require a trip to the hospital. He’s crushed.

“The realization that my chance of winning this is over is absolutely devastating,” he says. “There’s so much more I wanted to do … I had a lot riding on this. This was the chance to provide me and my family with peace and stability financially.”

But Cubby, who embraced homesteading and outdoor survival after the death of one of his close friends, is philosophical about the disappointing turn of events.

“Bad things happen in life,” he says. “Accidents happen. That’s a heaviness you should feel. Because it teaches you how important life is.”

Alone Season 11 airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on History Channel.

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Past ‘Alone’ Participant Says Post-Show Recovery Is ‘Extremely Grueling’

Megan Elliott — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 15:20:00 +0000

Reality shows don’t get much more real than Alone. The History Channel series – which returns for season 11 on June 13 – follows participants as they fight to survive, completely on their own, in some of the toughest conditions on Earth. And the challenges don’t end when the cameras are turned off and cast members return home. Post-show recovery is taxing, both mentally and physically, past participants have said.

Returning to regular life after ‘Alone’ is a challenge

On Alone, participants are challenged to survive in remote locations by relying on just their wits and a minimal list of survival gear. The person who lasts the longest walks away with $500,000.

But earning that money isn’t easy. While some people tap out after a few days or weeks, the longest-lasting participants spend two months or more in the wild. As the competition draws to a close, contestants are often pulled for starvation, frostbite, and other serious medical issues. Those can have serious consequences after the show ends. Even adjusting to being around other people again after a long period of isolation is difficult.

“For many, the road to recovery, finding their ‘normal’ again, navigating human relationships, eating a regular diet, and really just existing was extremely grueling at times,” Callie North, who appeared in Alone Season 3 and Alone: The Skills Challenge, told Vulture in 2023.

“A lot of us struggled when we came home,” said Britt Ahart, who appeared in seasons 3 and 5. “I know there were broken marriages.”

Both of Ahart’s stints on Alone landed him in the hospital with refeeding syndrome, a condition that can develop when a malnourished person suddenly starts eating again.

‘Alone’ participants get support from the show after filming ends

Alan Tenta of ‘Alone’ Season 10 | History Channel

Participants in early seasons of Alone lacked appropriate aftercare, Ahart said, but that changed as time went on and cast members advocated for themselves.

“[W]hen season 5 came around, I had a professional expert I could speak to about how I was feeling,” he explained. “When I tapped out and they brought me back to location, I had a handler that I could always speak to. They provided me with a driver just to help me with my daily needs.”

Season 10 winner Alan Tenta talked about the aftercare process in a video he shared on his YouTube channel, Tenta Outdoors. He and second-place finisher Wyatt Black spent a week going through a refeeding process and recovering physically before flying home.

“They don’t just release you into the world. After you’ve been in starvation mode, it’s dangerous to eat just whatever you want,” he explained.

Participants also have access to counseling after they return home, showrunner Ryan Pender told Reality Blurred.

“For a few weeks and months afterwards, they’re speaking to a psychologist to just kind of empty their heads,” he said.

While some contestants have spoken out about their rough adjustment after the show, their very real struggles are part of Alone’s appeal. It has a grittiness and authenticity that shows like Survivor lack.

“There’s always a level of fabricated conflict, and you just know there’s some puppeteering happening behind the scenes,” Ahart said of other survival series. “Alone is the only survival show I thought had real legitimacy to it.”

Alone Season 11 premieres Thursday, June 13 at 9 p.m. ET on History Channel.

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’Alone’ Season 11: Meet the Cast

Megan Elliott — Sat, 08 Jun 2024 15:14:00 +0000

The toughest show in reality TV is back. On June 13, Alone returns for its 11th season on the History Channel. The latest installment of the survival series will follow 10 people as they head to the northernmost location in the show’s history – the freezing, brutal landscape of Inuvik, Canada, north of the Arctic Circle.

Ten tough-as-nails contestants will fight to survive as long as they can in the wilderness with just their wits and minimal supplies. The person who lasts the longest walks away with $500,000. Which brave soul will join the elite ranks of Alone winners? Let’s meet the cast.

Peter Albano

Peter Albano | History Channel

Peter Albano is a 42-year-old librarian from British Columbia. “I don’t fit the mold of a typical survivalist,” he admits in a video interview with History Channel. But he has a long-standing interest in the outdoors and bushcraft that he thinks will serve him well on Alone. But will Peter be able to successfully apply the skills he learned from books in the wild?

Dusty Blake

Dusty Blake | History Channel

Dusty Blake, 36, is a welder from Arkansas. He’s loved the outdoors since he was a child and is an avid hunter and fisherman. Dusty thinks his “hillbilliness” will give him an edge in the competition. “I’ve been a hunter ever since I could walk,” he says. “I killed my first deer when I was eight years old.” But is he prepared for the harsh conditions on Alone? “The Arctic Circle is a whole new environment,” he admits. “But I’ve always been a really quick learner. I don’t give up.”

Michela Carriere

Michela Carriere | History Channel

Michela Carriere, 34, is a Cree-Metis adventure guide from Saskatchewan. She’s been nurturing her survival skills all her life. Michela was raised off the grid in the wilderness of the Saskatchewan River Delta, where she learned traditional skills such as trapping and healing from her parents.

“I’m doing this because I want to follow in the footsteps of my ancestors,” she says. “I’m excited to use all those skills I’ve grown up using my whole life.”

Timber Cleghorn

Timber Cleghorn | History Channel

Timber Cleghorn is a 35-year-old humanitarian aid worker from Indiana. He was raised in an anti-government group that embraced off-the-grid living, and he grew up idolizing early American frontiersmen. As an adult, he’s lived overseas in numerous underdeveloped and conflict areas in Asia and the Middle East. By going on Alone, he hopes to both come home with money that could lead to a better life for his family and to leave a legacy that will inspire his two sons.

Cubby Hoover

Cubby Hoover | History Channel

Cubby Hoover, 33, is a bowyer and homesteader who grew up in Arkansas and now lives in Missouri. After bouncing between jobs as a young man, a friend’s battle with cancer inspired him to find a way to spend more time with his own family. He and his wife started homesteading and Cubby started a traditional archery company. His experience living off the land has given him “the mentality to do what it takes to overcome and adapt, to really thrive,” he says.

William Larkham Jr.

William Larkham Jr. | History Channel

William Larkham Jr., 49, is a commercial fisherman from Labrador, Canada. He grew up in a small island community without running water or electricity. As a child, he was taught traditional skills of hunting, trapping, fishing, and foraging passed down from his Inuit ancestors.

“I’ve built up a lot of skills and knowledge just trying to survive,” he says.

Jake Messinger

Jake Messinger | History Channel

Jake Messinger, 42, is a professional falconer from Idaho. As a child, he explored the Rocky Mountain wilderness with his father and grandfather. In his 20s, he worked as an instructor for a wilderness therapy program, where he taught the same kind of survival skills he’ll need to draw on during his Alone journey.

“I’ve never been in an environment where I couldn’t find food,” Jake says. “And I’ve never been in a situation where I could not make a fire.” But he’s also never faced a test like the one he’ll face on Alone.

Dub Paetz

Dub Paetz | History Channel

Dub Paetz, 44, is a wilderness skills instructor from Michigan who has also worked as a fly fishing and waterfowl hunting guide in Idaho. He’s spent years honing his skills and has long dreamed of being on Alone. Now, he’s ready to test himself in the Arctic.

“Alone is the survival Olympics,” he says. “There’s no bigger, better, more kick*ss challenge. And I strongly believe I have everything it’s going to take to do this.”

Sarah Poynter

Sarah Poynter | History Channel

Sarah Poynter, 48, is a fishing lodge owner from Alaska. Her interest in wilderness survival and skills developed when she met her husband, whose life revolved around the outdoors. Eventually, they moved to a remote part of Alaska where they could raise their children amidst nature.

“Out my door, I face risks every day,” she says. That background could give her what she needs to outlast the competition in Alone Season 11.

Isaiah Tuck

Isaiah Tuck | History Channel

Isaiah Tuck, 36, is a game warden from West Virginia. He’s passionate about the outdoors, as evidenced by his career as a West Virginia Natural Resources Police Officer. Isaiah is also a member of the Air National Guard, and he thinks his military training will help him succeed on Alone.

What’s motivating Isaiah to challenge himself to survive in the Arctic? Love for his family. “Taking care of my family is always priority No. 1,” he says. “If I could pull in $500,000, that would change my life.”

Alone Season 11 premieres Thursday, June 13 at 9 p.m. ET on History Channel.

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’Alone’ Season 11 Premieres In June, and It Might Be the Toughest Location Yet

Megan Elliott — Tue, 07 May 2024 20:31:50 +0000

A new group of survivalists will test their skills in Alone Season 11. The History Channel reality series returns to TV this June for a new, 12-episode season that will see the cast fighting to survive in one of the show’s most remote locations yet.

‘Alone’ Season 11 premieres June 13

The cast of ‘Alone’ Season 11 | History Channel

Alone Season 11 premieres Thursday, June 13 on History Channel.

The new season kicks off with a “Before the Drop” special that airs at 8 p.m. ET/PT. It features a behind-the-scenes look at participants’ final preparations before launch day. The hour-long special will be followed by the season 11 premiere at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Starting June 20, Alone Season 11 moves to its regular 8 p.m. ET/PT timeslot.

Where does the new season of ‘Alone’ take place?

For its 11th season, Alone heads to Inuvik, Canada. The drop site is within the Arctic Circle and is the northernmost location in the show’s history. The Inuvik Region is part of the Northwest Territories. It includes the Mackenzie River delta and borders the Arctic Ocean’s Beaufort Sea.

Ten participants will face bone-chilling cold, icy landscapes, and wild animals, including bears, wolves, and moose. They’ll also deal with mental and physical challenges. (One cast member ends up with an arrow in his leg, based on a preview for the season.) The last person to tap out will walk away with a $500,000 prize and join the list of Alone champions.

“125 miles north into the Arctic Circle is pretty crazy,” one participant says in a sneak peek.

“Whoever can thrive the longest, whoever can push through, wins,” another says.

‘Alone: Australia’ Season 2 is also coming to History Channel

This season, new episodes of Alone will be followed by season 2 of Alone: Australia, the first international spinoff of the show to air in the U.S. Season 1 of the Down Under version of the survival series aired last summer on History Channel. Season 2 premiered on SBS in Australia on March 27.

The new season follows 10 Australians as they fight to survive in the wild terrain of Aotearoa’s Te Waipounamu, also known as the South Island of New Zealand. And unlike in season 1, this time around, participants are allowed to hunt local wildlife such as wild pig, possum, tahr, and red deer with a bow and arrow.

Alone: Australia Season 2 premieres Thursday, June 20 at 9:30 p.m. ET on History Channel.

New episodes of Alone and Alone: Australia stream the next day on the History Channel app, History.com, and through major TV providers’ VOD platforms. Episodes are also available for purchase via Prime Video and other platforms.

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‘Alone’ Casting Director Shares How Contestants Are Chosen For the Show

Megan Elliott — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 22:08:22 +0000

Alone isn’t quite like any other reality show. The History Channel series premiered in 2015 and wrapped up its 10th season in August 2023. Each season follows a group of contestants who must survive on their own in the wild for as long as they can. The person who lasts the longest wins $500,000.

Needless to say, competing on Alone requires certain skills. You won’t make it far if you don’t know how to find food and start a fire. Cast members also need a particular personality. Aside from occasional med checks, contestants are completely isolated from other people. Anyone who can’t handle long stretches of time with no human interaction is likely to tap out early. So, how do producers find people who are cut out for the intense experience? Casting Alone is a complicated process.

‘Alone’ producers look for cast members with different skills

Ann Rosenquist of ‘Alone’ Season 10 | History Channel

Alone contestants tend to be cut from the same cloth. They’re independent types who are comfortable in the outdoors and have key survival skills. But within those broad parameters, there’s quite a bit of variety. The season 10 cast, for example, included a living history reenactor (Melanie Sawyer), a second-generation survival expert (Luke Olsen), and an off-the-grid organic farmer (Ann Rosenquist).

That diversity is intentional, Alone’s casting director Quinn Fegan told Vulture.

“We always want a good number of people who have taken down big game with a traditional bow in the past,” she said. “We also typically want some military being represented, and any time we have an amazing bushcrafter is great.”

Thousands of people apply to be on ‘Alone’

As Alone has grown in popularity, the number of people interested in being on the show has increased. About 10,000 people apply for Alone every year. (If you’re interested, details on how to throw your hat into the ring are on the ITV America website.)

Alone producers have also scouted for candidates, proactively reaching out to people who they think would be a good fit for the show. That’s how season 6 contestant Woniya Thibeault ended up on the show. The Alone casting team reached out via email with an invitation to chat, she recalled in her 2023 memoir Never Alone: A Solo Arctic Survival Journey.

Thibeault, an ancestral skills teacher from California, had been approached by reality TV producers before. But was turned off by the process, which felt “forced and ingenuine.” Alone was different. Unlike some reality shows, where producers engineer situations for maximum drama, Alone is truly hands-off. Once she overcame her reservations about appearing on TV (and upending her life to do so), she was all in.

Potential contestants go through an ‘Alone’ boot camp

Whatever way they come to the attention of producers, all potential Alone contestants have to go through a rigorous vetting process. According to Vulture, that includes a test on practical skills, such as proving they know what wood to use for a bow drill. They also need to show they can use camera equipment, as cast members must self-document their journey in the wild. There’s also a psychological exam as well as on-camera interviews that help producers zero in on potential story arcs.

“We had days of meetings and tests, interviews and camera training,” Thibeault recalled of her Alone boot camp experience, which took place in a New York hotel. Later, her group of 22 prospective cast members headed to the woods, where they demonstrated their practical skills.

While there’s no magic formula for getting chosen for Alone, being too fame-focused can definitely hurt a person’s chances. While past cast members have developed substantial social media followings, people who just want to promote themselves aren’t a good fit for the show.

“Any time someone explicitly wants to be on television is a ‘no’ for me,” Fegan told Vulture. “If you even know what your brand is, that’s challenging.”

The result of that intense casting process (and producers’ commitment to not intervening once cast members are dropped off at their campsites) is one of the most authentic reality shows out there, according to past participants.

With other reality show, “there’s always a level of fabricated conflict, and you just know there’s some puppeteering happening behind the scenes,” said Britt Ahart, whom competed on Alone Seasons 3 and 5. “Alone is the only survival show I thought had real legitimacy to it.”

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Alone Archives - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

‘Alone’ Season 11: Each Cast Member’s 10 Survival Gear Items

Peter Albano

Dusty Blake

Michela Carriere

Timber Cleghorn

Cubby Hoover

William Larkham Jr.

Jake Messinger

Dub Paetz

Sarah Poynter

Isaiah Tuck

‘Alone’ Season 10 Victor Alan Tenta Predicts Who Will Win Season 11

Alan Tenta thinks William Larkham Jr. will win ‘Alone’ Season 11

Who is William Larkham Jr. from ‘Alone’?

‘Alone’ Season 11 Episode 2: One Survivalist Makes an ‘Embarrassing’ Mistake

Five more survivalists begin their ‘Alone’ Season 11 journey

Timber misses out on a moose, Sarah fails to harvest a beaver

‘Alone Australia’ Season 2: Meet the Cast

‘Alone Australia’ Season 2 takes place in New Zealand

‘Alone Australia’ Season 2 cast

‘Alone’ Season 11 Location: Everything You Need to Know

‘Alone’ Season 11 heads 120 miles north of the Arctic Circle

Bitter cold may be the biggest challenge on this season of ‘Alone’

‘Alone’ Season 11 Premiere Recap: Welcome to the Arctic Circle

‘Alone’ participants set up camp in the Mackenzie River Delta

Did anyone tap out in the ‘Alone’ Season 11 premiere?

Past ‘Alone’ Participant Says Post-Show Recovery Is ‘Extremely Grueling’

Returning to regular life after ‘Alone’ is a challenge

‘Alone’ participants get support from the show after filming ends

​​​​’Alone’ Season 11: Meet the Cast

Peter Albano

Dusty Blake

Michela Carriere

Timber Cleghorn

Cubby Hoover

William Larkham Jr.

Jake Messinger

Dub Paetz

Sarah Poynter

Isaiah Tuck

​​’Alone’ Season 11 Premieres In June, and It Might Be the Toughest Location Yet

‘Alone’ Season 11 premieres June 13

Where does the new season of ‘Alone’ take place?

‘Alone: Australia’ Season 2 is also coming to History Channel

‘Alone’ Casting Director Shares How Contestants Are Chosen For the Show

‘Alone’ producers look for cast members with different skills

Thousands of people apply to be on ‘Alone’

Potential contestants go through an ‘Alone’ boot camp

’Alone’ Season 11: Meet the Cast

’Alone’ Season 11 Premieres In June, and It Might Be the Toughest Location Yet