Benedict Allen Biography
From humorous after dinner speaking to motivational conference speaking, Benedict Allen's tales of exploration and adventure make any audience smile, laugh and gasp at his exploits and leave them inspired with his inspirational attitude.
Benedict Allen is a Cat who has used up his lives
Benedict Allen is like a cat who has used up six of his nine lives. He differs from most explorers in that he lives for months at a time with remote tribes, learning their survival techniques. He takes nothing with him into these communities - no equipment, maps or compasses - throwing himself on the mercy of the people he encounters. He has come close to death on many occasions.
Doing anything for televsion
The BBC series Skeleton Coast brought Benedict’s adventures to a wide audience, documenting his experiences walking the diamond-littered coast of Namibia. By the end he had walked 2,000 kilometres, with three very reluctant camels.
He has trekked from the remote wilds of Siberia, through the Mongolian steppe and Altai mountains, ending with a lone crossing of the Gobi desert. In New Guinea he was beaten every day for six weeks as part of the Niowra initiation rite, and was repeatedly cut with bamboo blades on his chest and back to give him permanent ‘crocodile’ scars.
In BBC’s Ice Dogs, Benedict showed how he had to earn the trust and respect of his hardened ten-strong team of dogs. After getting separated from them in a blizzard, and without any form of communication or back-up, he only narrowly survived crossing the Bering Straits.
Benedict has written a number of books including Into the Abyss, which focuses on Benedict's experiences in crossing the Bering Straits, and Into the Crocodile Nest: A Journey Inside New Guinea, which is the story of the time he spent with a tribe in New Guinea and his initiation in to the tribe.
Conference and After Dinner Speaking
In his gripping conference presentations and after dinner speeches, Benedict demonstrates the qualities necessary to succeed and survive - including personal motivation, risk-taking and the ability to adapt to unfamiliar circumstances.
For further information or to book Benedict Allen, call us at Speakers Corner on +44 (0)20 7607 7070 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk
Benedict Allen Video
Benedict Allen Speaker Showreel - Click play to watch a short sample video clip of Benedict Allen. For more information on Benedict Allen please contact one of the Speakers Corner booking agents on +44 (0)20 7607 7070 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk
Benedict Allen News
A selection of relevant news related to Benedict Allen, After Dinner Speakers, Keynote Speakers and Motivational Speakers, Adventure Speakers, Sustainability Speakers and Teamwork Speakers stories. For more information on Benedict Allen or details as to how to book Benedict Allen for your corporate event, please contact one of the Speakers Corner booking agents on +44 (0)20 7607 7070 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk
Benedict Allen at Cheltenham Literary Festival
4th October 2011
Benedict Allen, adventurer, author and corporate speaker, announces the release of his new book, Into The Abyss, at the Cheltenham Literary Festival.
Ed Stafford’s New Show for Discovery Channel
17th January 2013
Naked and Marooned with Ed Stafford will be aired in March on the Discovery Channel.
‘Osama’, by Chris Ryan
15th February 2013
Author, corporate speaker and SAS hero, Chris Ryan, has published a book called ‘Osama’ – a gripping tale based around the raid of Osama Bin Laden’s hide-out.
Debra Searle's Ice Mums
5th February 2013
Motivational speaker and awe-inspiring sportswoman Debra Searle has announced plan to take a group of mums trekking to the South Pole.
Dee Caffari Sails In Middle East
1st February 2013
Inspirational yachtswoman Dee Caffari has taken her success to the Middle East in the impressive position of coach and skipper of the Women's Sailing Team in Oman.
Alexandra Panayotou’s 24-Hour Run
21st November 2012
Motivational speaker Alexandra Panayotou completed a 24-hour solo running challenge, from which she raised thousands of pounds for the Trussell Trust Foodbank network.
Neil Laughton Completes Scott Memorial South Pole Expedition
26th October 2012
100 years after Captain Scott arrived at the South Pole, Neil Laughton, adventurer and entrepreneur, joined the elite group who has reached the pole over land.
Saba Douglas Hamilton Talks Polar Bears
1st August 2012
Wildlife film-maker and eco-activist Saba Douglas-Hamilton Speaks to the Telegraph about The Secret Life of Elephants, and answers some probing personal questions.
Andy Pag’s World Travels in Recycled Truck
17th July 2012
A truck rescued from the scrap heap and restored in Dorset is about to complete a round-the-world journey - powered by waste vegetable oil, and with Andy Pag at the helm, reports the BBC website.
Bertrand Piccard’s Solar Impulse Project
17th July 2012
In the face of adverse weather predictions, the final leg of Bertrand Piccard’s 2012 Solar Impulse Project has been given the all clear, and will continue home to Payerne, in Switzerland.
Benedict Allen Reviews
Benedict Allen has spoken and appeared at a number of recent corporate events. Please find some client speaker testimonials and reviews for Benedict Allen for a number of these events and conferences. If you would like some additional information as to how to book Benedict Allen for your corporate event, then please contact one of the Speakers Corner booking agents on +44 (0)20 7607 7070 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk
We were enthralled by Benedict keynote presentation at the conference. Benedict scored by far the highest marks of all the presenters. He was described as inspirational, an excellent spirit lifter
The points you made on teamwork and the power of the individual, plus your enthusiasm gave perfect motivation and start to our conference
The audience was spellbound with inspiration
The best feedback I have ever received. He is extraordinary
Q & A with Benedict Allen
Benedict Allen answered some probing questions for Speakers Corner. For speaking secrets revealed - read on! To book Benedict Allen for your event, please contact one of the Speakers Corner booking agents on +44 (0)20 7607 7070 or info@speakerscorner.co.uk
Speakers Corner: Can you remember your first speaking engagement?
Benedict Allen: When I was just 23, it was a Literary Luncheon with actor Donald Sinden – I was famous as the “man who ate his dog to survive”, a Daily Mail centre spread at the time.
Speakers Corner: What’s the worst thing that has happened to you during an event?
Benedict Allen: That same event. I was very nervous in front of my first audience, opened my mouth to begin my speech – then suddenly a sash window behind me slammed down with the noise of a bomb exploding. The audience and I jumped with fright, then sighed with relief. It broke the tension, and I cracked a joke about it being more dangerous here than in the jungle and it perfectly set up the rest of my speech.
Speakers Corner: What was the last event you spoke at?
Benedict Allen: Last night, a leadership summit of EDF (the energy giant)
Speakers Corner: Which event has been your favourite and why?
Benedict Allen: To a packed theatre in Belfast – seven thousand children who were totally out of control and scary at the beginning but by the end were listening with their jaws dropped.
Speakers Corner: If you could speak at any event, past or future, what would it be?
Benedict Allen: To open a G8 summit in which our leaders have sworn in writing to save the Amazon
Speakers Corner: Which speaker/performer do you most admire and why?
Benedict Allen: Peter Snow, the broadcaster – he has an enthusiasm about him which is utterly genuine and infectious.
Speakers Corner: What is your worst on-stage habit?
Benedict Allen: Jumping on to the stage instead of talking the safe little steps that you are provided with – I can’t wait to get up there, and I’m very tall. Perhaps it suits an adventurer to bound onto stage, but I’ve been known to fall off again
Speakers Corner: What annoys you most professionally?
Benedict Allen: When a dinner goes on too long, and by the time you get to speak, your audience is drunk!
Speakers Corner: Do you have any riders or special requirements?
Benedict Allen: No, but people somehow assume I’m a vegetarian – because I live with remote “tribal” people. In fact of course I eat monkeys, parrots, snakes, you name it…
Speakers Corner: Why should an organiser hire you to speak at their event?
Benedict Allen: These are extremely testing times, and (modesty aside!) no-one has more experience than me of surviving against the odds – I’ve been shot at by drug barons, been left to die by guides, stitched up my own wounds with my boot-mending kit, even had to eat my dog to survive. I enjoy convincing an audience, though my passion and through these adventures, that crises (whether in business or in the real jungle) need not be a bad thing: we are more alive when we are really up against it. At a more personal level, I want the audience to understand that life’s not about how many times you almost die, it’s about how many times you live.
For further information or to book Benedict Allen, call us on +44 (0)20 7607 7070 or email info@speakerscorner.co.uk
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