I was a scally in Bootle before spending two decades in the army - now I'm taking on a Bear Grylls challenge
A Bootle survivalist who describes himself as a former “scally” is set to appear on a new Bear Grylls television series.
A 16-part series, Wild Reckoning sees participants taken into the wilderness to resolve major personal conflicts by stripping life back to basics.
Filmed on the North Wales coast, Bear guides participants through intense emotional journeys as they take on carefully constructed physical and psychological challenges.
Appearing in episode five is 39-year-old Steven Kelly from Bootle.
Steven - known as ‘Survival Ste’ - joined the armed forces at 16 after being encouraged by his father and attending cadets while growing up in Merseyside.
“When I was younger, I was a little scally in Bootle and probably would have gone down the wrong path,” he said. “But my dad motivated me to join the army. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”
Steven went on to serve 23 years with 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, reaching the rank of sergeant major and operating in jungle, desert, Arctic and mountain environments around the world. He also worked as a military survival instructor during his career, and now runs South West Survival.
He refers to himself as a survivalist and has appeared on international television shows including Discovery Channel’s Naked and Afraid and Naked and Afraid: Apocalypse.
Now based in Plymouth, Steven appears in Wild Reckoning during a period of major change in his life, as he transitions out of the armed forces and focuses full-time on his civilian survival training work.
The episode will see Steven and his wife Jenny spend two days in the wild, in an attempt to resolve their ongoing conflict over what house to buy. Their first time buying a property together, mediator Dave works with them to find out why they have struggled to resolve the issue.
Wild Reckoning starring Steven and Jenny airs on BBC One on February 2.