From 29 Commando to Naked and Afraid: My Armchair Festival Talk

This weekend, I had the privilege of stepping onto the stage at the Armchair Adventure Festival and sharing the route that took me from 23 years in 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery to completing 56 days across Naked and Afraid and Naked and Afraid: Apocalypse.

It was more than an opportunity to tell television stories. It was a chance to speak honestly about pressure, hunger, fear, teamwork and the mindset required to keep functioning when comfort disappears.

Standing in front of an audience of people who understand adventure, exploration and pushing beyond ordinary limits was a genuine privilege. It also marked another important step in my work as a survival speaker, television survivalist and instructor.

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.

Watch my Armchair Adventure Festival talk

Watch: From 29 Commando to Naked and Afraid at the Armchair Adventure Festival

Why speaking at the festival mattered

The Armchair Adventure Festival brings together people who are interested in exploration, outdoor challenges, travel and the stories behind difficult experiences.

Being invited to speak gave me the chance to move beyond short television clips and explain the full journey in my own words.

Television shows the major moments. A stage talk allows the audience to understand what was happening before, during and after those moments, including the decisions, mistakes, fears and lessons that rarely fit into an edit.

For me, that matters because survival is not only about fire, shelter, food and water. It is also about leadership, communication, discipline and maintaining control when the situation is working against you.

From 29 Commando to Naked and Afraid

Before appearing on survival television, I spent 23 years in 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery.

That background gave me experience of operating while cold, tired, uncomfortable and under pressure. It taught me how to break large problems into smaller priorities, work within a team and keep moving when motivation is low.

However, military experience did not make Naked and Afraid easy.

On the programme, many of the normal systems are removed. There is no clothing, normal food supply, comfortable sleep system or established chain of command. The challenge becomes stripped back to the environment, your partner, your decisions and your ability to protect limited energy.

I completed 21 days in Colombia and later completed a 35-day challenge in South Africa on Naked and Afraid: Apocalypse. Together, those challenges gave me 56 completed days in the franchise.

You can read more about my television challenges on the Steven Kelly Naked and Afraid page and view my wider television and media credits.

The stories I shared on stage

The strongest survival stories are not simply tales of being tough. They show what happens when plans fail and a person still has to make the next useful decision.

A puma entered my shelter

One of the most memorable moments I spoke about was waking to a puma inside the shelter area, close enough to sniff my head.

There is a major difference between seeing wildlife on a screen and lying in a basic shelter with no solid barrier between your body and a predator.

Fear is natural. The job is not to pretend it does not exist. The job is to control your reaction, avoid creating more danger and follow the correct safety process.

Catching the iguana in Colombia

I also spoke about catching an iguana during my original 21-day challenge.

After prolonged hunger, a food catch changes more than the number of calories available. It restores morale and proves that effort can still produce a result.

But one meal does not reset a survival challenge. The shelter still needs work, the fire still needs fuel and the body remains in a calorie deficit. The next decision still matters.

Surviving 35 days on Naked and Afraid: Apocalypse

The 35-day challenge in South Africa demanded a different strategy.

We had to manage extreme hunger, dangerous wildlife, movement through abandoned locations and the need to preserve enough strength for the final journey towards civilisation.

Long survival challenges punish unnecessary effort. Looking busy is not the same as making progress. Every task must justify the energy it costs.

What extreme survival teaches about pressure

The lessons from these experiences are useful far beyond television survival.

Pressure reveals habits

Cold, hunger and exhaustion do not automatically create character. They expose the habits and weaknesses that were already present.

Control the next useful action

Large challenges become overwhelming when the mind constantly focuses on the final distance. Progress comes from identifying the next useful job and completing it properly.

Teamwork beats ego

A skilled person who damages communication can become a liability. A strong team shares effort, communicates clearly and keeps the objective ahead of individual pride.

Mindset controls access to skill

Technical ability becomes useless when panic, frustration or hopelessness controls decision-making. Mindset does not replace practical skills. It allows those skills to be used under pressure.

Why public speaking is part of the mission

I want my television and military experiences to do more than generate short clips and social media views.

Speaking gives me the opportunity to turn those experiences into practical lessons about resilience, leadership, decision-making, teamwork and operating under pressure.

The Armchair Adventure Festival was an ideal place to do that because the audience understood that meaningful adventures include difficult decisions, uncomfortable moments and setbacks that are rarely shown in a highlight reel.

It was a proud moment, but it was also useful evidence of the direction the Survival Ste brand is moving: more stage talks, more honest survival stories and more opportunities to help audiences understand what pressure really does to people.

Book Steven Kelly for a speaking event

I am available for festivals, corporate events, schools, outdoor events, military and veterans’ audiences, podcasts, television interviews and media appearances.

Talks can cover:

• 23 years in 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery
• 56 completed days across Naked and Afraid and Naked and Afraid: Apocalypse
• survival mindset and resilience
• leadership and teamwork under pressure
• the reality behind survival television
• building confidence through outdoor challenges

Book Steven Kelly for speaking, television or media work.

Explore more

• Steven Kelly on Naked and Afraid
• Television and media credits
• The Survival Debrief Podcast
• Survival training with South West Survival
• Commando Expeditions

Frequently asked questions

Who is Steven Kelly?

Steven Kelly, also known as Survival Ste, is a British television survivalist, former 29 Commando Regiment soldier, survival instructor and founder of South West Survival.

What did Steven Kelly speak about at the Armchair Adventure Festival?

The talk covered Steven’s 23 years in 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, his experiences on Naked and Afraid, extreme survival, wildlife encounters, hunger, teamwork and mindset under pressure.

How many days did Steven Kelly complete on Naked and Afraid?

Steven completed 21 days in Colombia and 35 days in South Africa on Naked and Afraid: Apocalypse, giving him 56 completed days across the franchise.

Where can the festival talk be watched?

The video is embedded near the top of this article and is also available on Steven Kelly’s YouTube channel.

Can Steven Kelly be booked as a speaker?

Yes. Steven is available for festivals, corporate events, schools, podcasts, television, media appearances and talks about survival, resilience, leadership and decision-making under pressure.

About Steven Kelly

Steven Kelly, also known as Survival Ste, is a British TV survivalist who served for 23 years in 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery before building a career in survival training, television, podcasting and public speaking.

For speaking and media enquiries, visit the official booking page.