Naked & Afraid Legend Amber Hargrove on The Survival Debrief Podcast (with Steven Kelly)

If you’ve watched Naked & Afraid and wondered what the cameras don’t capture—this one’s for you.

In this episode of The Survival Debrief Podcast, I sit down with Amber Hargrove—a Naked & Afraid veteran and one of the toughest, most consistent survivalists to come through the franchise—to talk about real survival: decision-making under pressure, resilience, and what it takes to keep moving when your body and mind are screaming at you.

🎧 Listen to the episode on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7xrwUwGQXkxGy4npvB0C1J?si=0cgr2Qw8SjOG_1s1LxJsgw

Who is Amber Hargrove?

Amber is a U.S. Army veteran and long-time survivalist known for her multiple appearances across the Naked & Afraid world (including Naked & Afraid XL). She’s also got a serious outdoors background that goes way beyond TV.

Follow Amber here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amber_combat_survivalist/
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7291185/

What we talk about in this interview

This is a proper debrief—no scripts, no quick edits, no manufactured drama. We dig into the stuff that actually matters if you care about survival, leadership, and mindset:

How experienced survivalists make decisions when energy, morale, and calories are gone
The mental traps that cause people to spiral (and what to do instead)
What “tough” really looks like when you’re cold, wet, hungry, and sleep-deprived
How to handle conflict and ego when you’re partnered up in extreme conditions
The realities of coming home after a challenge—and switching back to normal life

Why this episode matters (even if you’ll never go on TV)

Most people think survival is about fire, shelter, and food.

That’s the surface layer.

Real survival is priorities, judgment, and staying switched on when your comfort zone is dead and buried. Amber’s experience makes this one of the most valuable episodes we’ve done for anyone who wants to build genuine resilience—on expeditions or in everyday life.

Quick links: listen, follow, and subscribe

This episode (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/episode/7xrwUwGQXkxGy4npvB0C1J?si=0cgr2Qw8SjOG_1s1LxJsgw
The Survival Debrief Podcast (Spotify show): https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEywXoYZsNr3De4cdLQ1U
Podcast hub on my site: https://www.stevenkelly.uk/journal/the-survival-debrief-podcast-real-talk-with-steven-kelly
About me (Steven Kelly / Survival Ste): https://www.stevenkelly.uk/about

If you enjoyed it, do this (it makes a massive difference)

Follow the show on Spotify
Share this episode with one mate who loves survival / outdoor TV
Drop a rating or review (it helps the podcast reach new listeners)

Train with me (real-world survival, not TV survival)

If you want to learn the skills and mindset we talk about on the podcast—properly—check out training options here:
https://www.stevenkelly.uk/survival-training