Ben Fogle tearful as he admits 'it's not always easy out there'

The star was emotional as he visited a 'special couple' on his New Lives in the Wild Revisits show

Ben Fogle revisits Georg and Bettina at their home in County Mayo
Ben Fogle revisits Georg and Bettina at their home in County Mayo. (Channel 5)

Ben Fogle was overcome with emotion as told a couple on his New Lives in the Wild Revisits show that visiting them was “healing”.

The TV star has been making his Channel 5 show about people who live off grid for a decade and is now going back to see some of them to see what has happened in their lives. In the latest episode, Fogle revisited Georg and Bettina, an elderly couple who had made their home near a bog in Ireland as they focused on healing and reconnecting with themselves and the land.

Fogle — who has been open about his own “mental health wobble”, which saw him dealing with “crippling paranoia and anxiety” — had become close to the pair when he first visited them. Returning three years later, he admitted "it's not always easy out there" and that he had “needed” the trip to see them after his life had become “frenetic”.

“I need this again,” he said.

Ben Fogle was emotional on the show. (Channel 5)
Ben Fogle was emotional on the show. (Channel 5)

In the episode, Fogle spent time with Georg and Bettina as they explored the possibility of moving on as looking after their home and land was becoming harder. While selling the property to another family didn’t feel right to them, they started to look into using the place in a positive way, for something such as healing or education.

As Fogle left, he told them: “Thank you for having me back. You are a very special couple. I feel really hopeful about what may happen here.”

When Georg said the TV star had given them the “kick of energy we needed”, he replied: “I think I needed this little visit as well.”

Tearful, he told them: “Never underestimate your power of healing as well for people that have felt overwhelmed in the world.” Fogle struggled to speak as he said how good it was to be able to return to the tranquil setting. “It’s not always easy out there,” he admitted, appearing to be overcome with emotion.

Ben Fogle revisits Georg and Bettina at their home in County Mayo
Ben Fogle enjoyed seeing Georg and Bettina at their home in County Mayo. (Channel 5)

After the couple looked at what they could do with their special home, Fogle said his visit felt “really hopeful” and “positive”.

“This visit feels like the beginning of something very special for my two friends,” he said.

Read more: Ben Fogle

“I am so glad I did this trip, I am so glad I got to reconnect with Georg and Bettina. I’m so glad I have seen this place in the winter but most of all I am so glad the wider community and the ambitions they still have for the future and I really think they are going to make this happen and I really think I will be back again.

Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild s12 ep8 Chile,  Ben Fogle  (Channel 5)
The star is revisiting people from past shows. (Channel 5)

"This place will be transformed and they will still be part of it. Because it kind of saddened me the thought of them leaving somewhere where they have put so much of their own DNA, can’t really imagine this place without them and I can't imagine them without this place"

“So I feel it has been a really hopeful, positive return," said the star. "And I can’t wait to come back again.”

Ben Fogle's New Lives in the Wild Revisits returns to Channel 5 on Tuesday.