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The Island with Bear Grylls - wikipedia The Island with Bear Grylls Jump to : navigation , search For the US version , see The Island ( U.S. TV series ) . <Th_colspan="2"> The Island with Bear Grylls <Td_colspan="2"> Starring Bear Grylls Narrated by Bear Grylls Country of origin United Kingdom Original language ( s ) English No. of series 5 No. of episodes 38 ( as of 30 April 2018 ) <Th_colspan="2"> Production Executive producer ( s ) Bear Grylls Ben Mitchell Delbert Shoopman Tim Whitwell Location ( s ) Isla Gibraleón , Isla San Telmo and Isla Bayoneta , Pearl Islands , Panama Running time 60 minutes ( inc . adverts ) Production company ( s ) Shine Television Bear Grylls Ventures <Th_colspan="2"> Release Original network Channel 4 Original release 5 May 2014 ( 2014 - 05 - 05 ) -- present <Th_colspan="2"> Chronology Related shows Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls Surving The Island with Bear Grylls <Th_colspan="2"> External links <Td_colspan="2"> Official website The Island with Bear Grylls is a British reality television programme which premiered on Channel 4 on 5 May 2014 . Four series have aired since 2014 . Narrated by Bear Grylls , it features participants placed on remote uninhabited Pacific islands as a test of their survival skills . They are left completely alone , filming themselves , and with only the clothes they were wearing and some basic tools and training . Pitched as an assessment of the capabilities of British men in the 21st Century , the first series featured thirteen male participants . Following accusations of sexism , the second series used two islands , with 14 men on one , and 14 women on the other . The third series continued the gender divide theme and featured eight men and eight women abandoned on opposite sides of a single island . The fourth series , which aired from April 2017 , focused primarily on age rather than gender , featuring initially separate tribes of older people ( 30 to 66 years ) vs younger people ( 18 to 30 years ) . On 14 May 2017 , it was announced that The Island with Bear Grylls had been renewed for a fifth series to air in 2018 . On 1 May 2018 , it was confirmed by Grylls at the end of the fifth series that the series would return for a sixth series , set to air in Spring 2019 . A celebrity spin off version , Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls , was first broadcast as part of a charity campaign for Stand Up to Cancer UK in September 2016 . Contents ( hide ) 1 Premise 2 Production 2.1 History 2.2 Location 2.3 Resources and training 3 Controversy 3.1 Allegations of fakery 3.2 Use of wildlife 3.3 Sexism claim 4 Reception 4.1 Reviews 4.2 Awards and nominations 4.3 Ratings 5 Series overview 6 Episodes 6.1 Series 1 ( 2014 ) 6.2 Series 2 ( 2015 ) 6.3 Series 3 ( 2016 ) 6.4 Series 4 ( 2017 ) 6.5 Series 5 ( 2018 ) 6.6 Series 6 ( 2019 ) 7 Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls 8 International adaptations 9 References 10 External links Premise ( edit ) In promoting the first series , the show was pitched as a challenge for modern men to see if they can survive when marooned on a Pacific island armed only with minimal tools and their own initiative . According to Bear Grylls , masculinity is in crisis , and he is interested to see if men can survive stripped of the luxuries of 21st century living , and the show is therefore also a social experiment to see if man can recapture his primeval instincts . In the second series , following complaints about the absence of women in the first series , two groups , 14 men and 14 women , were left on two separate islands . In the third series , two groups of eight men and eight women were left at opposite ends of the same island , with neither group knowing of the other 's presence . In the fourth series , there were two sets of participants of different age groups , while in the fifth series , the two groups were of different income levels . For the first series , the participants had to survive for one month . For the second series , this was extended to six weeks . Production ( edit ) History ( edit ) On 23 May 2014 , it was announced that The Island had been recommissioned for a second series to air in 2015 . In the second series , the men and women were featured on separate episodes on consecutive nights each week . Location ( edit ) The first series was filmed on an uninhabited Pacific island , Isla Gibraleón , which is one of the Pearl Islands off the coast of Panama . The island has an 8 - kilometre ( 5.0 - mile ) coastline , five beaches , a mangrove swamp , and is covered with jungle . The mangrove swamp is located on the east coast of the island where the men were dropped off , and the main sandy beach is on the west coast where the men set camp . The second series used two islands in the same archipelago , the women reusing the island from the first series , Isla Gibraleón , while the men were allocated Isla San Telmo . This series was filmed in the rainy season which presented additional challenges . Isla San Telmo was used in the third series . In the fourth series , a larger island , Isla Bayoneta , and a smaller neighbouring island close enough to reach at low tide were used for two sets of participants of different age groups . Resources and training ( edit ) According to Channel 4 , an island that has the natural resources necessary for the men to survive a month was chosen . Additional yuca plants were planted in order to supplement the existing supply , extra animals indigenous to the islands such as caiman were also added , and a fresh water source was topped up before filming . The participants were given training about animals native to the island that are on the protected species list , and each received one day 's survival training , including advice on how to catch and humanely kill caiman . The men were given machetes and knives , head torches , an initial one - day water supply , and an emergency medical kit . In addition , the participants had GPS spot trackers , and access to radio and satellite phone in case of an emergency . The second series participants were given two days survival training . Controversy ( edit ) Allegations of fakery ( edit ) The press made claims about fakery in the show , that the water was supplied in the island by adding a rubber - lined pool and two caiman crocodiles were released on the island , and that some of the trained crew had experience of surviving in extreme environments in the wild . Grylls however rejected the claims , and said that it was necessary to make sure that there would be just enough resources to sustain the participants , and that caiman crocodiles were added to the island so that if the men were to kill them , the natural eco system would not be damaged . Use of wildlife ( edit ) The killing of the caiman sparked a number of complaints to Ofcom . A spokesman for PETA said that it showed `` a deep ignorance of who animals are and a callous disregard for life '' , and that the ones who caught and tied up the animal `` should be prosecuted '' . Ofcom however judged that the show did not break the rules . In the second series , there were further criticisms after it was revealed that a crocodile killed by the men was not a caiman but a protected species American crocodile . Channel 4 apologised for the error and said : `` The relevant national environment agency are aware of the incident and have granted a licence to replace the animal which has now been done . '' The second series elicited more than 600 complaints from viewers ( 450 to Channel 4 , 185 to Ofcom ) , most of the complainants accused the show of `` killing animals to boost ratings '' . Sexism claim ( edit ) The first series was criticised as `` sexist '' by female survival experts for excluding women from the challenge . Lisa Fenton suggested that it was `` sexism and it 's deeply rooted '' , and Ruth England expressed disappointment with Channel 4 's decision as it `` perpetuates the myth that women need to be taken care of '' , while Sarah Outen criticised the `` male - oriented bias with adventure TV programmes '' . In response , Bear Grylls denied that the show was sexist , and said that the series was intended as a study of masculinity of modern man and their struggles . He then indicated an interest in doing an all - women version and that he `` ca n't wait to do modern women 's struggles . '' Reception ( edit ) Reviews ( edit ) Grace Dent of The Independent thought the show is interesting television as it is `` an attempt to form a show around utterly normal , non-fame hungry , not particularly pretty , non-celeb males '' , but found the first episode to be `` an hour of rather plotless bumbling and twig friction . '' Euan Ferguson of The Observer expressed concern about the `` producer selection '' of mollycoddled males who might fail to cope with the wilds of the island , but thought that the participants might `` make a fist of surviving , and confound a few lazy stereotypes '' , and that he was `` semi-hooked '' . Christopher Stevens of the Daily Mail thought that the series showed that `` survival is a tough business when you 've only got your wits and a sharpened stick to depend on . '' In the second series , Charlotte Runcie of The Daily Telegraph thought that watching people learning to `` cooperate in extreme situations is always strangely compelling '' , although Rupert Hawksley of the same paper felt that the second series , despite the presence of women , was `` every bit as sexist '' as the first series . The participants ' struggle with survival prompted joking references to Lord of the Flies . Awards and nominations ( edit ) The first series was nominated in the Reality & Constructed Factual category in the 2015 British Academy Television Awards and won . Year Award Recipient Results Ref . 2015 RTS Programme Awards Popular , Factual and Features The Island with Bear Grylls Won BAFTA TV Awards Reality & Constructed Factual Won Ratings ( edit ) The first series had an average figure of 3.1 million viewers per episode . The average viewing figure for the second series was 2.9 million . Series overview ( edit ) <Th_colspan="2"> Series Episodes <Th_colspan="2"> Originally aired First aired Last aired Series 1 6 5 May 2014 2 June 2014 Series 2 13 8 April 2015 21 May 2015 Series 3 7 28 May 2016 3 May 2016 Series 4 6 23 April 2017 14 May 2017 Series 5 5 2 April 2018 1 May 2018 Series 6 TBA Spring 2019 Spring 2019 Episodes ( edit ) Episode viewing figures below from BARB but do not include Channel 4 + 1 . Series 1 ( 2014 ) ( edit ) The first series was first broadcast on Monday nights . Total No . Title Original air date UK viewers ( Millions ) Episode 1 5 May 2014 ( 2014 - 05 - 05 ) 2.74 Episode 2 12 May 2014 ( 2014 - 05 - 12 ) 2.69 Episode 3 19 May 2014 ( 2014 - 05 - 19 ) 2.90 Episode 4 26 May 2014 ( 2014 - 05 - 26 ) 2.36 5 5 Episode 5 2 June 2014 ( 2014 - 06 - 02 ) 2.48 6 6 Surviving the Island 2 June 2014 ( 2014 - 06 - 02 ) 1.66 Series 2 ( 2015 ) ( edit ) For the second series , two episodes were broadcast each week -- a Wednesday episode focused on the men 's island , while the Thursday episode was for the women . Due to the United Kingdom general election on 7 May 2015 , only the women 's episode was shown that week , and the men 's episode was pushed back a week . A final special episode , Surviving the Island , followed on 21 May . The competitors remained on the island for five weeks . Total No . Title Original air date UK viewers ( Millions ) 7 Episode 1 8 April 2015 ( 2015 - 04 - 08 ) 2.28 8 Episode 2 9 April 2015 ( 2015 - 04 - 09 ) 2.28 9 Episode 3 15 April 2015 ( 2015 - 04 - 15 ) 3.02 10 Episode 4 16 April 2015 ( 2015 - 04 - 16 ) 3.18 11 5 Episode 5 22 April 2015 ( 2015 - 04 - 22 ) 2.86 12 6 Episode 6 23 April 2015 ( 2015 - 04 - 23 ) 3.11 13 7 Episode 7 29 April 2015 ( 2015 - 04 - 29 ) 2.90 14 8 Episode 8 30 April 2015 ( 2015 - 04 - 30 ) 2.68 15 9 Episode 9 6 May 2015 ( 2015 - 05 - 06 ) 2.95 16 10 Episode 10 13 May 2015 ( 2015 - 05 - 13 ) 3.08 17 11 Episode 11 14 May 2015 ( 2015 - 05 - 14 ) 3.01 18 12 Episode 12 20 May 2015 ( 2015 - 05 - 20 ) 2.80 19 13 Surviving the Island 21 May 2015 ( 2015 - 05 - 21 ) 1.99 Series 3 ( 2016 ) ( edit ) The third series was broadcast on Monday nights , a return to the scheduling of the first series . Total No . Title Original air date UK viewers ( Millions ) 20 Episode 1 28 March 2016 ( 2016 - 03 - 28 ) 3.33 21 Episode 2 4 April 2016 ( 2016 - 04 - 04 ) 2.93 22 Episode 3 11 April 2016 ( 2016 - 04 - 11 ) 2.90 23 Episode 4 18 April 2016 ( 2016 - 04 - 18 ) 2.72 24 5 Episode 5 25 April 2016 ( 2016 - 04 - 25 ) 2.78 25 6 Episode 6 2 May 2016 ( 2016 - 05 - 02 ) 2.35 26 7 Surviving the Island 3 May 2016 ( 2016 - 05 - 03 ) 1.32 Series 4 ( 2017 ) ( edit ) The fourth series was broadcast from 23 April 2017 . Total No . Title Original air date UK viewers ( Millions ) 27 Episode 1 23 April 2017 ( 2017 - 04 - 23 ) 2.46 28 Episode 2 24 April 2017 ( 2017 - 04 - 24 ) 1.91 29 Episode 3 1 May 2017 ( 2017 - 05 - 01 ) 2.35 30 Episode 4 8 May 2017 ( 2017 - 05 - 08 ) 2.06 31 5 Episode 5 14 May 2017 ( 2017 - 05 - 14 ) 1.92 32 6 Surviving the Island 14 May 2017 ( 2017 - 05 - 14 ) 1.29 Series 5 ( 2018 ) ( edit ) It was announced at the end of the fourth series that The Island with Bear Grylls would be renewed for a fifth series , to air in 2018 . The fifth series began airing on 2 April 2018 . It took largely the same format as the fourth series with two different groups of people . However , in the fifth series , the groups were made up of high - earning people ( with an average salary of more than £ 100,000 ) and low - earning people ( each with a salary lower than the UK national average ) . The competitors will remain on the island for five weeks . Total No . Title Original air date UK viewers ( Millions ) 33 Episode 1 2 April 2018 ( 2018 - 04 - 02 ) 2.93 34 Episode 2 9 April 2018 ( 2018 - 04 - 09 ) 2.64 35 Episode 3 16 April 2018 ( 2018 - 04 - 16 ) 2.50 36 Episode 4 23 April 2018 ( 2018 - 04 - 23 ) 2.63 37 5 Episode 5 30 April 2018 ( 2018 - 04 - 30 ) 2.58 38 6 Surviving the Island 2018 ( 2018 ) 1.17 Series 6 ( 2019 ) ( edit ) On 1 May 2018 , it was confirmed at the end of the fifth series that the series would return for a sixth series , set to air in Spring 2019 . Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls ( edit ) Main article : Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls A celebrity version of The Island was first broadcast as part of a charity campaign for Stand Up to Cancer UK in September 2016 . It was confirmed on 3 May 2017 that a second series of Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls , which would air later in August 2017 and will be raising money for Stand Up to Cancer as the first series did . International adaptations ( edit ) The American version of the show was announced on 28 January 2015 , and it premiered on 25 May 2015 on NBC . The Spanish adaptation of the show , titled La Isla , premiered on 17 May 2017 on laSexta . The Dutch adaption of the show , simply titled The Island premiered on 21 January 2016 on Net5 . References ( edit ) Jump up ^ `` Bear Grylls : ' There 's nothing fake about The Island ' '' . Daily Telegraph . 19 May 2014 . Retrieved 20 May 2014 . ^ Jump up to : `` The Island with Bear Grylls Series 5 - here 's how to apply ! '' . 14 May 2017 . Jump up ^ http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/island-Bear-Grylls-apply-series/story-29007088-detail/story.html Jump up ^ Emma Daly ( 3 May 2016 ) . `` Dom Joly , Zoe Salmon and Ollie Locke sign up for celebrity The Island with Bear Grylls '' . Radio Times . Jump up ^ Tom Ward ( 12 May 2014 ) . `` Bear Grylls talks masculinity on The Island , flesh - eating killer crocodiles and Harry Styles ' survival skills '' . GQ . Jump up ^ Sam Rowe ( 1 May 2014 ) . `` Bear Grylls : ' Men want to know if they have what it takes ' '' . The Daily Telegraph . Jump up ^ Theo Merz ( 8 Apr 2015 ) . `` Bear Grylls ' island : are the women tougher than the men ? '' . The Daily Telegraph . Jump up ^ Tom Eames ( 1 September 2014 ) . `` The Island with Bear Grylls to feature men and women in two shows '' . Digital Sply . Jump up ^ `` The Island with Bear Grylls '' . All 4 . Channel 4 Television . Archived from the original on 2016 - 03 - 21 . Retrieved 2016 - 03 - 21 . Jump up ^ `` The Island with Bear Grylls 2018 : Meet the two groups taking on the fierce battle for survival '' . Evening Standard . Jump up ^ `` Bear Grylls series The Island renewed by Channel 4 '' . Digital Spy . Retrieved 23 May 2014 . Jump up ^ `` Mike Fletcher takes part in The Island with Bear Grylls reality TV show '' . York Press . 10 May 2014 . Jump up ^ Phil Haigh ( 23 April 2017 ) . `` The Island with Bear Grylls 2017 start date , TV channel and what to expect with show 's new twist '' . Metro . Jump up ^ `` Terms of the Experiment '' . Channel 4 . Archived from the original on 21 May 2014 . Jump up ^ Claire Carter ( 16 May 2014 ) . `` Bear Grylls survival show accused of ' fakery ' '' . The Telegraph . Jump up ^ `` Bear Grylls and the survival show fakes : Four of his reality TV contestants are professionals '' . Daily Mail . 16 May 2014 . Retrieved 20 May 2014 . Jump up ^ `` The Island : Bear Grylls insists fake claims are untrue and says there is nothing set - up on survival series '' . Retrieved 24 May 2014 . Jump up ^ `` Weekly Broadcast Report '' ( PDF ) . Ofcom . Jump up ^ Dean Rousewell ( 2 June 2014 ) . `` The Island crocodile killing scene did not breach Ofcom rules -- despite 93 complaints '' . Daily Mirror . Jump up ^ Jess Denham ( 22 April 2015 ) . `` The Island with Bear Grylls under fire after male contestants kill and eat rare crocodile '' . The Independent . Jump up ^ James Leyfield ( 22 April 2015 ) . `` Bear Grylls ' The Island bosses apologise after hungry contestants hunt and eat PROTECTED American crocodile '' . Daily Mirror . Jump up ^ Matilda Battersby ( 14 May 2015 ) . `` The Island with Bear Grylls : More than 600 complaints are made about animal killings '' . The Independent . Jump up ^ Choloe Hamilton ( 21 April 2014 ) . `` Women take on Bear Grylls over ' sexist ' male - only desert island show '' . The Independent . Jump up ^ Catriona Wightman ( 3 May 2014 ) . `` The Island : Eight things we learned from Bear Grylls '' . Digital Spy . Jump up ^ Jade Bremner ( 28 April 2014 ) . `` Bear Grylls : I want to do The Island with women '' . Radio Times . Jump up ^ `` Grace Dent on TV : The Island with Bear Grylls was full of plotless bumbling and twig friction '' . The Independent . 9 May 2014 . Retrieved 20 May 2014 . Jump up ^ Euan Ferguson ( 10 May 2014 ) . `` The Island With Bear Grylls ; Blurred Lines ; Billy Connolly 's Big Send Off ; 24 -- review '' . The Observer . Jump up ^ `` Oh no ! Now even desert islands have elf ' n ' safety jobsworths : Christopher Stevens reviews last night 's TV '' . Daily Mail . 20 May 2014 . Retrieved 20 May 2014 . Jump up ^ Charlotte Runcie ( 8 April 2015 ) . `` The Island with Bear Grylls , Channel 4 , review : ' strangely compelling ' '' . The Daily Telegraph . Jump up ^ Rupert Hawksley ( 8 April 2015 ) . `` The Island with Bear Grylls is still sexist '' . The Daily Telegraph . Jump up ^ Will Dean ( 8 April 2015 ) . `` The Island with Bear Grylls , TV review : They 'd be better off with a spa weekend '' . The Independent . Jump up ^ Sam Wollaston ( 9 April 2015 ) . `` The Island with Bear Grylls review -- unlike the fire , the banter never dies '' . The Guardian . ^ Jump up to : Denham , Jess ( 10 May 2015 ) . `` Baftas TV Awards 2015 : Winners list in full - Marvellous and The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies win big as Cilla leaves empty - handed '' . The Independent . Jump up ^ `` Programme Awards 2013 - 2014 : The Winners '' . Royal Television Society . Jump up ^ Ed Frankl ( 5 June 2014 ) . `` Outrage over enema scene in Bear Grylls reality show '' . Evening Standard . Jump up ^ Mayer Nissim ( 15 May 2015 ) . `` The Island with Bear Grylls will return for a third series '' . Digital Spy . Jump up ^ https://tellymix.co.uk/reality-tv/the-island/309507-island-bear-grylls-series-6-heres-apply.html Jump up ^ `` Viewing data Top 30s ( select appropriate week ) '' . BARB . Retrieved 28 May 2014 . Jump up ^ https://tellymix.co.uk/reality-tv/the-island/309507-island-bear-grylls-series-6-heres-apply.html Jump up ^ http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/island-Bear-Grylls-apply-series/story-29007088-detail/story.html Jump up ^ Emma Daly ( 3 May 2016 ) . `` Dom Joly , Zoe Salmon and Ollie Locke sign up for celebrity The Island with Bear Grylls '' . Radio Times . Jump up ^ Peter White ( 28 January 2015 ) . `` NBC orders The Island with Bear Grylls remake '' . Broadcast . Jump up ^ Sara Bibel ( 28 April 2015 ) . `` NBC Reveals the Cast of New Reality Series ' The Island ' '' . TV by the Numbers . Jump up ^ `` LaSexta estrena La Isla , el reality de supervivencia conducido por Pedro García Aguado '' . Europa Press . 16 May 2017 . Jump up ^ `` ARIE BOOMSMA PRESENTEERT VANAF 21 JANUARI THE ISLAND BIJ NET5 '' . 9 January 2016 . External links ( edit ) The Island with Bear Grylls at channel4.com The Island with Bear Grylls on IMDb Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Island_with_Bear_Grylls&oldid=842793753 '' Categories : 2010s British reality television series 2014 British television programme debuts Channel 4 reality television programmes Television series by Shine Group English - language television programs Hidden categories : Use dmy dates from December 2015 Use British English from December 2015 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 24 May 2018 , at 18 : 09 . About Wikipedia
1. The Island with Bear Grylls
2. British reality television programme
3. Survival skills
4. Remote uninhabited Pacific islands
5. Gender and age divisions