Steven Kelly, also known as Survival Ste, is a British TV survivalist, former 29 Commando Regiment soldier, survival instructor, podcast host, and founder of South West Survival.
On Tuesday 26 May 2026, I spoke with Tony Snell on BBC Radio Merseyside about survival, romance scams, stolen identity and decision-making under pressure.
You can find the BBC Radio Merseyside programme here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002wgdq
My section was around 12:20pm during the Tony Snell show.
Most people hear the word survival and immediately think of fire-lighting, shelters, water, food and the outdoors.
That is part of it.
But it is not the full picture.
Real survival is about making good decisions when pressure, emotion and uncertainty are working against you.
That applies in the wilderness.
It applies in the military.
It applies on survival television.
And it also applies online.
Romance scams are not just about someone being “gullible”. That is lazy thinking. These scams work because they target emotion, trust, loneliness, urgency and hope.
Those are the same human weaknesses that can cause bad decisions in a survival situation.
The setting is different.
The pressure is different.
But the mindset problem is very similar.
This subject is personal to me.
My photographs and identity have been stolen and used by romance scammers to create fake online profiles.
These scammers have used my images to target women, build fake relationships, ask for money and manipulate people emotionally.
That is why I keep speaking about it.
This is not just an online dating issue. It is a trust issue. It is a safeguarding issue. It is a decision-making issue.
ITV’s This Morning covered the story here:
The article explains how my pictures were stolen and used to create fake social media and dating profiles, with victims conned out of life-changing sums of money.
This is why the BBC Radio Merseyside interview mattered.
It was not just a media appearance. It was a chance to explain that survival is not only about the outdoors.
Modern survival also means spotting danger, checking information, controlling emotion and protecting yourself from manipulation.
In any survival situation, the biggest threat is often not the environment itself.
It is poor decision-making.
Panic makes people rush.
Fear makes people ignore obvious warning signs.
Hope makes people believe what they want to believe.
Pressure makes people act before thinking.
Romance scammers use the same pattern.
They build trust quickly.
They create emotional attachment.
They introduce urgency.
They isolate the person from outside advice.
Then they ask for money, gift cards, crypto, travel costs, emergency help or personal information.
By the time the victim realises what has happened, they may already feel embarrassed, trapped or emotionally invested.
That is why people need to understand the warning signs before they are in the middle of it.
My background is 23 years in the British Army, including service in 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery. I have operated and trained in tough environments around the world, appeared on survival television including Naked and Afraid, and now teach survival, bushcraft and outdoor skills through South West Survival.
But survival is not only about extreme environments.
It is about awareness.
It is about discipline.
It is about controlling emotion.
It is about spotting danger early.
It is about making clear decisions before the situation gets worse.
That is exactly why the conversation with Tony Snell on BBC Radio Merseyside mattered.
A person lost in woodland needs to stop, think, assess and act.
A person being manipulated online needs to do the same.
The environment changes.
The principles do not.
Here are some of the warning signs people should take seriously.
They move the conversation away from the original platform quickly.
They build emotional intensity very fast.
They claim to be working overseas, in the military, on an oil rig, on deployment or in another situation that makes meeting difficult.
They avoid video calls or always have an excuse.
They ask for money, gift cards, crypto, travel costs, emergency help or financial support.
They tell you to keep the relationship private.
They make you feel guilty for asking sensible questions.
They create urgency so you feel pressured to act quickly.
They use stolen photos and pretend to be someone they are not.
A genuine person will not punish you for being cautious.
A scammer will.
This issue has been covered by several media outlets because it is not an isolated problem.
My photographs and identity have been repeatedly stolen by romance scammers to create fake profiles online.
Previous coverage includes:
ITV This Morning covered how scammers used my photographs to con women out of life-changing sums of money:
https://www.itv.com/thismorning/articles/scammers-used-my-photographs-to-con-women-out-of-their-life-savings
This Is Money covered how fraudsters used an Army dad’s face to target women in romance scams:
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/beatthescammers/article-10515431/How-fraudsters-used-Army-dads-face-women-1m.html
The Liverpool Echo covered the threats and personal impact caused by scammers stealing my identity:
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/bootle-man-gets-death-threats-33876233
The Sun also covered the impact this has had on my wife Jenny and our family:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/37826492/husband-jilted-lovers-wives-shocking-truth/
The reason I keep speaking about this is simple.
Romance scams are not embarrassing mistakes.
They are calculated manipulation.
Scammers use stolen identity, emotional pressure, false trust and urgency to control people’s decisions.
That is why I connect this issue back to survival.
Survival is not only about the outdoors.
It is about recognising danger early, controlling emotion, checking information and making better decisions under pressure.
One of the biggest problems with romance scams is shame.
Victims often feel stupid.
They feel embarrassed.
They feel like they should have known better.
That reaction helps the scammers.
The less people talk about it, the easier it becomes for criminals to keep doing it.
The truth is simple: scammers are professional manipulators. They know what they are doing. They study people. They use emotion, timing, pressure and false identity to break down judgement.
That is why the answer is not mockery.
The answer is awareness.
If something feels wrong, slow down.
Speak to someone you trust.
Check the facts.
Do not send money.
Do not ignore red flags because you want the story to be true.
In survival, hope is not a plan.
Online, it is no different.
I am grateful to Tony Snell and BBC Radio Merseyside for giving airtime to this issue.
You can listen to the programme here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002wgdq
My interview was around 12:20pm on Tuesday 26 May 2026.
This was not just a radio appearance.
It was a chance to explain survival in a wider and more useful way.
The modern survival mindset is not limited to the woods, mountains, deserts or jungles.
It belongs in everyday life.
For more on survival, mindset, training and real-world lessons from military service and survival television, visit:
Steven Kelly official website:
https://www.stevenkelly.uk
The Survival Debrief Podcast:
https://www.stevenkelly.uk/podcast
South West Survival:
https://www.southwestsurvival.co.uk
Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-survival-debrief-podcast-with-steven-kelly/id1844233698
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/stevenkelly29
TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@survival_ste
If you want more survival lessons, podcast updates, training news and real-world advice from Steven Kelly, subscribe for updates through the website.
