I’ve got my original Instagram account back.
My official Instagram is once again:
https://www.instagram.com/survival_ste/
For anyone who followed the backup account while the original was unavailable, thank you. I appreciate it. But from now on, @survival_ste is the main Instagram account for Steven Kelly, also known as Survival Ste.
This might sound like a simple social media update, but there is a bigger lesson here.
When you are building a public profile, a business, a media brand, or any kind of online reputation, your digital identity matters. Losing access to an account is frustrating. Seeing fake accounts, backup accounts, impersonation, and confusion around your name is even worse.
It reminded me of something every creator, business owner, instructor, and public figure should understand:
You do not own the platform. You own the reputation you build across it.
For some people, Instagram is just an app.
For others, it is a shop window.
For me, it is part of a wider public profile connected to survival training, TV, media, podcasts, outdoor education, and my work as a former British soldier.
I have spent years building my reputation through real experience:
Steven Kelly is a British TV survivalist, former 29 Commando soldier, survival instructor, speaker, and host of The Survival Debrief Podcast.
That identity has to be clear online.
When an account goes down, people get confused. They wonder which account is real. They follow the wrong one. Fake accounts can appear more convincing. Media contacts, podcast guests, brands, followers, and customers may not know where to find you.
That is why getting @survival_ste back matters.
It restores the cleanest and strongest version of the brand.
This is not the first time I have dealt with online identity issues.
My photos have been used by fake profiles on dating sites and social media. I have spoken publicly about romance scams, stolen images, and the way scammers use real people’s identities to manipulate victims.
That is why this subject matters to me.
Fake accounts are not harmless. They damage trust. They confuse followers. They can be used to scam people, mislead people, or pretend to represent someone they do not know.
If you see an account pretending to be me, asking for money, sending strange messages, using my photos, or claiming to be an official Steven Kelly account, report it.
My official Instagram is:
https://www.instagram.com/survival_ste/
You can also read more about this issue in my article on fake dating profiles and romance scams:
This whole situation has been a useful reminder.
If you are building a personal brand, business, podcast, or media profile, do not rely on one platform.
Instagram matters. Facebook matters. TikTok matters. YouTube matters. But your website, email list, and long-form content are what give your brand more stability.
Social media gets attention.
Your website builds authority.
Your email list gives you direct contact.
Your podcast builds trust.
Your articles help people find you through search.
That is why I am continuing to build everything around my main website:
And my podcast hub:
https://www.stevenkelly.uk/podcast
The aim is simple: if someone searches for Steven Kelly, Survival Ste, British TV survivalist, Naked and Afraid UK survivalist, or The Survival Debrief Podcast, they should find the real source.
Not a fake account.
Not a backup account.
Not a confused trail of half-linked profiles.
The real one.
For clarity, my main Instagram account is:
https://www.instagram.com/survival_ste/
That is where I will be posting:
The backup account was useful while the main account was unavailable, but @survival_ste is now the official account again.
If you follow my content, I want you to know where to find the real updates.
If you are here for survival skills, you will get practical field content.
If you are here because you watched me on Naked and Afraid, E4, Discovery, or BBC, you will get more behind-the-scenes stories.
If you are here for the podcast, you will get clips and guest updates from The Survival Debrief Podcast.
If you are here because of fake accounts or romance scams, you will get clear warnings and advice from someone whose images have actually been misused online.
I am not interested in building a fake influencer image.
I am interested in building a trusted public platform around survival, resilience, military experience, outdoor skills, and honest conversation.
The official account is:
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/survival_ste/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/stevenkelly29
TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@survival_ste
Podcast:
https://www.stevenkelly.uk/podcast
Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-survival-debrief-podcast-with-steven-kelly/id1844233698
If an account messages you pretending to be me and it does not come from my official channels, be careful.
Do not send money.
Do not share personal details.
Do not trust accounts just because they use my photos.
Check the handle. Check the links. Check the source.
Getting my Instagram back is good news, but the bigger lesson is this:
Your reputation should never depend on one platform.
Build your name properly. Protect your identity. Own your website. Grow your email list. Keep your official links clear. Do not let fake accounts control the story.
For me, the main Instagram is back.
Now it is time to get back to work.
Follow the official account here:
https://www.instagram.com/survival_ste/
And if you want more survival stories, behind-the-scenes TV lessons, and honest conversations with people who have been tested properly, listen to The Survival Debrief Podcast:
https://www.stevenkelly.uk/podcast
Steven Kelly’s official Instagram account is:
https://www.instagram.com/survival_ste/
Yes. My original Instagram account @survival_ste is back and is now the main official account again.
Report it through the platform. Do not send money, personal information, or private details to any account pretending to be me.
Scammers use recognisable or trustworthy-looking images to make fake profiles seem more believable. This can happen on social media, dating apps, and messaging platforms.
You can find The Survival Debrief Podcast here:
https://www.stevenkelly.uk/podcast
You can also listen on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-survival-debrief-podcast-with-steven-kelly/id1844233698
Follow me on social media:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/stevenkelly29
TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@survival_ste
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/survival_ste/
If you want more survival stories, outdoor lessons, podcast updates, and behind-the-scenes content, subscribe through the website and stay connected.
This is where I share the real updates — not fake accounts, not copied photos, and not watered-down nonsense.
